On April 15, 1865, General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Brigadier General Ulysses Grant, and at Fort Buhlow soldiers quickly fled home because they felt the war was nearing its end. Facing the threat of a Union advance northward, Brigadier General Joseph Brent ordered the evacuation of the forts' soldiers and the destruction of all heavy artillery, central magazines, and bombproofs, but the remaining soldiers refused to obey and those at Fort Buhlow continued their artillery duties. On May 17, during one of these duties, a cannon loaded with blank charges burst and killed Private Heber Bennett, one of the last fatalities in Louisiana. On May 19, General Brent, under orders from General Hays, negotiated a peaceful surrender. On June 2, Alexandria was taken by a Union occupying force, and on June 3, 1865, with only 86 soldiers left, Fort Buhlow and Fort Randolph surrendered. Although no fighting occurred at the forts, they stood as the Confederate Army's last stand against the Union in Louisiana, and many historians believe their advantageous position high above the Red River could have successfully slowed or stopped an enemy attack.