General Grant, U.S. Army

General Grant, U.S. Army It's April 10, 1865: the Civil War ends near Appomattox, VA. Gen'l US Grant is available to discuss the war. Text: 239-826-7470 to schedule your group.

05/10/2026

Wednesday, May 10, 1865, outside Irwinville, Georgia. Federal cavalry surrounds an encampment of wagons, tents and buggies containing what remains of the government of the Confederate States of America. CSA President Jefferson Davis, his wife, personal secretary, and, the Postmaster General, among a few others are captured without incident. Some later reports say Davis attempted a disguise with a woman’s shawl. Those there dismiss the story as it was raining and people were covered up. Thus ends the Confederate Government. Davis was taken to Fort Monroe, Virginia. Kept in chains for awhile, his quarters were later improved and he was allowed family visits. He was released in May of 1867 without trial. Most northerners just wanted him to “go away.”

04/11/2026

Sunday, April 9, 1865, Appomattox Court House, Virginia. About 1:30 in the afternoon, Grant has been in the saddle for several hours. Riding his champion warhorse “ Cincinnati“, leading the headquarters cavalry, Grant arrives at the McLean house where Lee has been waiting about half an hour. Lee looks every inch the patrician commander in his gray dress uniform with sword. (Some will say later that he dressed well as he “expected to be made Grant’s prisoner.” Not so. Rebel officers’ baggage was simply lost along the way or given no priority for transport. It was Lee’s only change of clothes he had.). Grant, in contrast, was wearing a simple infantry jacket with his three stars sewn on and dark blue vest; mud, from the long ride, splattered about. Grant asks his officers to wait outside while he greets Gen’l Lee in the parlor.

04/10/2026

Sunday, April 9, 1865, in the field, “about four miles west of Walker’s Church“ on the Farmville to Lynchburg road: Grant, having spent a fitful night, awakes with a splitting headache. Grant receives Lee’s note requesting ”an interview“ to discuss terms of surrender. Grant wrote later that his headache disappeared. The rebel attempt earlier that morning to break through the federal line came to naught. Getting the report from Gen’l Gordon of the fatal situation, Col. Venable, Lee‘s aide-de-camp, said that Lee, dejectfully, mutters: “Then there is nothing left for me to do, but go see General Grant…and, I would rather die a thousand deaths.”

04/08/2026

Saturday, April 8, 1865, near Appomattox Court House, Virginia. Grant has sent Lee a letter asking Lee to consider the surrender of what remains of the Army of Northern Virginia. Lee declines politely, but does ask Grant what terms of surrender he proposes. Today, Grant replies that generally he asks that the officers and men return home and await any exchange. Lee will hold his last council-of-war with his head officers. Many urge talking to Grant immediately. Lee demurs. He hopes to cut his way through Union forces in front of him the next morning with the slim hope of joining with CSA Gen’l Johnston in North Carolina.

04/06/2026

Thursday, April 6, 1865: near the Farmville crossing of the Appomattox River: a last “hurrah”. Lee’s Army, or rather what‘s left of it, moves westward, now split into two columns. Chased by overwhelming Union forces under Gen’ls Sheridan, Wright and Humphreys pinching together on CSA Gen’l Ewell, the rebels fight but are cut to pieces. Over 8000 surrender. Lee loses a third of his Army. Grant, following closely, hears the news and quietly ponders opening a correspondence with Lee.

04/03/2026

April 3, 1865: Richmond, Virginia. Grant’s siege has worked. Lee’s defensive lines have snapped. Rebel soldiers are now deserting in droves. CSA supply lines have collapsed. The Confederate President and what’s left of the Confederate government are on the run heading west. Davis informed Lee that efforts to enlist Negro slaves has “not made much progress.” Early morning on the Third of April, US troops and cavalry enter Richmond. A battalion of Black soldiers enter the City, its band playing “Dixie.” Not far away, Petersburg surrenders as well. Grant and President Lincoln confer there. “I saw them unfurl a tiny flag…I sank to my knees…bitter, bitter tears came in a torrent.” So wrote Mrs. Mary Fontaine of Richmond as federal cavalry galloped into Richmond. Lee attempts to keep his splintering army intact to move west.

03/25/2026

1864 with Sherman’s Army of the Tennessee “marching through Georgia”: “ they are the noisiest crowd of profane-swearing, dram-drinking, card playing, song-singing, reckless, impudent, daredevils in the world; they will not glory in their toughness and will not cheer any general…even their beloved ‘Uncle Billy’”! So said a southern Doctor watching the northern army movement.

03/19/2026

March 19, 1865, Richmond, Virginia. A few days ago, the Confederate Congress, after much debate which was quite heated at times, approved allowing Negros into the rebel army. Without so stating, the law was understood to grant freedom to any enslaved soldier so enlisted. Few did and anyway it was too late. Sherman was moving relentlessly through North Carolina. Grant was extending his siege lines around Petersburg stretching Lee’s dwindling numbers. Desertion in the rebel ranks was now common. Rebel pickets at night simply laid down their weapons and walked the few dozen yards into the Union lines and surrendered. Most were barely shod, barely fed, cold and just wanted to go home. The end could not be far off.

03/04/2026

March 4, 1865: The Capitol, Washington D.C. President Lincoln is sworn-in for his second term. His inaugural address is a masterpiece: “ with malice toward none; with charity for all”. Two days earlier, an increasingly desperate Gen’l Lee wrote to Gen’l Grant proposing a personal meeting to consider options to achieve “a satisfactory adjustment of the present unhappy difficulties by means of a military convention.” Grant forwarded the matter to the President. Lincoln, through Sec’ty of War Stanton responded to Grant that any discussions with Lee must be limited to “the capitulation of Gen’l Lee’s army”, the President reserving all political questions to himself.

02/17/2026

February 17, 1865. Sherman’s army moves into Columbia, South Carolina virtually unopposed. The town’s mayor surrenders the city. Already, cotton bales, in lots and warehouses are ablaze, likely set by retreating rebel cavalry. Freed slaves and federal POWs are jubilant. Then, the fires get out of control. The finger-pointing continues until this day. The “Birthplace of Secession“ burned all night. As the news moves north, the depredation of war hits southerners hard. Grant’s siege at Richmond continues to do its work as rebel desertions become more common with the bad news.

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