Confederate General Joseph Eggleston Johnston arrived at Greensboro for a military conference with President Jefferson Finis Davis and General Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard. Davis introduced the meeting with a discussion of the available military resources and a plan for continuing the war by rounding up deserters and enforcing conscription. Johnston responded by requesting authority to begin a correspondence with Union Major-General William Tecumseh Sherman for a truce. This was dismissed out of hand by the President. The meeting was adjourned to await the arrival of the Secretary of War, Major-General John Cabell Breckinridge, with definite news from Virginia. Breckinridge arrived during the evening and brought the unwelcome confirmation of the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia. Johnston and Beauregard urged Breckinridge to support them in seeking permission from the President to request a suspension of hostilities at the council of war to be resumed in the morning.

Union Major-General George Stoneman’s cavalry bypassed Greensboro and attacked Salisbury, rounding up 1,300 prisoners and destroying the depots accumulated to supply the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia for its anticipated retreat into North Carolina. They also captured 10,000 small arms and fourteen guns The defence of Salisbury was commanded by Confederate Lieutenant-Colonel (formerly Lieutenant-General) John Clifford Pemberton. Stoneman’s cavalry engaged in the destruction of the railway bridges along the track between Greensboro and Charlotte. The destruction of the railroad meant that the Confederate President and Government currently in Greensboro would be denied the benefit of railroad travel for the next stage of their flight.

Confederate General Robert Edward Lee held a final review at which he gave his formal farewell to his troops and officially disbanded the Army of Northern Virginia. Union Brigadier-General Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain was appointed to receive the formal surrender of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia from Confederate Major-General John Brown Gordon at Clove Hill near Appomattox Court House. After the formalities were concluded, Lee departed for Richmond.