145th Anniversary at Appomattox Court House NHP

For the past two weekends Civil War soldiers once again descended on the small Virginia town of Appomattox Court House to commemorate the 145^th anniversary of General Robert E. Lee's surrender to General Ulysses S. Grant.  While the surrender did not officially end the war, it was the first of several Confederate military surrenders in 1865 that ended the Civil War.

The park hosted re-enactment groups, complete with a horse-drawn artillery unit and brass band.  More than four thousand visitors enjoyed demonstrations of rifles, artillery, roll call, issuing rations, inspections, musical performances, and other camp activities.  The highlight each day was a re-enactment of the surrender ceremony, also known as the "Stacking of Arms," when Confederate troops marched in front of a line of Union soldiers, and silently laid down their arms and ammunition on April 12, 1865.