"What General Lee's feelings were I do not know." General Grant on Lee at Appomattox Courthouse

Our last day in Richmond! We finished the military aspects of the Civil War today. As we ride home on the bus, it’s a little sad to acknowledge that our semester is drawing to a close. However, it was a wonderful day full of great interpretation.

We began our day with Jim Godburn at the High Bridge where Lee and the Confederate army retreated in April 1865 as they made their progress to Appomattox. The bridge was an impressive sight; the original pylons still stand in testament to the greatness of the bridge in the mid-1800s. Jim filled us in on the events that occurred during Lee’s retreat from Petersburg including the fall of Richmond and the Battle of Sailor’s Creek. As his presentation reached its conclusion I think we all felt a little excitement, knowing our next stop would bring us to Appomattox and Lee’s surrender.

At Appomattox, Mattea’s co-worker and friend, Bert Dunkerly gave us a tour of the town that saw Lee’s surrender. One of the most unreal moments came as we entered the McLean House whose parlor witnessed the final moments of the Confederacy. As we stood in the parlor where the surrender was signed on April 9, 1863 by Grant and Lee. I believe we all gave a small sigh, as we realized that the war was over. We have been so wrapped up in the Civil War this semester that we felt that something was coming to a close not only for the soldiers who had fought during the war, but for us as well.

Our last stop at Appomattox was on a lane at the far end of the park where the stacking of Confederate arms took place, marking the end of the Army of the Potomac. Here the infamous salute between Generals Gordon and Longstreet is said to have occurred, in some ways paving the road for the reconciliation that would in the years to come.

At the conclusion of our tour we loaded the bus once more for one last stop in Lexington. There we saw the tomb of Robert E. Lee at Washington and Lee College, in addition to the grave for Lee’s famed horse, Traveler. After Lee Washington, we stopped at the grave of Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson. The lemons scattering the ground in front of his grave stood testament to the amount of people who still remember Jackson as a heroic figure to be honored.

We finally arrived back at the Appleford at 10:30pm, exhausted and happy to be back with our Appleford family. The weeks to come will find us frantically finishing our papers and making our final field trip to Washington D.C. It’s been a great ride thus far, and we’re all excited to see how it will end.