Had a great ride yesterday. 404 miles and the biggest surprise to me was that my bike odometer was within 1 mile of my GPS over that distance -- if only the speedometer were as close.
Left the house at 0600 and shot down Rt 95 to Petersburg. Spent a little time riding around the old part of the town, down by the railroad tracks. As a point of reference, the Civil War was fought around the railroads and rivers. Lee was at Petersburg to protect 5 railroads that come into the town and represented the Confederate "lines of communication." I think it would be worth parking a walking around the old town for a bit, but I didn't.
I headed west to follow Lee's movement to Appomattox. First stop was 5 Forks. This is fairly close to Petersburg and it was here that Gen Phil Sheridan defeated Gen Pickett - yes, the same Pickett you know from Gettysburg. This defeat is often called the "Waterloo of the Confederacy." This defeat uncovered the railroad westward from PBurg and Lee had to evacuate westward. He was headed to Danville to refit and then link up with the Confederate Army then in N. Carolina. Jefferson Davis then evacuated Richmond and went by rail to Danville where he was preparing to meet Lee.
I went from 5 Forks south a bit to Dinwiddie from where Sheridan launched his attach. Then headed out to Farmville and Sayler's creek where Union forces defeated Gen Richard Ewell (Old Baldy) and captured 8 Confederate Generals to include RE Lee's son.
Next to Appomattox Courthouse. This is not the modern town of Appomattox, but the actual, small crossroads that existed in 1865. It's now a national park and is very well kept and run. Yes, it does have a courthouse, but the name refers to the whole village.
Lee was headed thru Appomattox Courthouse to the railhead in what is now the modern town of Appomattox. Union forces beat him there and the last battle of the Army of N. Va was fought against George A. Custer. The Union forces won.
Lee and Grant met in the McLean house for 90 minutes where Lee surrendered the Army of N. Va. Some interesting tidbits for those interested; Grant let the Army of N. Va go home - no POW camps. Not only that, they were each given a "parole" form which let them travel unmolested back home, and they could use that form to get transportation and food from Union forces. Those folks captured before 9 Apr were sent to POW camps. Here's one for the books, Lee had some Federal prisoners that he told Grant he could not feed. So Grant took them......and sent them to a POW camp because he gave Lee his word.
I got to thinking on this trip just what Robert E. Lee would think if he could see the situation today. He turned his back on his "country" to fight for his "state" and state's rights. Today our states give away their "states rights" without a whimper so they can feed at the Bacchanalia that is the federal trough (taxpayer money to be more clear). Everything he fought for, everything his men fought, suffered, and died for is gone for the politicians lust for money and influence. One thing he would find consistent is the politician's self-serving nature that seems to be with us always.
I'm one of those who knows he "should" take more pictures but doesn't - that said here are a few:
Here's what I'm sure was a warehouse near the RR in Petersburg:
Panel on the Battle of 5 Forks:
And just to show you that someone didn't like the outcome, same sign with bullet holes (modern bullet holes):
And here is 5 Forks (yes, there are 5 roads):
On this hill Grant spent his last night in the field - 9 Apr 1865:
This is the one lane road that runs thru Appomattox Courthouse - on that hill is where the Union forces stopped Lee's drive to the railroad. This is from just in front of the McLean house (surrender signed):
Quick story - McLean was a war profitier - lost his house in 1867. Some company thought is would be good to dismantle the house and rebuild it in Wash DC and charge folks to see it. They hired a guy who did demolish the house, but then the other jokers went bankrupt. The house sat in a pile for years and rotted and folks took parts for souvenirs. The Park Service bought it to rebuild it in the 1930s. A relative of the guy who tore the house down had the original plans for the house. All he wanted was the money owed to his family for dismantling the house. So, for $750 the Park Service got the original plans and rebuilt the house. The guide said the front brick part of the house is mostly original, but the rest is not.
The McLean House:
The parlor where the meeting took place isn't that big, maybe 12 x 18 or so. Lee sat at one desk and Grant at another. The only original things in the house are the 2 vases on the mantle and a horsehair couch (it's thought that a member of Grant's staff, Lincoln's son sat on the couch during the meeting. Grant's original desk and chair +other furniture are in the Smithsonian and Lee's are in the Chicago Historical Museum:
Here's the desk Lee used (replica):
Grant's desk (replica):
Fireplace - the two vases were in the room on 9 Aug 65:
12 Confederate soldier's and 1 Union were found and buried here after the battle - one Confederate soldier buried here joined the Army the day after Ft Sumter; he died at Appomattox Courthouse within hours of the end of the war):
And what you've all been waiting for, Matilda who performed beautifully all day:
All in all a very enjoyable day that I wouldn't hesitate to do again.
