This Day in History: Robert E. Lee Surrenders (Sunday, April 9th)

This Day in History:, Robert E.

Lee Surrenders.

April 9, 1865.

Surrounded with no possibility of escape, the Confederate General surrendered his troops to Union General Ulysses S.

Grant in Appomattox, VA.

Lee met Grant in full dress attire at 1 p.m.

In the parlor of the Wilmer McLean home.

His surrender ended the U.S. Civil War, the bloodiest war in American history.

Having known each other from the Mexican War, the two spoke briefly before Grant wrote out the terms. As part of the terms, Lee's 28,000 starving troops, who had been cut off from supplies, would be pardoned and fed Union rations.

The solemn ceremony ended with Grant telling his officers, "The war is over.

The Rebels are our countrymen again."