After the many civil war educational stops, museums, and movies this week, I leave Virginia completely in awe of our country’s Civil War and the reunion of two very different belief systems. When I studied this war in elementary school and high school, it was short, just a skim of the surface. This is exactly why I came here to see and learn again. Not disappointed even thought there are many places to see.

A must for me was to visit the site at Appomattox where Lee surrendered to Grant. This is a National Historical Park. It has buildings, park rangers and volunteers ready to help, lectures, a movie, and exhibits. The Appomattox Court House is the Visitor Center so it is best to start here. This is a reconstructed building.

The exhibits and movie provide an excellent overview of what happened during the surrender and following few months.

After the visitor center, a walk down a gravel road towards a house where there is a plaque and cannons displayed. This is the location of the last shot fired at this battle.

Further down this road on a knoll is the actual site where Lee and Grant met before several meetings in the courthouse to work out the details of the surrender.

A few of the original buildings are near the area of the courthouse. The town jail, Inge house, a tavern, and a small house where a family might have witnessed the surrender.

At the Clover Hill Tavern, printing presses were set up by the Union to print passes/paroles. These were provided to the 28,231 Confederate soldiers that surrendered their arms in this battle area and left for home. These passes guaranteed them free, safe passage.

The must see building on this property is the McClean house where the actual surrender document was drafted and signed in the parlor. The house was owned by the McClean family but they had moved to Manassas, Virginia. McClean was a sugar speculator so he had some wealth before the war.

The date of surrender is April 9, 1865. Here, Robert E. Lee, commanding general of the Army of Northern Virginia surrendered his men to Ulysses S. Grant, general-in-chief of all United States forces. After the surrender was signed, the confederate soldiers marched before the Union army. They turned over their flags, stacked their weapons, and began their journey to their homes. Word spread from here but it took another 6-8 weeks before the soldiers would make their way back to their respective home states.

Down the road from this National Park Historic site is another American Civil War Museum. A stop here to conclude our civil war tour. Some nice exhibits inside and outside. No photos allowed.

Tonight a nice farewell dinner and tomorrow a few more historic stops on the way to the airport. A great week of touring!