The Civil War Book

April 9th

Posted: April 13, 2015 in On this Day in the Civil War
Tags: 1865, appomattox, april 9th, civil war history, surrender, wilmer mclean

On this day in 1865, Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia to Union General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, effectively ending the Civil War. Now the irony . . . The surrender took place at the home of Wilmer McLean. Four years previously, McLean and his family lived 150 miles from this location, near Manassas, Virginia. The First Battle of Bull Run, fought in July 1861, took place near McLean’s house. McLean purportedly said: “The war began in my front yard and ended in my parlor”.

April 12th

Posted: April 12, 2015 in On this Day in the Civil War
Tags: 1861, april 12th, fort sumter, on this day, the civil war

On this day in 1861, the Civil War officially began with the bombing of Fort Sumter by Confederate artillery. Now the irony . . . The Federal commander of Fort Sumter was Major Robert Anderson and the commander of the Confederate forces was General P.G.T. Beauregard. While attending West Point Military Academy before the war, General Beauregard was a student of Major Anderson. Though from Kentucky and married to a Georgia woman, Major Anderson remained loyal to the Union throughout the war.