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The Appomattox Campaign (Lee's Retreat) was a series of American Civil War battles fought March 29 – April 9, 1865 in Virginia that concluded with the surrender of Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia to the Union Army (Army of the Potomac, Army of the James and Army of the Shenandoah) under the overall command of Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant. In the following eleven weeks after Lee's surrender, the American Civil War ended as other Confederate armies surrendered and Confederate government leaders were captured or fled the country.
As the Richmond–Petersburg Campaign (also known as the Siege of Petersburg) ended, Lee's army was outnumbered and exhausted from a winter of trench warfare over an approximately 40 miles front, numerous battles, disease, hunger and desertion. Grant's well-equipped and well-fed army was growing in strength. On March 29, 1865, the Union Army began an offensive that stretched and broke the Confederate defenses southwest of Petersburg and cut their supply lines to Petersburg and the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia. Union victories at the Battle of Five Forks on April 1, 1865 and the Third Battle of Petersburg, often called the Breakthrough at Petersburg, on April 2, 1865, opened Petersburg and Richmond to imminent capture. Lee ordered the evacuation of Confederate forces from both Petersburg and Richmond on the night of April 2–3 before Grant's army could cut off any escape. Confederate government leaders also fled west from Richmond that night.
The Confederates marched west, heading toward Danville, Virginia or Lynchburg, Virginia as an alternative. Lee planned to resupply his army at one of those cities and march southwest into North Carolina where he could unite his army with the Confederate army commanded by General Joseph E. Johnston. Grant's Union Army pursued Lee's fleeing Confederates relentlessly. During the next week, the Union troops fought a series of battles with Confederate units, cut off or destroyed Confederate supplies and blocked their paths to the south and ultimately to the west. On April 6, 1865, the Confederate Army suffered a significant defeat at the Battle of Sailor's Creek, Virginia, where they lost about 7,700 men killed and captured and an unknown number wounded. Nonetheless, Lee continued to move the remainder of his battered army to the west. Soon cornered, short of food and supplies and outnumbered, Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia to Grant on April 9, 1865 at Appomattox Court House, Virginia.
* Confederate General Robert Edward Lee.
* Lee's Retreat Map (Petersburg to Appomattox, Virginia).
* The Battle of Fort Stedman (Seige of Petersburg) : March 25th, 1865.
* The Battle of Lewis' Farm : March 29th, 1865.
* The Battle of White Oak Road : March 31st, 1865.
* The Battle of Five Forks : April 1st, 1865.
* The South Side Train Station in Old Petersburg (Lee's Retreat Starts Here).
* The Battle of Sutherland's Station : April 2nd, 1865.
* The Battle of Nazomine Church : April 4th, 1865.
* Amelia Court House (Lee's Two Armies Meeting Spot).
* Jetersville (Federal Cavalry Deflects Lee's Army to the West).
* Amelia Springs (Federal and Confederate Cavalry and Troopers Clash).
* Deatonville (Lee's Army passes through being chased by Federal Cavalry).
* Holt's Corner Store.
* The Battle of Sailor's/Sayler's Creek : April 6th, 1865 (The Hillsman House).
* Battle of High Bridge : April 6 - 7th, 1865.
* Photos Courtesy of William Bechmann (2016).
As the Richmond–Petersburg Campaign (also known as the Siege of Petersburg) ended, Lee's army was outnumbered and exhausted from a winter of trench warfare over an approximately 40 miles front, numerous battles, disease, hunger and desertion. Grant's well-equipped and well-fed army was growing in strength. On March 29, 1865, the Union Army began an offensive that stretched and broke the Confederate defenses southwest of Petersburg and cut their supply lines to Petersburg and the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia. Union victories at the Battle of Five Forks on April 1, 1865 and the Third Battle of Petersburg, often called the Breakthrough at Petersburg, on April 2, 1865, opened Petersburg and Richmond to imminent capture. Lee ordered the evacuation of Confederate forces from both Petersburg and Richmond on the night of April 2–3 before Grant's army could cut off any escape. Confederate government leaders also fled west from Richmond that night.
The Confederates marched west, heading toward Danville, Virginia or Lynchburg, Virginia as an alternative. Lee planned to resupply his army at one of those cities and march southwest into North Carolina where he could unite his army with the Confederate army commanded by General Joseph E. Johnston. Grant's Union Army pursued Lee's fleeing Confederates relentlessly. During the next week, the Union troops fought a series of battles with Confederate units, cut off or destroyed Confederate supplies and blocked their paths to the south and ultimately to the west. On April 6, 1865, the Confederate Army suffered a significant defeat at the Battle of Sailor's Creek, Virginia, where they lost about 7,700 men killed and captured and an unknown number wounded. Nonetheless, Lee continued to move the remainder of his battered army to the west. Soon cornered, short of food and supplies and outnumbered, Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia to Grant on April 9, 1865 at Appomattox Court House, Virginia.
* Confederate General Robert Edward Lee.
* Lee's Retreat Map (Petersburg to Appomattox, Virginia).
* The Battle of Fort Stedman (Seige of Petersburg) : March 25th, 1865.
* The Battle of Lewis' Farm : March 29th, 1865.
* The Battle of White Oak Road : March 31st, 1865.
* The Battle of Five Forks : April 1st, 1865.
* The South Side Train Station in Old Petersburg (Lee's Retreat Starts Here).
* The Battle of Sutherland's Station : April 2nd, 1865.
* The Battle of Nazomine Church : April 4th, 1865.
* Amelia Court House (Lee's Two Armies Meeting Spot).
* Jetersville (Federal Cavalry Deflects Lee's Army to the West).
* Amelia Springs (Federal and Confederate Cavalry and Troopers Clash).
* Deatonville (Lee's Army passes through being chased by Federal Cavalry).
* Holt's Corner Store.
* The Battle of Sailor's/Sayler's Creek : April 6th, 1865 (The Hillsman House).
* Battle of High Bridge : April 6 - 7th, 1865.
* Photos Courtesy of William Bechmann (2016).