Surrender at Appomattox

Children's Literature

In April 1865, in the relatively comfortable yet modest home of Virginian Wilmer McLean, an event played out that remains one of the most memorable in American history. There, in the McLean family's parlor, Generals Lee and Grant negotiated the surrender of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. Although not the actual final act of the Civil War, Lee's surrender in the McLean home in Appomattox, Virginia, signified the spiritual end of America's bloodiest war. The relatively benign terms offered by General Grant also set the stage for the peaceful conclusion of a war that had featured horrific carnage, widespread material destruction, and the dislocation of an entire nation. It is to those important events that writer Andrew Santella turns in this illustrated work. This capably written introductory work tells the story of a surrender that remains one of the centerpieces of Civil War history. Santella includes important facts, figures, and dimensions, while also offering up enough personal anecdotes to bring the event to life. This book is part of a larger Civil War series produced by Compass Point Books titled "We the People," and it holds its own in that fine set. Readers with a bent for Civil War history will find this to be a satisfactory addition to their library shelves. 2006, Compass Point Books, Ages 9 to 12.
—Greg M. Romaneck