Found this interesting exchange in Publications of the Mississippi Historical Society, Volume 8, 1905
Sorry for the text mistakes...
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I here give the evidence I have collected as to who was the last man killed in the war east of the Mississippi river. The date of the killing of John Randall was April 13th, 1865.
By reference to President Davis' Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government, ii., 697-698, it will be seen that Mobile was evacuated on April 12, and that General Dick Taylor surrendered to General Canby on May 8, 1865, on pages 698-699 of the same volume, it will be seen that our general, J. E. Slaughter, had a conflict with the Federals on May 26, 1865, at a little encampment about fifteen miles above Brazos Satiago, in Louisiana, west of the Mississippi river, in the trans-Mississippi department, under General E. Kirby Smith. Speaking of the Federal expedition, President Davis says that General Slaughter "drove it back with considerable loss, sustaining very little injury to his command." He does not say whether we had any one killed, and if not then John Randall was the last man killed in the war. He closes with the following statement:
"This was, I believe, the last armed conflict of the war, and, though very small in comparison to the great battles, it deserves notice as having closed the long struggle—as it opened—with a Confederate victory."
Below follow the letters in reference to John Randall:
From Mobile Register Of January 16th, 1904.
"To the Editor of the Register:
"I enclose letter from Judge R. C. Beckett. Can you give the desired information?
From Mobile Register Of January 16th, 1904.
"In reply to Judge R. C. Beckett's enquiry as to the name of the soldier who is believed to have been the last man killed in the war of 1861-1865, comes information from old soldiers here that the man was John Randall of the 15th Alabama Cavalry, who after the battle of Blakely was on his way with other troops northward from Mobile. He was killed near Whistler in Mobile county, five miles from Mobile, 01 the line of the Mobile & Ohio Railroad. His body was buried there, but the mother of Randall had it reinterred in Magnolia Cemetery, Mobile.
"As for General St. John Liddell, who commanded the Confederate troops at Blakely—he escaped with the retreating troops from Blakely. Captain F. A. Lumsden says he retired to Louisiana, where he had a plantation on the Ouachita river; and a few years later was killed in the Jones-Liddell feud."
Letter From John B. Dav1s, Of Dav1s, Marshall & Co.
"R . C. Beckett,
"West Point, Miss. "dear S1r: I notice in the Register of this morning a letter from you to Mr. Geo. Hairston, enquiring who the man was that was killed in the retreat from Mobile. This man was John Randall, a member of Co. G, 15th Confederate Cavalry, Col. Harry Maury. He was killed in a shirmish at Eight Mile Bridge. Capt. Frank Moore had a company of scouts made up of men detached, but not transferred from the different companies of the 15th Confederate Cavalry, and John Randall was one of them. I think you will find in General Dick Taylor's book that he has this man as the last man killed in the Confederate war.
"Very truly,
"john B. Dav1s."
From Hon. E . L. Russell, General Counsel, M. & O. R. R. Co.
12th April, 1904. "Mr. R. C. Beckett,
"West Point, Miss. "My Dear Mr. Beckett:
"Further replying to your letter of the 7th instant, which is herewith returned along with Mr. Davis' letter to you on the same subject, I beg to hand you a clipping which appeared in our Mobile Register on the morn of the 10th and nth instant. It is hoped by this means to secure for you the information desired.
"Yours very truly,
"E . L. Russell."
Cl1pp1ng From Mobile Register.
"Mr. R C. Beckett, of West Point, Mississippi, who is writing concerning war incidents for the Mississippi Historical Society, is still in search of information concerning the last man killed in the war on the Confederate side. Mr. J. B. Davis, of Mobile, has fixed a date of April 13th, 1865, for this event so far as concerns the army east of the Mississippi River. On that date John Randall, a member of the Mobile Dragoons, Company G, Fifteenth Confederate Cavalry, was wounded near Eight-Mile Creek bridge, Whistler, in Mobile County, and died the same day. Randall was one of a scouting party. Anyone having any written record of this event, especially as to the date, since Mr. Beckett, after having received the above information, through the Register, writes, saying, 'But I cannot get the date of his death,' will confer a favor upon Mr. Beckett by communicating with him on the subject, addressing him at West Point, Miss."
Letter Of Mr. Dav1s Referred To By Hon. E. L. Russell.
"mob1le, Ala., Jan 21st., 1904. "Mr. R. C. Beckett,
"West Point, Miss. "dear S1r:
"Yours of the 20th to hand and noted. There is not a doubt but that John Randall was a member of the Mobile Dragoons, Co. G, 15th Confedederate Cavalry, Col. Harry Maury. This company was raised by Genl. Jas. Hagan, and was afterwards commanded by Col. Wm. Boyles, who was promoted to colonel of the 56th Alabama, and then by John H. Marshall, who was retired from wounds, and made commander of the post at Greenville, Ala., and at the surrender by Louis J. Hallett. I was a member of this company, and of course, knew Randall. My impression is that there was no such command as the 15th Alabama Cavalry, at least I never heard of it.
"I have talked with two members of this scouting party since the appearance of this notice in the Register, one of whom was with the scout when Randall was killed, and the other a few miles in advance with the wagons. Colonel Ball never commanded the 15th Confederate Cavalry: it only had one colonel, and that was Harry Maury.
This scouting party came very near capturing General Canby at the Battle House door the day before Randall was killed, took one sentinel out the Battle House barber shop, and another one out of McGill's shoe store on Dauphin street, and carried the prisoners out behind them on their horses. My impression is that he was not the last man killed in the war, but the last man killed east of the Mississippi river. I think there was some fighting in Texas after he was killed. I have spoken to Mr. Craighead in regard to this, and he says he will correct it.
"Very truly
"jno. B. Dav1s."
Letter From Mrs. M. J. Murphy.
"mer1d1an, April 23rd, 1904. "Mr. R. C. Beckett, "dear S1r:
"The information you desire in regard to date of death of Private John Randall, member of the Mobile Dragoons, Company G, 15th Confederate Cavalry, who was killed near Eight Mile Creek, in Mobile County, and claimed to be the last Confederate soldier killed in the Civil War, will be furnished you in the course of a week.
"John Randall was my brother, and left college to join the army. I do not think he was over sixteen years old. You remember towards the last, the boys and old men were allowed to enlist. The date of his death is recorded in the family Bible, and my sister, Mrs. Taylor, has gone to Mobile to gather all recorded facts in regard to his death, and will write you from Mobile. Mr. William Beard, of Mobile, was a member of the same company, and of the scouting party, and removed brother from his horse when shot. He stoutly maintains that brother was the last soldier killed, and will gladly give you any information you wish.
"My brother's remains now lie in the family burying ground in Mobile.
"Respectfully,
"mrs. M. J. Murphy."
Letter From Mrs. J. T. Taylor.
"Judge R. C. Beckett:
"I have been noticing communications in the Mobile papers as to who was the last Confederate soldier killed in our lost cause.
"My brother, John Randall, I think was the soldier. He was killed on the 13th day of April, 1865, in a skirmish with the Yankees. I enclose a piece which was written about a year ago and printed in the Mobile Register. I have preserved the piece on account of its sacredness to me. I hope you will be able to get a little information from it, and return it to me at the address of John Randall's sister.
"mrs. J. T. Taylor, "6st-26 Ave., "Meridian, Miss."
Newspaper Cupp1ng Above Ment1oned.
"To the Herald:
"In Sunday's issue of the Herald appears a very interesting account of the last battles of the Confederacy, which occurred around Mobile, and the last fight mentioned as having occurred near Whistler. This was at Eight Mile Creek bridge, between a detachment of about thirty men from Company G, of the 15th Confederate Cavalry, and about three hundred men of the 16th Georgia (should be 16th Confederate) Cavalry under the command of Colonel Spence, and the Federal forces.
"The Confederate forces were guarding the retreat of the army, and engaged the enemy at this point in order that the baggage wagons might get a start and get out of the way. As this was the last fight, it may have been that in this fight also the last Confederate soldier was killed. It was at this place just north of the bridge where the brave and chivalrous John Randall, of Company G, 15th Confederate Cavalry, lost his life. He fell near where the residence of Mr. Liversage stands, and was buried by the Federals, but his body was removed a few days later by his family, who lived in Mobile. Two or three days after this, while guarding the retreat of the army, the writer was captured, which ended his career as a Confederate. While in prison we were guarded by the Twentieth Iowa Regiment and every man in the regiment from the colonel down was a gentleman, and treated the old and ragged Confederates with the kindest consideration, which always makes me have a warm place in my heart for anybody that comes from that State.
"one Of The Surv1vors." Letter From W1ll1am Cato, Sr.
"wh1stler, Ala., April nth, 1904. "Mr. R. C. Beckett,
"West Point, Miss.
"Having read an article in to-day's Mobile Register, stating that any one knowing the date of the death of John Randall, &c. I am not positive as to the date, but I am positive that it was the next day after the surrender of Mobile, as myself, John Randall, and fifteen or twenty men from Co. G, Fifteenth Confederate Cavalry were detailed as a scouting party and attached to Capt. Frank Moore's Scouts. We were attached to the command of Col. Spence of the 16th Ga. (should be 16th Confederate) Cavalry. We had about 250 men. We had two pieces of artillery, and several baggage wagons. We were guarding the retreat from Mobile. We left Mobile as the enemy was coming in, and camped the first night at Eight Mile Creek about seven miles north of Mobile. We staid there until about two o'clock next day, in order to cover the retreat, and give the baggage wagons and artillery an opportunity to get as far ahead as possible. The infantry went by rail up the M. & O.
"A strong force of the enemy came up about two o'clock and we engaged them for a short while. John Randall was mortally wounded, and died, and was buried the same evening by the enemy, about two hundred yards north of Eight Mile Creek bridge. I saw the place where he had been buried a few days afterwards, as I was captured by part of the same command. His body had been removed by his people as they lived near Mobile, —this I was told by the enemy.
"Yours truly,
"w1ll1am Cato, Sr. "Co. G, Fifteenth Confed. Cav."
Letter From Greene B. Mobley.
"Eutaw, Ala., April 23rd, 1904. "Mr. R. C. Beckett,
"West Point, Miss. "dear sir: If you will write Col. Philip B. Spence, late colonel of the 16th Confederate Cavalry, for his article, "The Last Battle," he will send it to you, and you will get the information wanted. His address now is Nashville, Tenn. I was in this regiment, and was wounded on Sunday, March 26th, 1865. At the last fight I was at home suffering from two wounds. The date, as I remember, was April 12th or 13th. "Wishing you success in your undertaking,
"I am yours, &c,
"G. B. Mobley."
Letter From Colonel Phil1p B. Spence.
"nashville, June 7th, 1904. "My Dear Beckett:
"Your letter of May 17th was received several days ago. I have deferred answering hoping that I could find the sketch I wrote many years ago of our command, which was published in the Louisville Courier-Journal, and copied in many other papers, but I have been disappointed. I may find a copy in the near future; should I do so will send it to you.
"Why can't you come to the Reunion, June 14th, 15th and 16th? We could then talk the matter over.
"ph1l1p B. Spence."
Not1ce Of Colonel Spence 1n Confederate Veteran.
Group of eight survivors of the 16th Confederate Cavalry at the Dallas reunion. Names, F. T. Copp, W. M. Morgan, Anson Rainey, C. L. Wilson, Capt. J. M. Winston, S. C. Buck, color bearer, Capt. Alex. Moore, and Col. P. B. Spence.
Quotation:
'The above group represents a few of the survivors of the 16th Confederate Cavalry Regiment, who met at the recent reunion at Dallas, Tex. The flag is the same which floated over the last line of battle of the great war, and was borne by the same color-bearer in Dallas, in the same tattered and blood-stained uniform which he wore when the regiment surrendered in front of Mobile, having been wounded at the beginning of the siege of that city. He marched in the procession by the side of Gen'l Tyree Bell, and was the proudest soldier in that great procession, and well might he be, carrying the old flag that he loved so dearly, and had borne in triumph and defeat over a regiment to which every member was proud to belong.
"Anson Rainey, who was a private in Company A and wounded in the same campaign is now Chief Justice of the Court of Appeals at Dallas. His hospitality to his old comrades at his Texas home was as boundless and magnificent as his courage was conspicuous on the field of battle.
"Capt. Winston, a gallant soldier, the oldest surviving officer, and possibly the oldest living member of the regiment, appears in the center of the group on the right of hi? old commander, Col. Spence, and Capt. Alex. Moore, a reliable scout, always giving correct information of the enemy's movement. On the left Morgan, Copp, Wilson, and Buck, the color-bearer, who did their whole duty, and are still proud of the services they gave to the Southern cause."
The foregoing data was written by Col. Spence, except that his name is added. A copy of his brief sketch was sent to Judge Rainey, who wrote: "The picture I think good with one exception. It does not do Spence justice; he is better looking and more attractive. While Spence's innate modesty is commendable he barely alludes to himself and then not by name."
"Concerning Col. Spence's distinguished services, Judge Rainey refers to a sketch in the Southern 'Historical Society Papers,' by Gen'l Dabney H. Maury, about the defense of Mobile, in which he states that 'General Canby occupied nine days in marching twenty miles, with no force in his front except five hundred cavalry under Col. Spence. It is true that Spence handled his men with excellent skill and courage, and no doubt even prayed in a quiet way every night, for he made forty thousand Federals move very circumspectly every day and entrench themselves every night against him. Col. Spence was one of the most efficient and comfortable outpost commanders I ever had to deal with. He always took what was given him, and made the most out of it. He was devoted, active, brave and modest, and did his whole duty to the very last day of our existence as an army.'"
Letter From George Ha1rston.
Mr. Hairston was one of the same mess with myself. He had a fine gray horse with what we call a glass eye. He thought a great deal of his horse, and had actually taught it to walk logs, so that he could ride across a creek or ravine on a log if it was strong enough to bear their weight. In writing to him I accidentally called it a mare as the letter shows. Here is the letter:
"crawford, M1ss., Feb. 7th, 1904. "Judge R. C. Beckett,
"West Point, Miss. "Dear Beckett:
"Yours of a recent date received all right. I expect that Mr. John B. Davis is correct about John Randall belonging to Col. Maury's regiment . If you will remember, Col. Maury was in command at Mobile when we first went there to do picket duty. I have learned from Mr. John Robertson, of Columbus, a member of Ball's command, that Ball commanded the 8th Alabama Regiment. You know that a Confederate regiment was composed of companies from different States. Mr. Robertson said that his regiment was not at Mobile at the evacuation, and not in the Eight Mile Creek fight. You are mistaken about Bill Baird being with us on our little private raid at Blue Mountain. You, John Turbeville, a poor boy, a private in Morgan's Company C, who was killed at Lafayette, (I have forgotten his name,) and myself were the only members of that expedition. You and Turbeville were confined to company quarters, and Company C and myself were kept under guard, sitting on a log, in the rain near headquarters for several days before we started for LaFayette, Ga. I was with the regiment at Pollard, Canoe Station, Pine Barren, Mobile and Blakely. Do you remember the night you, Bodine and myself called on the ladies in Pollard? The old gray mare that you ask about was a horse, Old Paul Vane. I transferred him to Ball's regiment, where he was owned by Capt. Cole, and became quite a hero, brought Cole and Ball out of the Rome, Georgia, stampede, Ball riding behind Cole. The noble old gray horse had to jump several fences and ditches, but he made the run all right. The last log that he walked was across the River Jordan to a land that is fairer and brighter than this. * * *
"Your friend,
"geo. Ha1rston.
Note.—The sentences omitted at the end of the above letter contain merely friendly remarks which do not relate to the subject under consideration.
I have a letter also from Mr. W. H. Randall, the brother of John Randall, but he knows nothing except from heresay, from persons whom he has consulted. From these he says, "I think there can be no question that April 13th, 1865, is the correct date."