Rail fence lane behind the McLean House
As when I visited Manassas several years ago, I was struck by the quiet beauty. The same holds true for Appomattox. It seems so serene for a location of violence.
As I drove westward towards Lynchburg, the road began to wind and undulate. Approaching the foothills of the Blue Ridge, I was reminded of the terrible decision that Robert E. Lee let pass him by. How easy it would have been for him to move his rag tag army into these hills and conduct guerilla warfare. The Union would have spent years rooting out all the rebels. The country would have bled for years.
We still feel the echoes of Appomattox today. The wounds of war still fester at times. But on April 9th, 1865, Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant gave the young country a chance. A chance to survive and move forward.
Visit Appomattox if you are in the area. It's well worth it.
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