Fall of Richmond- The End of the War

The end came quickly, when the lines at Petersburg broke, it forced both Petersburg and Richmond fell.. Jefferson Davis was in church, when he received a message- he turned white, Lee had informed him that Richmond would have to be evacuated.

The next day President Lincoln who had been visiting Grant was able to tour Petersburg. He stated to Admiral David Porter: "Thank God I have lived to see this. It seems to me that I have been dreaming a horrid dream for four years, and now the nightmare is gone, I want to see Richmond". Porter obliged and took Lincoln upriver to Richmond the next day. There guarded initially by 10 sailors he made his way through the streets to Jefferson Davis office. He was thronged by Blacks one old lady is said to have shouted: "I know I am alive for I have seen Father Abraham and felt him."

Meanwhile Grant and the army pursued Lee. On April 6th near a stream called Saylers Creek, 6,000 confederates were captured. Finally on the morning of April 9th Lee and his hungry men found themselves surrounded by five times the number of Union soldiers. Lee had no choice- At a ceremony at Appomattox Court House he surrendered the army of Northern Virginia, thus effectively bringing to an end the most horrible war in American history.

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Lee's Account

Last Stand by Lee

Fall of Richmond