The Battle
of Appomattox Court House, the final engagement for the Confederate General
Robert E Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia, was fought April 9th
1865.
Confederate
Major General John B Gordon’s Corps and General Fitzhugh Lee’s cavalry formed
at Appomattox Court House and attacked Union General Philip H Sheridan’s
cavalry at dawn on April 9th 1865, pushing the first line, commanded
by Union Brigadier General Charles H Smith back. Hitting the second line of Union cavalry
commanded by Brigadier General George Crook slowed Gordon’s advance. The Confederate continued their advance and
reached the crest, where they found the entire Union V Corps in line. The Confederate cavalry seeing the Union
force withdrew and moved off toward Lynchburg, Virginia. Union General Edward O C Ord’s soldiers advanced on
Gordon’s men, as the Union II Corps started a movement to the northeast on
Confederate Lieutenant General James Longstreet Corps.
It was at
this point, with Lee’s army surrounded on three sides, that one of Lee’s staff;
Colonel Charles Venable rode in for an appraisal of the situation. Gordon told him to "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."
It was upon receiving this news that Robert E Lee said, "Then there
is nothing left for me to do but to go and see General Grant and I would rather
die a thousand deaths." Lee rode
out with three of his aides shortly after to meet with Union General Ulysses S
Grant to arrange for surrender. This
last action at Appomattox Court House caused the Union 260 and the Confederates
440 more casualties.
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