What happened in 1865 during the civil war?

Answer 1

The Battle of Chancellorsville - the last and greatest tactical triumph by Lee and Jackson before the latter's fatal (and supposedly accidental) shooting.

Without Jackson, Lee said he had 'lost his right arm', and the Army of Northern Virginia was never so effective after that.

Answer 2

In January, Robert E. Lee was appointed to the new Confederate post of General-in-Chief - too late to make any difference to the war situation.

Until March, the Siege of Petersburg simply ground on, with Grant waiting for Lee to run out of men and supplies. (He had ended the system of prisoner exchange.)

In February, Sherman had crossed from Georgia into South Carolina and continued his punitive raids on farms and railroads, before proceeding into North Carolina, where Joseph Johnston's small army caused him minor casualties.

Finally, Lee broke out of Petersburg, and tried to join forces with Johnston, but ran out of steam and surrendered to Grant at Appomattox.

Johnston would surrender to Sherman two weeks later.

In between those two events, Lincoln had been assassinated in Washington.