Appomattox Court House National Historic Park – August 2022

Appomattox Court House National Historic Park – August 2022

by Kim · Published August 8, 2022 · Updated July 17, 2024

Appomattox Court House National Historic Park – August 2022

On the last day of our drive from Asheville to Woodbridge, Virginia we visited the place where Lee surrendered to Grant. We spent several hours there.

Appomattox County Jail 1860-70

This frame house was built by 1855. George Peers, clerk of the court for Appomattox County for 40 years, lived there at the time of the Lee's surrender.

This cannon was used during the battle at Appomattox just days before the surrender.

The Confederates were on the hill on the right, off in the distance.

Inside the jail. The walls and floors were reinforced with metal.

There was one window in this prison room and one of the displays said it would get so hot in there. Dale and I were burning up, so I know they suffered. You can see a ring on the floor where they were also chained.

Appomattox Courthouse, reconstructed 1963-64. The original courthouse was constructed in 1846. The courthouse played no role in Lee's surrender; it was actually closed on April 9th because it was Palm Sunday.

Clover Hill Tavern, 1819 (restored) was built by Alexander Patteson in 1819 for travelers on the Richmond-Lynchburg Stage Road. The building houses a representative exhibit of the printing of thousands of parole passes for the surrendered Confederate soldiers.

The back of the McLean House. The white buildings are the kitchen and slave quarters.

McLean's stable, I think.

This is the grave of Lafayette Meeks, a village resident who entered service with the 2nd Virginia Cavalry in the spring of 1861. Several months later, at the age of 19, he died of typhoid, having never seen battle.

Closer view of the grave of Lafayette Meeks.

Virginia is extremely beautiful. I can picture the civil war troops on these roads and fields.

Better view of the printing presses.

This shows how they printed parole passes for all the confederate soldiers. After the surrender, all of the confederates were considered paroled prisoners. Lee included this in his negotiations. He wanted his men to be able to return home, with their horse, unmolested. However, if they took up arms they could be arrested.

The McLean House dining room.

McLean House master bedroom.

On April 9, 1865, Lee signed the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia in this room of the McLean House in the village of Appomattox Court House. You can see the tables that Lee and Grant sat at. The painting in the lower right of my photo shows you how the room looked.

The McLean House was originally constructed by Charles Raine as a tavern in 1848, and was purchased by Wilmer McLean in 1863. It was the site of Lee's surrender to Grant on April 9, 1865.

No explanation needed. Ha!

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