Surrender at Appomattox Courthouse

In early April 1865, Petersburg was abandoned by the Confederates as Lee made a desperate attempt to link up with Johnston to the southwest. Grant managed to cut off this march, then proposed terms of surrender. On April 9 the two generals met. Grant offered generous terms:

I propose to receive the surrender of the Army of N. Va. on the following terms, to wit: Rolls of all the officers and men to be made in duplicate. One copy to be given to an officer designated by me, the other to be retained by such officer or officers as you may designate. The officers to give their individual paroles not to take up arms against the Government of the United States until properly exchanged, and each company or regimental commander sign a like parole for the men of their commands. The arms, artillery and public property to be parked and stacked, and turned over to the officer appointed by me to receive them. This will not embrace the side-arms of the officers, nor their private horses or baggage. This done, each officer and man will be allowed to return to their homes, not to be disturbed by United States authority so long as they observe their paroles and the laws in force where they may reside.

Lee accepted the terms. The war in Virginia was over. Johnston surrendered upon learning of the news from Appomattox. Some fighting continued in Alabama into early May. Jefferson Davis had escaped from Richmond and was apprehended in Georgia on May 10. On May 26 the last Confederate soldiers surrendered in Louisiana.