Shelby and others not surrendering and going to Mexico is often given as example of the stubborness and hardheaded unreasoning southerner who refuses to give up when defeated. To some extent this is true. But what I find interesting in this is the willingness of these commanders to attempt to continue the fight in any way they could.

The fact that the Confederate States were willing to become a province of France by way of Mexico just to be free of the United States, is kind of a contridiction to the desire to be independent. But I guess it was a 'any port in a storm' attitude at that point.

Actually the War for Southern Independence Legally has not "officially" ended. While most of the military forces of the Confederacy surrendered as you pointed out some didn't. If the Confederate States Government was a legitamate Government, (It was reconigized by one foriegn legation and exchanged delegate which several others), There was no formal surrender declaration ending that conflict between the Confederacy and the United States.

So in fact we are a occupied and conquered Country even though the southern states have rejoined the Union. Much the same as the Ukraine and Poland were occupied states of the old Soviet Union but became Independent after the Fall of that USSR.