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Although we faced a long drive home we couldn't resist going a little out of our way to see Appomattox Court House National Park, which is about 30 minutes east of Lynchburg
Union forces (in blue) blocked Confederate forces (in red), who were trying to resupply themselves and join up with Confederate forces in North Carolina. Lee felt he had no choice but to surrender his once mighty Army of Northern Virginia.
Grant and Lee had a series of exchanges leading up to the surrender
Lee and Grant sign the formal surrender agreement in the town of Appottamox Court House
McLean House in Appomattox Court House where formal surrender was signed
The Union soldiers lined this path and watched solemnly as the Confederate soldiers filed by to lay down their arms. After years away from their families, this marked the end of fighting for most soldiers. Almost all were more than happy to lay down their arms, but unfamiliar with normal life and unsure of what they would find when they returned to what they once knew of as home. For many, home was hundreds of miles away. They were starving and exhausted and had only the clothes on their back.
The courthouse in the town of Appomattox Court House. I always thought the surrender had occurred in the courthouse in the town of Appomattox, but we learned it occurred in the McLean House in the town of Appomattox Court House.
Finally back home. The boys can't wait to see Lulu our dog.
Sunday June 13, 2010
We had a long drive home from Lynchburg to Atlanta, but decided we could still swing a little more time to see some things. We could have spent some time at Jerry Falwells's Liberty University, which seems to dominate Lynchburg, but that's not really our cup of tea. So instead, we opted to drive about 30 miles east to see Appomattox Court House, the town where Robert E. Lee surrendered his Confederate Army of Northern Virginia to Union General Ulysses S. Grant.
The rest of the drive home was uneventful and long. We didn't get home until after 10 pm. The boys missed Lulu, our dachsund, and were excited to see her. We unpacked some things and then headed to bed. It was back to work for me the next day and Helen, for some reason, scheduled a dentist appointment for early the next morning. So after 17 days on the road we all had to be up and out the next morning and back to real life.
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