Inside the Vault: The Surrender of Robert E. Lee with Dr. Caroline Janney

“I ask a suspension of hostilities pending the discussion of the Terms of surrender of this army.” —Robert E. Lee, April 9, 1865 Shortly before noon on April 9, 1865, Confederate General Robert E. Lee sent a message to Union General Ulysses S. Grant asking for a “suspension of hostilities pending the discussion of the Terms of surrender of this army.” By the end of the day, Lee had accepted Grant’s terms for surrender. The next day, Lee issued General Order No. 9, a farewell message to his troops. On Tuesday, April 9, 2024, our curators discussed the surrender of Robert E. Lee and related documents with Dr. Caroline Janney, John L. Nau III Professor in the History of the American Civil War and director of the John L. Nau III Center for Civil War History at the University of Virginia. View slides from the presentation here: https://www.gilderlehrman.org/sites/d... FEATURED DOCUMENTS Robert E Lee’s request for “a suspension of hostilities” Ulysses S. Grant’s proposal for terms of surrender Robert E Lee’s farewell orders to his troops USE THE TIMESTAMPS BELOW TO JUMP TO THE TOPIC YOU WANT TO VIEW 1:48–3:08: Today’s documents 3:09–11:27: The Appomattox Campaign 11:28–12:36: Robert E. Lee’s request for “a suspension of hostilities” 12:37–15:44: Ulysses S. Grant’s proposal for terms of surrender 15:45–19:34: Special Orders No. 73 and soldier parole 19:35–23:38: Robert E Lee’s farewell orders to his troops 23:39–29:45: After the surrender 29:46–39:44: How can these documents be used in the classroom? 39:45–45:55: Why are there so many copies of General Order No. 9? 45:56–47:57: What did Lincoln think of the surrender? 47:58–49:48: How long were the night marches? 49:49–50:40: Why was the location for surrender chosen? 50:41–55:28: How did the Southern men travel home? 55:29–1:00:45: How should souvenir taking be taught? ABOUT INSIDE THE VAULT "Inside the Vault: Highlights from the Gilder Lehrman Collection" is a Zoom presentation where we discuss historical documents from the Gilder Lehrman Collection with historians, teachers, and friends of the Institute. Join our curators on the first Thursday of the month and learn the fascinating stories behind our documents. This event is for teachers, students, and their families—and everyone with an interest in history! To register for the upcoming program, visit https://gilderlehrman.org/insidethevault. ABOUT THE GILDER LEHRMAN COLLECTION Take a deep dive into America's story with a subscription to the Gilder Lehrman Collection! Unlock thousands of digitized primary sources for just $25/month or $100/year. Subscribe: https://gilderlehrman.org/collection. #americanhistory #museumcollections #americancivilwar #historyeducation #archives #civilwar #ulyssessgrant #robertelee #primarysources