Surrender at Appomattox Court House

Dec 18

2 min read

Are you a student learning about the Civil War? Are you a teacher preparing to teach about the Civil War? This website is for both of you! It will even be helpful if you are just curious about the Civil War.

If you are a student, you can read about the surrender at Appomattox Court House in the sections below. If you have questions as you read, you can send me a message, and I will do my best to get back to you.

If you are a teacher, you can use this website as a resource for yourself and your students, or you can purchase my printable reading passages and comprehension questions. They are available at Teachers Pay Teachers.

Surrender at Appomattox Court House

April 9, 1865

After the fall of Richmond, Lee moved his troops west across Virginia. The Union army followed in pursuit. By April 8, 1865, the Confederates found themselves surrounded. Major General John B.

Gordon tried one last attack on April 9, but it failed. Lee realized that he had been beaten. His

soldiers were starving, and he worried they would soon begin ransacking the countryside.

Lee sent a message to Grant offering his full surrender. The two generals met in the home of

Wilmer McLean just outside the town of Appomattox Court House. Grant was dressed in the filthy uniform he had worn throughout the war. Lee was perfectly attired in his spotless dress uniform complete with a sash and a sword.

Grant gave Lee generous terms of surrender. All of the officers and soldiers of the Confederacy would be pardoned by the United States government, each man would be able to return home with his property including horses, and all officers could keep their sidearms. He also gave the starving Confederate soldiers Union rations.

After the signing, soldiers tore apart McLean’s home, grabbing for souvenirs. McClean was furious. His first home had been destroyed during the first battle of the Civil War, the Battle of Bull Run, and now, his new home was being destroyed at the end of the Civil War. Even though Lee surrendered, fighting in the Civil War continued for another month. The last battle of the Civil War was fought at Palmito Ranch, Texas, on May 13, 1865.

Want to learn more about the Civil War? Check out the links below!