Lee surrenders to Grant at Appomattox Court House, ending the war in Virginia.
The next day President Lincoln who had been visiting Grant was able to tour Petersburg. He stated to Admiral David Porter: "Thank God I have lived to see this. It seems to me that I have been dreaming a horrid dream for four years, and now the nightmare is gone, I want to see Richmond". Porter obliged and took Lincoln upriver to Richmond
Meanwhile Grant and the army pursued Lee. On April 6th near a stream called Saylers Creek, 6,000 confederates were captured. Finally on the morning of April 9th Lee and his hungry men found themselves surrounded by five times the number of Union soldiers. Lee had no choice- At a ceremony at Appomattox Court House he surrendered the army of Northern Virginia, thus effectively bringing to an end the most horrible war in American history.
Watch
The Battle in Pictures
Period photographs, sketches, and engravings of the battle. Click any image to enlarge.
Take HistoryCentral with you. Our apps put American history and centuries of the human story in your pocket.