Wartime Landscape
The road trace in front of you is the remnant of the Richmond-Lynchburg Stage Road – on April 9, 1865, the most important road in Virginia to Robert E. Lee. Along this road he planned to escape west, hoping eventually to turn south and join Joe Johnston’s army in North Carolina. When the Federals blocked this route, Lee had no choice but to surrender.
To your right is the village of Appomattox Court House, looking much as it did when Grant arrived here the afternoon of April 9. He met her briefly with Generals Sheridan and Ord.
“Is General Lee up there?” Grant asked Sheridan. “He himself is over in that house,” Sheridan replied. “Come, let us go over.” With that simple declaration, Grant started along this road to one of the most important meetings in American history. Three hours later he would return along this route bearing news of Lee’s surrender.
Marker can be reached from Old Courthouse Road (Virginia Route 24), on the right when traveling west.
Courtesy hmdb.org
