Dixie Hall (Now Macon County Courthouse)

By 1855, the American Civil War was winding to a close and the Confederacy had drawn the shorter straw. Shortages of resources meant soldiers were ill-prepared for battle and morale was often short on hand except for the most determined of folk following General Sherman’s march to the sea and other terrible losses. Heavy losses of troops for the south left plenty of firearms to use, but not enough hands to use them. Because of the south’s lack of natural resources and industrial factories the Confederacy building ships was few and far between. This issue was especially apparent when compared to the northern United States who had steel mills, more shipyards, and industrial trained workers. These issues left Confederate troops ever dwindling options for how to turn the tide of the war. These issues forced the Confederacy to make tough choices and one of them was stopping the war effort. Although, that difficult choice would be made for them.  General Robert E. Lee’s surrender on April 9th, 1865 marks the climax of the four-year war, and what follows became the falling action with other Confederate generals following quickly with each surrender coming sooner after the last. Natural complexities of the terrain and a lack of infrastructure meant that Franklin, NC saw a notable lack of actual battles. The land was mountainous and rough which made resources like railways and telegrams incompatible for both sides of the war. Towns such as Franklin and other western North Carolina towns proved difficult for forces to navigate. The town of Franklin didn’t receive a railroad until 38 years later in 1903. Which stands to prove its inaccessibility. Franklin almost saw its first battle on May 12, 1985, when Captain Stephen Whitaker prepared to fight but instead surrendered. The surrender that happened at Dixie Hall in Franklin, NC was “ ‘The final surrender’ east of the Mississippi River.” (End of the Civil War). At Dixie Hall “on May 12, 1865, Captain Stephen Whitaker surrendered Walker’s Battalion of the former Thomas Legion, detached from the rest of the command, to Colonel George Washington Kirk at Franklin, North Carolina, upon hearing of the surrenders of Thomas and Martin” (Surrenders After Appomattox). After Walker’s Battalion fought at Hanging Dog they were stationed in Franklin NC where the surrender eventually happened. Many surrenders took place around the same time as Whititaker's such as the surrender of Brigadier General William Tatum Wofford on the same day as Whititaker’s surrender. A day later, however “the last land battle of the war was fought” which ended in a decisive victory for Confederate forces (Surrenders After Appomattox). As well as being the last land battle this would also be the last decisive victory for the Confederate Troops. When “On August 20, 1866, President Andrew Johnson declared the insurrection officially over and peace restored” All that remained was those who chose not to surrender (Surrenders After Appomattox). The surrender at Appomattox and the surrender at Dixie Hall are similar in that they mark the first and last major surrenders of the war. Although there was a surrender a month earlier than the one at Appomattox and many to come after Dixie Hall. The building after standing for years is now the home to the Macon County Courthouse which was built in 1972 after the early 1970’s demolition of the once tall standing Dixie Hall.

“Thomas’ Legion” North Carolina Civil War Trails, Franklin NC, Viewed May 13th 2021

Hamilton, Chuck . Surrenders After Appomattox , www.essentialcivilwarcurriculum.com. Accessed May 13th 2021. https://www.essentialcivilwarcurriculum.com/surrenders-after-appomattox.html.

End of the Civil War, www.thomaslegion.net. Accessed May 13th 2021. http://www.thomaslegion.net/lastbattlefinalsurrenderofthecivilwar.html.

The Final Surrender , www.thomaslegion.net . Accessed May 13th 2021. http://www.thomaslegion.net/thomaslegionphotos/index.album/captain-stephen-whitaker-surrendering-the-final-confederate-forces-east-of-the-mississippi-river-at-franklin-north-carolina?i=11.