The Drive » Drive south of
Petersburg, then west through
back roads to follow Lee’s last
retreat. There’s an excellent map
available at http://www.civilwartraveler.
com; we prefer taking VA-460
west from Petersburg, then
connecting to VA-635, which
leads to Appomattox via VA-24,
near Farmville.
9 Appomattox Court
House National Park
About 92 miles west of
Petersburg is Appomattox
Court House National
Park (%434-352-8987; http://www.
nps.gov/apco; summer $4,
Sep-May $3; h8:30am-5pm),
where the Confederacy
finally surrendered. The
park itself is wide and
lovely, and the ranger staff
are extremely helpful.
There are several
marker stones dedicated
to the surrendering
Confederates; the most
touching one marks
the spot where Robert
E Lee rode back from
Appomattox after
surrendering to Union
General Ulysses Grant.
Lee’s soldiers stood on
either side of the fieldwaiting for the return of
their commander. When
Lee rode into sight he
doffed his hat; the troops
surged toward him, some
saying goodbye while
others, too overcome to
speak, passed their hands
over the flanks of Lee’s
horse. The spot’s dedicated
to defeat, humility and
reconciliation, and the
imperfect realization of
all those qualities is the
character of the America
you’ve been driving
through.4 p287
TRIP HIGHLIGHT
What is the appeal of Civil War battlefields?
Civil War battlefields are the touchstone of the not-too-distant past. They are the
physical manifestation of the great eruptive moments in American history that
defined America for the last 150 years. Large events on a large landscape compel us
to think in big terms about big issues.
The Civil War battlefields appeal to visitors because they allow us to walk in
the virtual footsteps of great men and women who lived and died fighting for
their convictions. Their actions transformed nondescript places into hallmarks
of history. The Civil War converted sleepy towns and villages into national shrines
based on a moment of intense belief and action. The battlefields literally focus our
understanding of the American character.
I linger longest on the battlefields that are best preserved, like Antietam and
Gettysburg, because they paint the best context for revealing why things happen
the way they do, where they do. Walking where they walked, and seeing the ground
they saw, makes these battlefields the ultimate outdoor classrooms in the world!
Why is Virginia such a hot bed for Civil War tourism?
Virginia paid a terrible price during the Civil War. Hosting the capital of the
Confederacy only 100 miles from the capital of the United States made sure that
the ground between and around the two opposing capitals would be a relentless
nightmare of fighting and bloodshed. People can visit individual, isolated battlefields
all across America – but people come to Virginia to visit several, many, if not all of
them. Unlike anywhere else, Virginia offers a Civil War immersion. It gives visitors
a sense of how pervasive the Civil War was – it touched every place and everyone.
Around the country, people may seek out the Civil War; but in Virginia, it finds you.- Frank O’Reilly, Historian and Interpretive Ranger with the National Park Service
CIVIL WAR BATTLEFIELDS
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE:
VIRGINIA.TRIPS.23
.THE CIVIL WAR TOUR