L

We had not intended originally to follow the route of Lee's retreat, but soon after we left Richmond we came across one of the sites complete with map and explanation and decided that as we were heading for Appomattox Courthouse, where Lee's retreat ended, following the route would be excellent preparation.

The Lee's Retreat tour consists of a number of sites between Richmond and Appomattox where Lee or Grant skirmished, camped, or reconnoitered in their final tuss. .

Each site has a map (like the one above) showing where the site is in the context of the entire retreat, a signboard describing the salient points of the site, and last but not least a solar-powered low-power A.M. radio transmission describing the battle fought or decisions taken here. The solar-power system means that none of the sites need to be manned. There seems to be little fear of vandalism as most of the sites are quite remote (and sometimes hard to find, even with directions). We found it a fun way to learn about history and we were obviously not the only ones as we frequently recognized the cars parked next to ours. The other photo above, by the way, shows the remnants of a destroyed house with an old piano still standing and still recognizable. A still life, as it were.

Lee's army of Northern Virginia had escaped west after the fall of Richmond, and was following the railway line hoping to find some supply trains that had been en route to Richmond. His troops were badly in need of food and over a period of three or four days tried several times to meet up with the train or to find other sources of food, to no avail.

Grant was just as determined to prevent Lee from meeting his train as well as to prevent him from joining up with other parts of the Confederate forces that were in the area.

In the end we know who won, but for us the suspense was palpable, every time we reached a new site and learned what additional obstacles Lee confronted, or what near misses Grant had experienced.

The tour gave us an excuse, as if we needed one, to drive around the backroads of Virginia, which if you didn't already know has some of the prettiest countryside around.

And so finally we came to Appomattox Courthouse , where we stood on a hill and looked down on the village where the retreat met its logical end in the surrender of the Army of Virginia to the Union Army. But that visit is for another day — and page.