— Ch. 1 · The Final Campaign —
Battle of Appomattox Court House.
~5 min read · Ch. 1 of 6
On the morning of the 9th of April 1865, Confederate General Robert E. Lee found his Army of Northern Virginia trapped near Appomattox Court House in Virginia. The Union forces under Major General Philip Sheridan had cut off the Confederates' retreat just as they hoped to join their comrades in North Carolina. Lee's men abandoned the trenches they had held for ten months during the Siege of Petersburg and Richmond after supply lines were severed on the 2nd of April 3, 1865.
Lee's first objective was to reassemble and supply his men at Amelia Courthouse, but troops arrived there on April 4 only to find no provisions. This delay cost them a day's march while wagons searched for food in the surrounding countryside. The army then moved west toward Appomattox Station where another supply train waited, yet Union cavalry captured and burned three trains waiting for Lee on April 8.
At Sailor's Creek on April 6, nearly one fourth of the retreating Confederate army was cut off by Sheridan's cavalry and elements of the II and VI Corps. Most of the 7,700 Confederates were captured or surrendered, including Lieutenant General Richard S. Ewell and eight other general officers. The delay prevented Lee from reaching Appomattox station until late afternoon on April 8, allowing Sheridan to reach the station ahead of the Southerners that evening.
The Battle Begins
Gordon's men charged through the Union lines and took the ridge, but as they reached the crest they saw the entire Union XXIV Corps in line of battle with the Union V Corps to their right. Lee's cavalry immediately withdrew and rode off toward Lynchburg upon seeing these reinforcements. Ord's troops began advancing against Gordon's corps while the Union II Corps moved against Lieutenant General James Longstreet's corps to the northeast.
Colonel Charles Venable of Lee's staff rode in at this time asking for an assessment. Gordon gave him a reply he knew Lee did not want to hear: Tell General Lee I have fought my corps to a frazzle, and I fear I can do nothing unless I am heavily supported by Longstreet's corps. Upon hearing it Lee finally stated the inevitable: Then there is nothing left for me to do but to go and see General Grant, and I would rather die a thousand deaths.
A white linen dish towel served as a Confederate flag of truce carried by Captain R. M. Sims into the lines of General Custer on the 9th of April 1865. After a truce was arranged, Custer was escorted through the lines to meet Longstreet who said he was not in command of the