Tag Archives: thoughts-on-Appomattox

Thoughts on Appomattox (part four)

Posted on April 10, 2015 by Chris Mackowski

The doors of Wilmer McLean’s house stand wide open–front and back–and a bevy of Parks Service volunteers stand ready to funnel the throng through. A Park Service ranger stands in the hallway to ensure no one enacts any mischief in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Battlefields & Historic Places, Memory, National Park Service, Sesquicentennial | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Thoughts on Appomattox (part three)

Posted on April 10, 2015 by Chris Mackowski

One of the dearly held tenets of the Lost Cause is that Southerners didn’t lose because they were outfought. Rather, Ulysses S. Grant only won because he had more soldiers and so overwhelmed the Confederates. Isn’t that the point?

Posted in Armies, Campaigns, Common Soldier, Memory, Sesquicentennial | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Thoughts on Appomattox (part two)

Posted on April 10, 2015 by Chris Mackowski

“It’s a sad day in Civil War history,” my friend Frank said to me yesterday. It was April 9. “Depends on whose side you were on,” I said with the hint of a chuckle—but Frank looked like he was ready … Continue reading →

Posted in Civil War Events, Memory, Sesquicentennial | Tagged , , | 13 Comments

Thoughts on Appomattox (part one)

Posted on April 10, 2015 by Chris Mackowski

One of the images that hangs high over Ulysses S. Grant’s sepulcher is an image of a handshake. It’s an idealized painting of Grant and Lee at Appomattox, sealing their deal. A handshake was a man’s word. It’s the way … Continue reading →

Posted in Battlefields & Historic Places, Civil War Events, Leadership--Federal, Memory, Monuments, Sesquicentennial | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments