 FACT: Gerald OHara comes running into Tara shouting that the war  was over because Lee surrendered. Lee surrendered only the Army of  Northern Virgina on April 9, 1865. His surrender would have had no  affect on Georgia. Gen. Joseph E. Johnson, Commander of the Army of  the Tennessee, didnt surrender his forces until April 26. This  surrender would have had more of an impact on Georgia. In fact,  Georgia State Troops didnt surrender until almost a month after  Lee. What is considered the actual end of the war was the surrender  of Gen. Kirby Smith at Galveston, Texas, on May 26. However, General  Stand Watie didnt surrender his Cherokee Rifles until June 26, over  two months after Lee.