War’s End

“VICTORY! VICTORY!!
SURRENDER OF THE REBEL ARMY!
Gen. Grant’s Terms Accepted By Gen. Lee
The Rebel Soldiers Lay Down Their Arms And Are Paroled!
The Slave-Holders’ Rebellion Played Out.”

 

Excerpt of the announcement of Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Court House (The Gazette, Sunbury, Pennsylvania, 15 April 1865, public domain; click to enlarge).

So read the headline of just one of the many newspaper reports that were published across the northern United States of America in the days and weeks following the surrender of Confederate General Robert E. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia to Union Lieutenant-General Ulysses S. Grant in the parlor of Wilmer McLean’s home in Appomattox Court House, Virginia on 9 April 1865.

As word spread that the American Civil War finally appeared to be ending, American artists also put pencils, pens and brushes to paper and canvas to preserve details of one of the most transformative moments in their nation’s history, while Timothy O’Sullivan and other photographers traveled to key Civil War sites to create their own powerful images for posterity.

Artist Depiction (Currier & Ives):

Surrender of General Lee at Appomattox, Virginia, 9 April 1865, Currier & Ives, circa 1865 (U.S. Library of Congress, public domain; click to enlarge).

Artist Depiction (Kurz & Allison):

The capitulation and surrender of Robt. E. Lee and his army at Appomattox C.H., Va. to Lt. Gen. U.S. Grant. April 9th 1865 (Kurz & Allison, 16 September 1885, U.S. Library of Congress, public domain; click to enlarge).

Artist Depiction (Major & Knapp):

Scene in the room at McLean House, Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia, where General Lee surrendered to General Grant (Major & Knapp, U.S. Library of Congress, public domain; click to enlarge).

Artist Depiction (Thomas Nast):

Appomattox Surrender, 9 April 1865, by Thomas Nast (Harper’s Weekly, public domain; click to enlarge).

Artist Depiction (John Smith):

Surrender of General Lee and his entire army to Lieut. General Grant, April 9th 1865 (John Smith, Philadelphia, circa 1865, U.S. Library of Congress, public domain; click to enlarge).

Artist Depiction (Alfred Waud):

Robert E. Lee leaving McLean House following his surrender to Ulysses S. Grant (Alfred Waud, 9 April 1865, U.S. Library of Congress, public domain; click to enlarge).

Artist Depiction (Alfred Waud):

Cutting up the tree, under which Grant and Lee met, for trophies (Alfred Waud, circa 9 April 1865, U.S. Library of Congress, public domain; click to enlarge).

Photographer’s Historic Preservation of the Surrender Site (Timothy O’Sullivan, April 1865):

McClean House, Appomattox Court House, Virginia, where the terms of surrender between Generals Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee were signed. The family of the owner of the house, Wilmer McLean, are seated on the steps (Timothy H. O’Sullivan, April 1865, U.S. Library of Congress, public domain; click to enlarge).

 

Sources:

  1. Currier & Ives. “Surrender of Gen’l Lee at Appomattox.” Washington, D.C.: U.S. Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division (public domain, circa 1865).
  2. Kurz & Allison. “The Capitulation and Surrender of Robt. E. Lee and His Army at Appomattox.” Washington, D.C.: U.S. Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division (public domain, 16 September 1885).
  3. Major & Knapp. “Scene in the Room at McLean House.” Washington, D.C.: U.S. Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division (public domain).
  4. Nast, Thomas. “Palm Sunday.” New York, New York: Harper’s Weekly, 20 May 1865 (public domain).
  5. O’Sullivan, Timothy. “McLean House, Appomattox Court House.” Washington, D.C.: U.S. Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division (public domain photograph, April 1865).
  6. Smith, John. “Surrender of General Lee and His Entire Army to Lieut. Gen. Grant.” Washington, D.C.: U.S. Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division (public domain, circa 1865).
  7. “Victory! Victory!!” Sunbury, Pennsylvania: The Gazette, 15 April 1865).
  8. Waud, Alfred. “Cutting Up the Tree, Under Which Grant and Lee Met.” Washington, D.C.: U.S. Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division (public domain, circa April 1865).
  9. Waud, Alfred. Robert E. Lee Leaving McLean House Following His Surrender to Ulysses S. Grant. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division (public domain, 9 April 1865).