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Conclusion

            The 1865 raid of General George Stoneman is not an aspect of the American Civil War that is explored by many scholars. As an event of military significance, it took place too late in the war to influence the overall outcome. The events of the raid within Surry County are even less well known in the overall scheme of the war. This aspect of the history of North Carolina is significant because of the difference between Surry and the surrounding areas affected by the raid. A close investigation of April 1-3, 1865, reveals that as compared with the areas prior to and after it, Surry fared well. It was not completely devastated or ravaged by the raiders, and most of the little infrastructure it had was left intact. This is most likely due to the fact that Surry had few sites of significance to the Confederate cause, and that the people of Surry County seemed to want nothing more than to be left alone. While there were cases of plunder and skirmishes with locals, the majority of the events within Surry show a group of soldiers who only took what they needed to continue on their way. Overall, Surry County proves to be a significant part of Stoneman’s raid, not for the way in which the county was harmed, but for the way it was spared.