Dr. Terry Jones responded: >>>Vince, the Confederates regained control of Alexandria right after it was burned and the Yankees retreated. I believe they retained control for the rest of the war. Forts Randolph and Bulow were constructed on the river there after the Red River Campaign to prevent the enemy from returning. The comment that "all is lost" in May 1865 would be in reference to the surrenders taking place at that time.<<<
I have been interested in learning the exact date that Alexandria was re-occupied and thought I would share with other interested readers what I have found. As Terry has responded, Alexandria returned to Confederate hands following the Federal retreat in May 1864 and remained under Confederate control until the Trans-Mississippi surrender. The surrender agreement was dated 26 MAY 1865 at New Orleans and officially signed by Lieutenant General E. Kirby Smith on 2 JUN 1865 at Galveston.
Major General P. J. Osterhaus wrote on 19 MAY 1865 from New Orleans to Major General E. R. S. Canby, who was still at Mobile, reporting intelligence brought in by a Confederate deserter. There were said to be 2,500 Confederate soldiers stationed at Alexandria at this time. [OR I, Volume 48, Part II, page 502]
Major General Phillip H. Sheridan was sent from Washington to replace Major General Nathaniel Banks in late May 1865 and reported that “On the 29th of May, I assumed control of this new command, designating it the Military Division of the Southwest, with headquarters at New Orleans, Louisiana; --The movement of the Thirteenth Corps had been ordered before I reached New Orleans. One division of it, under Major General F. J. Herron, proceeded to occupy the line of the Red River in Louisiana.” [OR I, Volume 48, Part 1, page 297]
General Herron reported to General Banks in New Orleans from Alexandria on 3 JUN 1865: “Your order directing me to change the headquarters Northern Division of Louisiana to Shreveport reached me on the evening of the 30th ultimo [May]. On the 31st,--I left Baton Rouge to confer with Lieutenant Commander Fitzhugh, US Navy as to co-operation of the navy in moving to this point. Remaining one day at the mouth of Red River waiting for General Dennis’ division, and receiving no word of it, I started up, bringing with me two companies of the First Indiana Heavy Artillery and the Sixth Missouri Cavalry, Lieutenant Commander Fitzhugh sending the gun boats Benton, Ouachita, and Fort Hindman. We reached Alexandria on the evening of the 2nd instant without molestation. Today the forts and other public property have been turned over, and the navy have received the iron clad gunboat Missouri.” [OR I, Volume 48, Part 2, pages 747-748]
Hugh