Of these officers only the first two surrendered with General Lee, Colonel Talcott having left the staff by promotion in 1863. Yes, two of them surrendered, but if we are to believe Charles Francis Adams we cannot say that Lee and his forces were actually vanquished, for as the Massachusetts soldier-author put it: "Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia never sustained defeat.
Finally succumbing to exhaustion, to the end they were not overthrown in fight." THE HEART OF THE SOUTH.