Surrender at Appomattox Court House April 1865

Background The final campaign for the city of Richmond, VA began when the Union crossed the James River (June 1864) Grant’s goals –Lay siege to Petersburg –Cut rail and supply lines to Petersburg and Richmond –Force CSA forces to evacuate Petersburg

Petersburg Grant is able to take siege in June 1864 Lee knows the CSA position will fall eventually, but he needs to wait for a chance to run Union makes the first move, forcing the issue April 1, 1865 –Union Cavalry (Sheridan) break Lee’s flank at the Battle of Five Forks –Grant is able to break the main CSA lines of defense –Lee is forced to evacuate April 2-3 with their supply lines cut –Union now has Lee in the open…can go for the kill.

Lee’s Movements Lee’s plan – –Reassemble and supply at Amelia Courthouse –Join with Johnston’s Army of Tennessee –Go on offensive to try and break away from Grant after establishing defenses on the Roanoke River

Lee’s problems Arrival at Amelia Courthouse on April 4, 1865 – no supplies Sent out wagons to the surrounding towns and farms to forage for food –Lost a day of marching time Headed west to Appomattox Courthouse where a supply train was to be waiting –Army of Northern Virginia now consisted of a cavalry corps and two small infantry corps (less than 30,000 people)

April 6, 1865 – Saylers Creek As they were moving, a good portion of Lee’s army is cut off –Sheridan’s cavalry –Parts of the II & VI corps CSA is driven back, followed by a Union breakthrough of the line Many of the CSA troops 7,700) are captured including General Richard Ewell Delay prevents Lee from reaching Appomattox Courthouse by late afternoon April 8 –Sheridan is able to get there first, captures Lee’s supplies and blocks his path

Pre-surrender discussions Following minor battles, Grant sends Lee suggesting it was time for the Army of Northern Virginia to surrender to avoid further bloodshed –Grant disagrees with the NEED to surrender, but asks what the terms might need to include Aprili 8 – Gen, Custer captures three CSA supply trains coming into Appomattox Station –Now, the CSA has the Army of the Potomac and the Army of the James converging on it –Lee has only the Union cavalry DIRECTLY in its path between him and Lynchburg (another rail/supply line) –Hoped to break through the Union cavalry before the infantry arrived, but still asked Lee for his potential terms –Grant realizes he still has a fight ahead John Gibbons 24 th Corps (Army of the James) arrives around 4 am (5 th Corps – Army of the Potomac) close behind Sheridan deploys three divisions along a low ridge close to Appomattox Court House

April 9, 1865 CSA II Corps (John Gordon) attacks Sheridan’s cavalry –Sheridan’s cavalry is forced behind the first line –Union 2 nd line slows the attack Gordon’s troops charge through the Union line to take the ridge and end up facing the entire 24 th Corps from the Army of the James and the 5 th from the Army of the Potomac –Gen. Ord for the Union (24 th Corps) begins moving on the CSA troops –Union II corps moves against Longstreet to the NE

April 9, 1865 Lee’s subordinates tell him the situation is dire, and surrender may be the only survival technique left. Lee sends Grant a note asking for terms of surrender Grant responds immediately, telling Lee he may choose the location and Grant will meet him there Lee sends out a scout, who chooses a house in the village of Appomattox Court House –Belonged to Wilmer McLean – remember him from First Manassas? –A cease fire is enacted for Grant and Lee to discuss terms at Lee’s request

Surrender Lee arrives at the McLean House before Grant –Lee – dressed in finest uniform –Grant – mud splattered uniform with only his torn shoulder straps showing his rank First time the men had seen each other in almost 2 decades Grant, overcome with sadness has a hard time getting to the point Lee brings the meeting back to the issue at hand, and Grant offers up his terms of surrender

Terms of Surrender Duplicates of the rolls of the entire men and officers of the AONV given to Grant Men agree to never fight against the Union again Arms, artillery, and public property surrendered to Grant Private property (arms, horses, etc) kept by soldiers as they return home CSA soldiers can never be prosecuted for treason as long as they keep the terms of surrender

Surrender The document of surrender was formalized and official as of 4pm April 9, 1865 As Lee leaves and the surrender is announced, the Union breaks into cheering –Grant orders it to stop, stating that they were once again countrymen and we do not exult in their downfall April 10, 1865 – Lee gives his farewell address to his troops

Ceremony of surrender The Confederate army marched in formation past the Union command Union command, led by Joshua Chamberlain, accepted the official signed surrender and all materials –Chamberlain, in a moment of honor, ordered his men to salute the marching CSA army as they passed. –Shocked, the CSA moved to a marching salute to return the honor

Final notes Grant knew that this was only one army surrendering, but the strongest –Joe Johnston – April 26 th –Edmund Kirby-Smith – May –BG Stand Watie – last CSA forces on June 23rd Lee would go off to be President of Washington College –Never forgetting the generosity of Grant at the surrender, he refused anyone to ever utter an unkind word against him –General Gordon of the CSA (led the surrender ceremony) felt the gesture by Chamberlain was one of the “knightliest” he had ever seen Grant, as we know, became the 18 th President of the US The final act of war tragedy would come five days later in Washington DC…