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The battle of New Orleans is probably the best known to Americans. It took place after the Treaty of Ghent was signed but news travelled so slow that nobody knew the war was over. I've actually been to the site of the Battle of Palmetto Hill (hardly a hill) which was fought after the end of the Civil War in May 1865. I've also wandered around the earthen ruins of Fort Blakely near Mobile. The Battle of Fort Blakely took place a couple hours after Grant and Lee finalized the surrender at Appomattox Courthouse. I know that guerrilla warfare took place a long time after the Civil War ended but these were "official" military engagements.
What other battles took place after their war ended?
Technically your Civil War example doesn't count because the Civil War did not end with the surrender of Lee's army at Appomattox. The last large Confederate force was Johnston's army that surrendered April 29, 1865. Even then, several smaller forces continued fighting, with Stand Watie's forces the last land forces to surrender on June 23, 1865. The last Confederate surrender was on November 6, 1865 (the CSS Shenandoah), and the war was officially proclaimed to be over by President Johnson on August 20, 1866.
Good point -- there was no official treaty or mutual peace agreement since this was a rebellion rather than two recognized nations with both being in a position to negotiate. Appomattox is generally said to be the end but there were groups that were still hold-outs. Davis dissolved the Confederate government on May 5th and was captured May 10th. There was no government authority to fight for after that. The grand review of the Union Army in Washington was May 23/24, 1865.
Palmetto Hill battlefield is in close proximity of the Rio Grande and the fighting (May 12/13) was a confused mess that possibly included some French troops across the river who were occupying Mexico under the puppet Emperor Maximillian. A Union officer was spoiling for a fight and started the attack even though there was an informal cease fire in place.
The "last" battle of the Vietnam War seems to be a misnomer in regards to the Mayaguez Incident.
First of all, it did not involve the NVA or Viet Cong. It involved Cambodia on an island. American hostages were taken. But since it happened in May of 1975 in Southeast Asia - it seems to be labeled as the "last" battle of the Vietnam War. Saigon fell on April 30, 1975. So, the battle was analyzed inappropriately (in my opinion). The Truth About the Lost Marines of the Vietnam War's Last Battle
Realistically, the last major ground battle of American forces with the NVA was at the Battle of Fire Support Base Ripcord - FSB Ripcord. The artillery support base formerly held by the 101st Airborne of Fort Campbell, KY fell to the NVA after all evacuated. But it was classified until 1985. The battle was the last one and, unfortunately (but realistically), a defeat.
There seems to be emotional bias in some "historians" or news reporters in labeling the Mayaguez Incident as the last battle of Vietnam. Since it was part of Southeast Asia with a date period of May, 1975, it is labeled as the "last" battle. But if one wants historical accuracy, another emotional barrier exists. To "admit" the last battle was FSB Ripcord (classified until 1985) is tantamount to admitting that the USA had actually lost a battle in Vietnam - which many Americans absolutely do not want to do by far. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle...t_Base_Ripcord
So, it seems more subjectively emotional than factually objective to label "Mayaguez" as the last battle while burying the details of FSB Ripcord until 1985. The fall of the base can be tied to a variety of factors - most notably that Nixon had instituted a phased withdrawal. This led to the decline of morale in American soldiers. Many did not want to be the last soldier to die in Vietnam while simply withdrawing. Drug abuse, racial tension and "fragging" were common. The latter tended to target officers who volunteered for dangerous missions recklessly for the sake of a promotion. Hence, in the myraid of problems, FSB Ripcord fell. https://www.usatoday.com/story/natio...crane/2484665/
CSS Shenandoah was wiping out the Northern whaling fleet in the northern Pacific for six months after the war had ended. The ship was on its way to San Francisco to bombard the harbour when in mid ocean they came across SS Barracuda, a Liverpool ship bound for Hong Kong. They exchanged newspapers and then they knew the war was over. The captain stuck his flag with the crew slowing the guns below and painting the ship to disguise her as Yankee ships were searching to get her.
She sailed around the Horn to Liverpool. On waiting for high water the pilot said he would not take her into the river unless she flew a flag. They raised the stars and bars sailing up river flying the flag to thousands of peoples lining the banks. On 6th November 1865, she surrendered to HMS Donegal in mid river, with the last official lowering of the Star and Bars to the Royal Navy. Shenandoah struck her colours twice. The very last act of the civil war was Captain Wardell walking up the steps of Liverpool town hall surrendering his vessel to the Lord Mayor.
Not technically a battle, but rather a continuation of a campaign, but I believe there were some kamikazes that took off after the Emperor's surrender announcement that ended World War II. Admiral Nimitz anticipated this, and ordered that all "ex-enemy" aircraft approaching the fleet should be shot down "in a friendly manner."
And then there were the hold-outs, individual Japanese soldiers (or small groups of soldiers) who didn't believe that the war was over, and kept on fighting, in some cases for many years afterwards.
Regarding the last battle of Vietnam. In my opinion the last battle of American forces in that conflict can be attributed to my old unit, Marine Embassy Guard Battalion, Company C. Saigon. On April 29,1975. This Marine unit was escorting American embassy personnel and other US citizens to Tan Son Nhut airport for evacuation out of country. Two Marines, Cpl Charles McMahon Jr and Lance Cpl Darwin Judge were killed in action during a rocket attack on the airport. They are officially recognized as the last two American combat deaths of the Vietnam War.
And then there were the hold-outs, individual Japanese soldiers (or small groups of soldiers) who didn't believe that the war was over, and kept on fighting, in some cases for many years afterwards.
I remember the two guys in the '70s coming in after waiting decades for orders.
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Mayaguez Incident
