1 8 6 5 , ▁John ston ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁catch ▁the ▁left ▁wing ▁of ▁Sh erman ' s ▁army ▁by ▁surprise ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Bent on ville ▁and ▁briefly ▁gained ▁some ▁tact ical ▁success es ▁before ▁superior ▁numbers ▁forced ▁him ▁to ▁retre at ▁to ▁R ale igh , ▁North ▁Carolina . ▁Unable ▁to ▁secure ▁the ▁capital , ▁John ston ' s ▁army ▁with d rew ▁to ▁Gre ens bor o . ▁ ▁After ▁learning ▁of ▁Lee ' s ▁surrender ▁at ▁App om atto x ▁Court ▁House ▁on ▁April ▁ 9 , ▁John ston ▁agreed ▁to ▁meet ▁with ▁General ▁Sh erman ▁between ▁the ▁lines ▁at ▁a ▁small ▁farm ▁known ▁as ▁Ben nett ▁Place ▁near ▁present - day ▁Dur ham , ▁North ▁Carolina . ▁After ▁three ▁separate ▁days ▁( A pril ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 1 8 , ▁and ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 1 8 6 5 ) ▁of ▁negoti ations , ▁John ston ▁surrender ed ▁the ▁Army ▁of ▁Tennessee ▁and ▁all ▁remaining ▁Confeder ate ▁forces ▁still ▁active ▁in ▁North ▁Carolina , ▁South ▁Carolina , ▁Georgia , ▁and ▁Florida . ▁It ▁was ▁the ▁largest ▁surrender ▁of ▁the ▁war , ▁total ing ▁ 8 9 , 2 7 0 ▁soldiers . ▁President ▁Davis ▁considered ▁that ▁John ston , ▁surrender ing ▁so ▁many ▁troops ▁that ▁had ▁not ▁been ▁explicitly ▁defeated ▁in ▁battle , ▁had ▁committed ▁an ▁act ▁of ▁tre ach ery . ▁John ston ▁was ▁par o led ▁on ▁May ▁ 2 ▁at ▁Gre ens bor o . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁surrender ,