SECTION 5: The War’s End and Impact
▲ Confederate soldiers roll up their flag after Lee’s surrender
WITNESS HISTORY 
AUDIO
The South Surrenders
Confederate General John B. Gordon was with General Lee at Appomattox Court House when the Army of Northern Virginia surrendered to Union troops. Gordon later described the despair of his soldiers:
“During these last scenes at Appomattox some of the Confederates were so depressed in spirit … that the future seemed to them shrouded in gloom. They knew that burnt homes and fenceless farms, poverty and ashes, would greet them on their return from the war. Even if the administration at Washington should be friendly, they did not believe that the Southern States could recover in half a century from the chaotic condition in which the war had left them.”
—General John B. Gordon, Reminiscences of the Civil War
Objectives
- Analyze the final events of the Civil War.
- Explain why the North won the war.
- Assess the impact of the Civil War on North and South.
Terms and People
- Thirteenth Amendment
- John Wilkes Booth
- Mathew Brady
- Land Grant College Act
NoteTaking
Reading Skill: Recognize Sequence As you read, use a flowchart to note what happened during the final days of the Civil War.
Why It Matters After four years of bitter struggle and sacrifice, the Confederacy stood on the brink of defeat. As Lee prepared to surrender to Grant, Lincoln began to plan for the future. The Civil War had lasting effects on both the North and the South. With the fighting over, Americans faced the difficult challenge of rebuilding their nation. Section Focus Question: What was the final outcome and impact of the Civil War?
The War’s Final Days
In the summer of 1864, Grant continued his bloody drive toward Richmond. But at Petersburg, about 20 miles south of Richmond, the Confederates made a desperate stand. (See the map at the end of the section.) Petersburg was a vital railroad center. If Grant captured it, he could cut all supply lines to Richmond.
Grant Places Petersburg Under Siege
As he had at Vicksburg, Grant turned to siege tactics. Throughout the summer and fall and into the winter, his forces tightened their grip around Petersburg. Both sides dug trenches and threw up fortifications to guard against attack. By March 1865, the two opposing lines of defense stretched for more than 30 miles around Petersburg.
Fighting was fierce. Union troops suffered more than 40,000 casualties. The Confederates lost 28,000 men. However, unlike Grant, Lee had no replacement troops in reserve. As the siege of Petersburg wore on, Union strength grew in comparison to the Confederate defenders.
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