White Sulphur Springs




North Carolina in the American Civil War

May 6, 1865 -- White Sulphur Springs
CSA Commander:	1st Lt. Robert T. Conley	Union Commander:	Lt. Col. William C. Bartlett
Killed:	-	Killed:	1
Wounded:	-	Wounded:	-
Captured:	-	Captured:	-
Original County:	Haywood	Current County:	Haywood

Union Lt. Col. William C. Bartlett was ordered out of Greeneville, TN on April 27, 1865 with the 2nd NC Mounted Infantry (Union), the 3rd NC Mounted Infantry (Union), and the 1st U.S. Colored Heavy Artillery, and they fanned out to the south and north. Union Col. John K. Miller's 3rd Brigade of Brig. Gen. Alvan C. Gillem's Cavalry Division secured Asheville on April 30th—Confederate Brig. Gen. James G. Martin (CSA, NC Western District) had evacuated the day before. Outside of small numbers of Home Guard, Local Defense, and partisan units, Thomas's Legion was all that Brig. Gen. Martin had left. Most of Col. John B. Palmer's Brigade, the consolidated 62nd/64th NC Regiment and 69th NC Regiment (7th Cavalry), had disappeared—they simply went home, most never receiving a parole. After Union Maj. Gen. George Stoneman announced that there was really no need to communicate with Confederate Brig. Gen. James G. Martin (NC) because his "troops already had taken western North Carolina, he had Lt. Col. William W. Stringfield of Thomas's Legion thrown in jail—where they remained well into the summer. Meanwhile, Lt. Col. Bartlett with Col. George W. Kirk (3rd NC Mounted Infantry-Union) moved against Brig. Gen. Martin and Thomas's Legion. Col. John R. Love (Col. John R. Love's Regiment-Thomas's Legion) was at Balsam Gap with about 200 men; Col. William H. Thomas (Thomas's Legion) was at Soco Gap with a force of around 200 men, including some Indians and 1st Lt. Robert T. Conley's sharpshooters (Company F). Col. Thomas ordered 1st Lt. Conley to join Col. Love at Balsam Gap, and he took a route that led him to White Sulphur Springs near Waynesville, NC. Here 1st Lt. Conley encountered Union Lt. Col. William C. Bartlett's men on May 6th, surprised them, and drove them off. This skirmish is frequently referred to as the last clash of the Civil War east of the Mississippi River. Brig. Gen. Martin was having dinner with Col. Love's father near Webster, NC, when news arrived of this clash. He decided to move against Lt. Col. Bartlett, who had withdrawn to Waynesville. That same night, Col. Thomas had the Cherokees build many, many fires in the hills surrounding Waynesville in an effort to make the Union forces think they were surrounded by a large force—the Indians als beat their drums and uttered war whoops throughout the night. Lt. Col. Bartlett asked for a flag of truce the next morning. According to post-war accounts, 1st Lt. Robert L. Conley, of Company F in Col. John R. Love's Regiment-Thomas's Legion, commanded a group of soldiers in a skirmish at White Sulphur Springs, near Waynesville, May 6, 1865, during which were fired the last shots of the war east of the Mississippi. See "Civil War History" (Extended Edition), 5:443-444, and Conley "The Last Gun of the War," Atlanta Constitution, July 13, 1892.
Known CSA Participants		Known Union Participants
*1st Lt. Robert T. Conley — Commanding Officer,* Col. James R. Love's Regiment-Thomas's Legion Detachment: Company F (Sharpshooters) — 1st Lt. Robert T. Conley		*Lt. Col. William C. Bartlett — Commanding Officer,* 2nd NC Mounted Infantry (Union) — Lt. Col. William C. Bartlett. -
Sources:
North Carolina Troops: 1861-1865, A Roster, Volume XVI, PP.244-245, P.317. Historical Marker Database Online Account. William C. Bartlett's Findagrave Online Biography.