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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 paper "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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