this week marks 150 years since the end of the civil war (or war between the states...or, here in the south where they're still 'fighting it', the war of northern aggression
).
grant pressed lee hard, trying to get him beaten before sherman arrived. so, first petersburg, than richmond, and then lee fled...but not fast enough. surrender terms were first discussed on april 7, and the formal surrender was on april 9. joshua chamberlain, a hero from gettysburg (and formerly a professor at Bowdoin college, he once was given a 'posthumous promotion' but survived his injury) was chosen to receive the surrender.
an interesting side note to appomattox...the house where lee and grant met was owned by the mclean family. at the outset of war, this family lived in manassas, virginia. so, they had a battle right at their front door. mr. wilber mclean decided he didn't want to be in the middle, literally, of the fighting, so he moved his family south-and was a front row witness to the ending of the war. people wanting a souvenir of the surrender pretty much wiped out the furnishings in the room where the surrender was signed.
formal surrender was on april 9th which was palm sunday. the following friday, 'good friday', lincoln was shot. early that saturday morning he died from his wound.