Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, effectively ending the American Civil War. The historic meeting took place at McLean House, where generous surrender terms were offered to Confederate forces.
The surrender of Confederate General Robert E. Lee marked one of the most pivotal moments in American history. After four years of brutal civil war the Army of Northern Virginia finally laid down their arms at Appomattox Court House Virginia on April 9 1865.
This historic meeting between Lee and Union General Ulysses S. Grant effectively signaled the beginning of the end of the American Civil War. While other Confederate forces remained in the field Lee's surrender dealt a devastating blow to the Confederate cause. His army had been the primary military force of the Confederacy and its capitulation made the collapse of the rebellion inevitable.
The Final Days of the Civil War
#The Confederate Army faced critical setbacks in early April 1865 as Union forces captured Richmond Virginia on April 3. Confederate President Jefferson Davis fled the capital with his cabinet members toward Danville.
General Lee's Army of Northern Virginia retreated westward after Petersburg fell to Union forces. The Confederate troops encountered these challenges:
- Lost 6,000 soldiers in a battle at Sayler's Creek
- Depleted food supplies left troops surviving on raw corn kernels
- Abandoned dozens of artillery pieces along muddy roads
- Sustained continuous attacks from Union cavalry forces
The Union Army continued pressing Confederate forces between April 3-8:
| Date | Key Development |
|---|---|
| April 3 | Fall of Richmond |
| April 5 | Lee's army reached Amelia Court House |
| April 6 | Battle of Sayler's Creek |
| April 7 | Grant sent first surrender request |
| April 8 | Union forces blocked western escape route |
By April 8, Union cavalry under General Philip Sheridan blocked Lee's escape route at Appomattox Station. Confederate forces attempted a final assault on April 9 but found themselves surrounded by Union infantry.
The encirclement at Appomattox Court House left Lee's army with three options:
- Continue fighting with depleted forces
- Attempt to break through Union lines
- Negotiate surrender terms with Grant
Lee recognized the futility of further resistance with his army surrounded exhausted from 6,000 men at Sayler's Creek. He received Grant's message requesting surrender discussions the morning of April 9.
Lee's Retreat From Richmond and Petersburg
#Confederate General Robert E. Lee initiated a strategic retreat from Richmond and Petersburg on April 2, 1865, after Union forces breached the Confederate defenses. The withdrawal marked the beginning of a week-long pursuit that culminated in the surrender at Appomattox Court House.
The Union Army's Pursuit
#Union General Ulysses S. Grant's forces launched an aggressive pursuit of Lee's army along parallel routes west of Richmond. The Army of the Potomac, led by General George Meade, followed the Confederate forces while General Philip Sheridan's cavalry moved to cut off Lee's escape routes. Union forces engaged the retreating Confederates in several key battles:
- Sutherland's Station on April 2
- Namozine Church on April 3
- Amelia Springs on April 5
- Sayler's Creek on April 6
Supply Line Disruptions
#The Confederate retreat faced severe logistical challenges that crippled their fighting capacity. Key supply line disruptions included:
| Supply Issue | Impact |
|---|---|
| Food Shortage | Soldiers received only 1/4 standard rations |
| Ammunition | 200+ wagons abandoned or destroyed |
| Horses | 40% loss rate due to exhaustion |
| Medical Supplies | 80% depletion of field hospital resources |
- Increased desertion rates
- Reduced combat effectiveness
- Slowed movement speed
- Diminished troop morale
The Battle of Appomattox Court House
#The Battle of Appomattox Court House occurred on April 9, 1865, marking the final engagement between General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant's Union forces. The battle unfolded in and around the village of Appomattox Court House, Virginia, culminating in Lee's surrender later that day.
Last Stand at the Village
#The final Confederate offensive at Appomattox Court House began at 7:00 AM when John B. Gordon's forces launched an attack against Sheridan's cavalry. Gordon's troops initially succeeded in pushing back the Union cavalry, but this advantage proved temporary. Union infantry reinforcements from the Army of the James arrived at 8:00 AM, revealing approximately 30,000 Union troops had encircled Lee's remaining 12,000 men.
Key developments in this final engagement included:
- Confederate forces breached Union cavalry positions along the Richmond-Lynchburg Stage Road
- Union infantry under Major General John Gibbon blocked Lee's escape route to the southwest
- Federal forces established battle lines on three sides of the Confederate army
- Gordon's troops exhausted their ammunition supplies during the morning assault
- Lee received reports confirming Union forces blocked all viable escape routes
The combat lasted approximately three hours, resulting in:
| Casualties | Union | Confederate |
|---|---|---|
| Killed | 164 | 200 |
| Wounded | 1,057 | 850 |
| Missing | 57 | 500 |
After assessing the situation, Lee acknowledged, "There's nothing left for me to do but go and see General Grant," recognizing the futility of continued resistance against overwhelming Union forces.
The Surrender Meeting at McLean House
#The historic surrender meeting took place at the McLean House in Appomattox Court House, Virginia, on April 9, 1865, at 1:30 PM. Wilmer McLean, a local grocer, offered his home as the location for the meeting between General Robert E. Lee and General Ulysses S. Grant.
Grant's Generous Terms
#Grant established lenient surrender terms that focused on reconciliation rather than punishment. The terms allowed Confederate officers to keep their sidearms, private horses, and personal baggage. Union forces provided 25,000 rations to the starving Confederate troops, reflecting Grant's commitment to treating the defeated army with dignity. The Confederate soldiers received paroles that protected them from prosecution for treason, enabling them to return home without fear of imprisonment.
Signing the Documents
#The surrender documents consisted of three pages of terms written in Grant's own hand. Lee signed the documents at 3:45 PM, wearing his dress uniform with ceremonial sword, while Grant appeared in a mud-splattered field uniform. The signing ceremony lasted 15 minutes, with witnesses including Union Colonel Ely Parker, a Native American chief who served as Grant's military secretary. After the signing, Grant ordered his men to refrain from celebrations out of respect for their defeated opponents.
| Key Details of the Surrender Meeting | |
|---|---|
| Time of Meeting | 1:30 PM |
| Location | McLean House |
| Duration of Signing | 15 minutes |
| Time of Signing | 3:45 PM |
| Confederate Rations Provided | 25,000 |
The Historic Date: April 9, 1865
#Confederate General Robert E. Lee's formal surrender occurred at 3:45 PM on Sunday, April 9, 1865, at Appomattox Court House, Virginia. The timing of the surrender held strategic significance, as Lee's Army of Northern Virginia faced critical circumstances:
- Union forces controlled all escape routes
- Confederate troops exhausted their ammunition supplies
- Only 12,000 effective Confederate soldiers remained
- Food rations dropped to critically low levels
- Union forces outnumbered Confederates by 30,000 troops
The day's key events unfolded in this sequence:
- Morning: Lee received Grant's surrender request
- 10:00 AM: Confederate forces attempted final offensive
- 1:00 PM: Lee arrived at McLean House
- 1:30 PM: Grant entered the meeting location
- 3:45 PM: Lee signed the surrender documents
The surrender terms included specific provisions:
| Provision | Details |
|---|---|
| Military Equipment | All weapons surrendered to Union forces |
| Personal Property | Officers retained sidearms and horses |
| Rations | 25,000 provided to Confederate troops |
| Documentation | Written in Grant's handwriting |
| Duration | 15-minute ceremony |
The date marked the effective end of major Confederate military resistance in Virginia, though other Confederate armies remained active in other states. The surrender's timing in early April influenced the subsequent surrenders of remaining Confederate forces across the South throughout April and May 1865.
Impact of Lee's Surrender on the Confederacy
#Lee's surrender triggered a cascading effect of Confederate capitulations across the South. Within three weeks, Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston surrendered his army to Union General William T. Sherman in North Carolina on April 26, 1865. The remaining Confederate forces followed:
- General Richard Taylor surrendered Confederate forces in Alabama Mississippi on May 4
- General Edmund Kirby Smith surrendered Trans-Mississippi forces on May 26
- General Stand Watie surrendered Cherokee forces on June 23
The Confederate government dissolved rapidly after Lee's surrender:
- Jefferson Davis fled Richmond heading south through the Carolinas
- Confederate Cabinet members dispersed across multiple states
- State governments aligned with the Confederacy ceased operations
- Confederate currency became worthless within days
The economic impact was immediate and severe:
| Economic Factor | Impact |
|---|---|
| Confederate Bonds | Became worthless |
| Southern Banks | 80% failed within 6 months |
| Cotton Exports | Declined 90% from pre-war levels |
| Railroad Infrastructure | 60% destroyed or unusable |
The social structure of the South underwent fundamental changes:
- 4 million enslaved people gained legal freedom
- Plantation-based agricultural system collapsed
- Traditional power hierarchies disintegrated
- Mass migration of freed people began toward urban areas
- Former Confederate military leaders lost political influence
Lee's surrender marked the definitive end of the Confederate military resistance in Virginia. Its impact resonated beyond military defeat, fundamentally transforming Southern society's economic social political structures in the following months.
Key Takeaways
#- General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union General Ulysses S. Grant on April 9, 1865, at Appomattox Court House, Virginia
- The surrender occurred at 3:45 PM at McLean House following a meeting that began at 1:30 PM
- Grant offered generous terms, allowing Confederate officers to keep personal weapons and horses while providing 25,000 rations to Confederate troops
- Lee's surrender came after his Army of Northern Virginia, reduced to 12,000 men, was surrounded by 30,000 Union troops
- The surrender effectively ended major Confederate resistance in Virginia and triggered a series of subsequent Confederate surrenders across the South
- This historic event marked the beginning of the end of the American Civil War, leading to dramatic economic and social changes throughout the South
Conclusion
#The surrender of General Robert E. Lee at Appomattox Court House stands as one of the most pivotal moments in American history. The events of April 9 1865 didn't just mark the end of the Civil War's largest army but symbolized the beginning of national healing and reconciliation.
Grant's generous surrender terms and respectful treatment of Confederate forces set a powerful precedent for post-war reunification. The impact of Lee's surrender reached far beyond the military sphere transforming the social economic and political landscape of the American South forever.
This historic moment continues to resonate today as a reminder of both the devastating cost of civil conflict and the importance of reconciliation in healing a divided nation.