Lee Surrenders at Appomattox

Sunday, April 9, 1865 to Wednesday, April 12, 1865

Illustration of General Lee surrendering to General Grant. Courtesy of the Library of Congress.

After losing the Battle of Appomattox three days earlier, Confederate General Robert E. Lee formally surrenders the Army of Northern Virginia to General Ulysses S. Grant at Wilmer McLean's home in the Appomattox Court House community in central Virginia. In the last engagement between Generals Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant, and one of the last battles of the Civil War, Lee makes a final stand at the Appomattox Court House community in central Virginia. The April 9 battle ends in a Union victory and a ceasefire, with the Confederate forces at a severe disadvantage. According to legend, McLean, who previously owned a home at Manassas Junction near the First Battle of Manassas, reflects: "The war began in my front yard and ended in my front parlor." The April 12 surrender effectively ends the American Civil War, except for small lingering battles, guerrilla warfare, and looting along the border regions, including Missouri. The Confederate soldiers are granted lenient terms and will not be tried for treason.