 Federal reinforcements from the Gulf coast were being transferred East at the time and Gillmore was put in command of a detachment of the XIX Corps which had been quickly diverted to the defense of the capital at the battle of Fort Stevens.With the threat to Washington over the XIX Corps was transferred to the Army of the Shenandoah and Gillmore was reassigned to the Western Theater as inspector of military fortifications.As the war was drawing to an end he was reassigned to command of the Department of the South one final time and was in command when Charleston and Fort Sumter were finally turned over to Union forces.