Battle of Appomattox
Dates
March 29 - April 9, 1865 (NPS).
Confederate and Union Plans/Objectives
Once the Confederate supply lines were cut, Lee decided to march from Richmond to Amelia Courthouse where Richmond and Petersburg armies would meet up and they would receive rations from the Confederate army. Lee planed to then advance along the lines of the Richmond and Danville railroads and meet up with Joseph E. Johnston’s coming down form North Carolina. Once united the big army could establish defensive ground along the Roanoke River.
The lack of rations at Amelia slowed down the Confederates allowing the Union, lead by General Grant to set up a post near Jetersville and intercept Lee's army on their way to meet Johnston. The Confederates continued their retreat, while their army continued to dwindle. Lee planned to go to Farmville where there would be rations for his army, but the Unionists were persuading them so closely that the Confederates didn't have time to pick up their rations. They continued to the Appomattox Station, and made one final stand against Lee but were highly outnumbered and Lee had no choice to surrender (NPS).
Throughout Lee's campaign of Appomattox he was seeking relieve and reinforcement for his weary troops who has been previously fighting in trenches for 10 months in Petersburg. Realizing that he was outnumbered Lee was trying to hold the Confederate army together, stop the Union pursuit of the Confederates, and provide aide for his weakened troops.
General Grant realizing that Lee's army was in despair was trying to prevent them from being able to resupply and bring in reinforcement. Grant's goal was to wear down Lee's army, until they could no longer fight and then would be forced to surrender.
The Battle
Lee continued to Appomattox in hopes of reaching it before the Union army got there so they could resupply, and refuel. Lee was unaware of the Union army lead by general James were advancing up the Appomattox River to meet Grant. On April 8th, the Confederates camped out one mile Northeast of Appomattox and heart the artillery fire coming from the Appomattox direction (NPS). On April 9th, the Confederates under the command of John Gordon made one final attempt to combat Union troops but Grant encircled Lee's arms. Gordon sent message to Lee telling of the Confederate's loss, and later they met at Appomattox Courthouse to discuss the terms of the surrender of the Confederate army.(us history)
Pre- Battle at Appomattox
Prior to the Battle at Appomattox Lee and Grant had been engaged in the Siege of Petersburg, during which Lee's army was reduced to about 50,000 troops while Grants troops expanded to about 120,000 (US History). Lee was aware of two Union armies lead by Sherman and Schofield moving through North Carolina and feared the strength of the Unionist (NPS). if they united with Grant. As Lee's army dwindled Grant ordered an attack on April 2nd, which broke the Confederate line. Knowing that Lee couldn't hold Union troops from Richmond he sent a message to Jefferson David telling him to evacuate the city. The Confederate army retreated west hoping, and sent out a message asking for food to be left for his army at Amelia Courthouse. No food was there, so the starving army had to scrounge through the lands to get food. (Us History) Thue Union army continued fleeing passing through Farmville an eventually camping at Appomattox (NPS).
Consequences
Lee's surrender at Appomattox signaled the end of the Civil War, and a loss for the Confederacy. Jefferson Davis was captures nine days after the battle and the Union had won the war (Brinkley, 367). Although Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox, Grant was generous in his peace negotiations, allowing Confederate troops to return to their families, he promised them that they wouldn't be prosecuted for treason, and he told them to go start recovering the shattered South (McPherson, 164). The loss of the Confederacy lead to the ratification of the 13th and 14th amendments, which officially abolished slavery, an integral part of Southern culture, and recognized blacks as American citizens.
Importance
Lee's surrender at Appomattox ended the Civil War, with a union victory over the Confederate's. The campaign had severely weakened Lee's army. Lee's surrender prompted the surrender of Confederate General Johnston to Unionist general Sherman, and other Confederate generals effectively surrendering the entire Confederate army. A few radical Southerners continued raids and protests but their resistance proved futile (Brinkley, 367).
The Peace settlement of the war was not hostile by general Grant, but gracious. Grant felt sad as he watch Lee go after the settlement at Appomattox (McPherson, 164). As shown by general Grant, many Northerners wanted to restore the Union and get over with civil war disagreements, although there were some who wanted to punish the South, many including Lincoln wanted to, "Bind up the Nation's Wounds."
Picture Bibliography
Lee at Appomat--.http://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/appomattox-court-house
Appomat. Court House-http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/appomattox-courthouse/appomattox-court-house-history/appomattoxcourthouse.html
Capture of Confederate Troops-- http://www.nps.gov/apco/appomattox-campaign.htm
The Last Salute-http://www.joshualawrencechamberlain.com/lastsalute.php
Bibliography
"The Appomattox Campaign." National Park Service. N.p., 17 Jan. 2016. Web. 18 Jan. 2016. <http://www.nps.gov/apco/appomattox-campaign.htm>.
Brinkley, Alan. The Unfinished Nation. New York: McGraw Hill, 2010. Print.
McPherson, James M. Images of the Civil War. Avenel: Gramercy Books, 1992. Print.
"The Road to Appomattox." U.S. History. The Independence Hall Association, n.d. Web. 18 Jan. 2016. <http://www.ushistory.org/us/33i.asp>.