Perhaps the first thing we leaned is that Court House in a town name means it is the county seat, Courthouse is the building. Lee surrendered in Appomattox Court House but never set foot in the courthouse!
The rest of what we learned is too lengthy for this.
We are parked in Appomattox town using the tablet so we have some internet connection. But this is cramped!
We have this night here, then on to Harper's Ferry tomorrow, Milford PA the next and home on Friday.
Not sure I'm ready for home, but we're going. It has been a great three months!
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| The Appomattox Courthouse, in Appomattox Court House, VA. Lee and Grant never set foot in here. |
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| A lawyer's office |
The McLean house is where they met.
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| Looking down the road from the McLean house on the Lynchburg-Richmond Road. Where Lee was trying to go until blocked by Custer's cavalry |
The meeting room.
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| After some casual conversation between Lee and Grant, Grant sat down and wrote out the terms of surrender. Lee had not gone into this meeting with any preconceived idea of surrender, rather to find out what terms Grant would offer. The terms included virtual amnesty for all of Lee's officers and men who laid down their arms, promised to never take up arms against the US again, and returned home. It was such a good deal that Lee violated the orders of Pres. Davis. Davis had ordered that Lee not surrender but rather to disband the army to conduct guerrilla warfare. Lee knew that would result in years of lawless bloodshed and decided to end the war for his Army of Northern Virginia. The next day Grant agreed that the soldiers could keep their personal horses and all would receive free transport on any US military transportation to go home. |
Some of the documentation from the meeting, included by Grant in the terms of surrender.
Some other rooms in the house
Printing presses set up to issue "Parole" papers to all Lee's men, some 9000 soldiers.
Some Vermonters present at Appomattox.
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