Petersburg to Appomattox Court House

 It was sad to see Fredericksburg disappear behind the horizon. I would highly recommend this town to anyone. We managed to spend 3 days and it was packed with everything we needed. The stores had a wealth of interesting antiques, the food was sophisticated, and the in town college produced a local gentry of eclectic and dynamic people. It also had history in abundance, a running path along the Rappahannock, and while in town we saw at least 3 weddings going on. I guess we were not the only ones who were impressed.

 We made our way south west into the interior of Virginia known as the Piedmont. The coastal area soon gave way to beautiful rolling hills. One can tell that the aristocracy of the land live around here. Huge houses that govern acres of land punctuated with gated horse pastures dot the drive. We rounded Richmond and made our way south to Petersburg. We had to miss the peninsula between the York and James Rivers. This was the sight of the famous 7 days campaign as well as several battlefields including Cold Harbor where Lee stopped Grant - at least for a little while. Our original itinerary would have us in Williamsburg, but time constraints were in play.

Petersburg during the Civil War was a major rail junction and city that proved to be the gateway to Richmond. In 1864 Grant crossed the James river and moved up. His forces were commanded by incompetent subordinates who lost the opportunity to break Lee's line. As a result a 9 month siege ensued where both sides funneled in reinforcements leading to a line that was 40 miles long. Eventually  numbers began to play their part and Grant pushed through.

 In an attempt to link up with the Confederate armies of the west, Lee pushed his forces towards Appomattox. He was cut off, his supplies were intercepted, and eventually surrounded. On April 8th, 1865 he attempted to break out. The attempt failed. The Army of Northern Virginia depleted of forces, exhausted, and starving had little other choice.

 Lee sent word to begin surrender talks. Both legendary generals met at the Mclean House. Per report, they appeared as kindred spirits as their conversation grew pleasant and lasted for over an hour. Lee brought the discussion back to the topic at hand.

The surrender was signed and Lee told his men to lay down their arms and not to engage in further activity. He encouraged that it was time to be civilians again. He thus set a precedent that all other Confederate generals followed.

I think there was a certain sadness to seeing the room in which the surrender was signed. But also a strength of character and realization that it was time that peace was needed in the land. As Lincoln would say in his 1st inaugural address:

" We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature."