America's Rebirth at Appomattox

By: Sean Priestley

The end of American Civil War is considered the rebirth of
America; particularly its cultural principles and moral values.
After the last battle at Petersburg, the Confederates
surrendered and interestingly enough, it is believed by many
historians that both sides were content with the so expected
end. The Northerners, with lieutenant general Ulysses Grant as
their commander, treated their past foes with respect. Some
historians claim that many soldiers and officers even shook
hands and exchanged hugs with strangers as symbols of
reconciliation. Also, many soldiers and officers have met their
past friends and schoolmates (many from West Point Military
Academy), and rejoiced and greeted each other as though they had
not been enemies several days or even hours ago. People from
both sides are said to have never felt that traditional savage
aggressiveness typical of wars. Instead, people were divided
politically and socially, but not culturally or spiritually.
Therefore, it was not a war of two different peoples, but rather
of one and the same people who had been artificially divided.
And when the war was over, this people had united naturally
without any anger, fear, or hostility. This friendly reunion of
the northern and the southern states is considered America's
rebirth at Appomattox.

Anne Wortham's historical article America's Birth At Appomattox
elaborates of on the idea of the reconciliation and cultural
rebirth of Americans at the end of the war. She argues that for
many reasons, both sides looked forward to the end of the war,
and both sides treated each other with respect after the end,
regardless of who was defeated or who was the victor. And truly,
there are many factors described by historians that support
Wortham's thesis. And even though the south and the north did
have some disagreements on certain aspects of state policies,
liberty, and slavery, nonetheless combatants behaved very nobly
and decently at the culmination of the war, showing that truly
they are citizens of one nation.

The major players of the end battles were the leaders not only
in military aspect, but in cultural and moral aspect as well at
the final stage of the war. Their decisions and behavior set the
model of behavior for the most soldiers and civilians. Robert
Lee, commander of Confederate forces, and Ulysses S. Grant,
commander of the Union, were very effective in their approach to
each other and the former hostile forces. Grant, although very
frequently criticized for his presidential years, exhibited the
most of a human's dignity, winning the war with honor and
respect to the enemy. Lee, on the other hand, accepted the
defeat with honor as well, and showed the entire nation how the
war must be lost effectively. He exhibited the most of his
nobility, honor, prudence, and dignity at the Appomattox
negotiation with Grant. Commanders shook hands as a sign of
reconciliation, not only military but cultural and moral as
well. Therefore, when their subordinates saw the friendly
relationship between the top figures, recognized childhood
friends in the opposing lines, and realized that the war was
over, they accepted each other friendly and naturally.

As both sides saw their former enemies exhausted by days of
siege, desperate manifestations of comradeship, friendship, and
national identity occurred. Most notably, the Federal forces,
being better financed, shared food and even money with the
Confederate forces. Furthermore, endorsed by President Lincoln,
Grant allowed the Confederate soldiers to keep horses and
weapons. This gesture was also important for rebirth because the
Federals wanted peace, order, and socioeconomic stability, and
they understood that people needed horses to work at their farms
in the South.

The reconciliation negotiations took place in Virginia at the
Appomattox Court House village, in the house of a wholesale
grocer Wilmer McLean. Interestingly, the first battle of the
Civil War was there near his house as well, which means that
this estate literally was the place where the Civil War started
and where it ended. This legacy makes this estate rather
important in American history, and Appomattox Courthouse
National Historical Park is now located there.

The commanders of both sides, as stated earlier, were the very
important and influential figures during and after the war. The
peaceful and honorable reconciliation from the end of
Confederates can be partially explained by the character of the
legendary commander Robert Lee. This man joined the Confederate
forces not due to pursuit of some pro-southern ideals and
beliefs, but because his home state Virginia was not part of the
Union. He resigned Federal army as a Colonel, and joined
Confederates. I would say that he was forced by the
circumstances to step to the southern side rather than followed
beliefs and ideal; he joined forces without any enthusiasm.
Historical documents prove that Lee did own slaves, which was
typical for Southerners. However, there is significant evidence
to believe that Lee was against slavery. He inherited most of
the slaves from his father-in-law, the manumission of a slave
family, and enrolling slaves in the army for future manumission
as a reward, - all these facts prove Lee opposed slavery. This
trait of Confederate General explains why the surrender was so
peaceful and why Lee (and his subordinates following his
example) felt kinship towards the United States Army.

Ulysses S. Grant, from the opposite side, deserves his rank as
being one of the presidents of American currency. Although his
merits as a President are not that notable, still his
achievements as a soldier, strategist, and tactic are worth
admiration. Grant was the only one who managed to overcome the
legendary strategist Robert Lee. And ascending from bottom
position of volunteer recruiter to the rank of lieutenant
general - a new rank authorized expressly for him by Congress -
he proved he deserved respect and admiration. Not only he was
the first general to engage in a financial war against Lee,
which was unheard of at those times, he also arranged his forces
in such an interesting, unexpected, synchronized, and grand-view
manner (sometimes against basic strategic principles), that
enemy was crushed with much heavier casualties. This persistence
and "bulldog" style have brought him that glory and fame. But
barring his military achievements, he proved to be a man of
honor, nobility, and dignity. As stated earlier, he let the
surrendered forces keep their possessions, and he accepted the
former enemies with respect and even friendship. He showed how a
real general should win. Furthermore, the Congress has
authorized another new rank for him after the war, - General of
the Army, - which means two new military ranks have been
established especially for him, - something worth of remembering
and admiring.

Ultimately, the rebirth of America as a nation at the
Appomattox would not be possible unless two notable figures,
namely Robert Lee and Ulysses Grant. These two legendary men
have exhibited the most of humanity, honor, and dignity during
and after the surrender of Confederate forces. Grant shook hands
instead of taking captives, while Lee showed his followers that
defeat is for the better because it ended the bloodshed. Grant
allowed keep weapons and horses, and federal troops shared food
and money with the former foes, while confederates greeted them
and recognized friends and comrades in them. Generally, the
Appomattox events have truly shown that those people fighting at
different sides were both Americans, they had the same national
identity, same cultural and moral norms, and the same urge for
freedom and liberty. These people were simply divided into two
camps by economic, social, and political reasons, but they
stayed Americans all the time: during and after the war. And
even though there really have been much misunderstanding,
arguments, and absence of compromise, American people have
proved that Civil War cannot separate them, and they proved that
they have been fighting without violent urge for blood, but for
political reasons. They have started a new era of America; the
era of newer national identity and cultural reunion; the era
which begins by the rebirth of America at Appomattox.

Bibliography

1. Appomattox Court House. (2006, May 31). In Wikipedia, The
Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 07:52, June 2, 2006, from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appomattox_Court_House 2. Ulysses
S. Grant. (2006, June 2). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
Retrieved 07:53, June 2, 2006, from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulysses_S._Grant 3. American Civil
War. (2006, June 2). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
Retrieved 07:54, June 2, 2006, from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_War 4. Robert E.
Lee. (2006, May 31). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
Retrieved 07:54, June 2, 2006, from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_E._Lee 5. Wilmer McLean.
(2006, April 12). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved
07:54, June 2, 2006, from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilmer_McLean

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Sean Priestley is master administrator and manager of NeWavEssays - a premium custom essay, term paper, and research paper writing service online.

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