At the time the American Guide was being written, this historical site was not being maintained. The highway ran right through the town, so many souvenirs (for example, bricks) were being picked up thus slowly degrading the remaining buildings. It is now preserved as a National Park.
And for note, the surrender was not signed at the courthouse, but in the McLean home.
OLD APPOMATTOX COURTHOUSE, now consisting of a few modern residences, several dilapidated buildings, two monuments, and a small cemetery. Near the old courthouse is the SITE OF WILMER MCLEAN'S HOUSE, where the Confederate surrender took place.
On the evening of April 8, 1865, Lee's weary army encamped here two corps, under Longstreet and Gordon, starved and Ill-equipped, flanked by four times Its number at the beginning of its retreat and surrounded by many times Its number here, depleted by desertions, and convinced that further resistance was futile since two more Federal corps were in their rear.
At 8:30 on the morning of April 9, while sporadic fighting continued in front, General Lee accompanied only by his aide, Colonel Charles Marshall, rode to the rear to meet General Grant. Expecting the conference he had requested and intending to surrender, Lee received a letter from Grant, declining the interview. Lee replied with an offer to surrender. Grant, however, having changed his headquarters to a point some 15 miles away, did not receive Lee's offer until almost noon. Meanwhile, Lee was warned that a Federal attack had been ordered and that he must return to his own lines. General G. A. Custer, riding over the field demanding a surrender in the name of Sheridan, suffered rebukes from both Longstreet and Gordon; several hotheaded clashes threatened trucemaking efforts; and at a critical moment, General G.G. Meade, ill in an ambulance, was forced to assume the responsibility of declaring a trace. At about one o'clock Colonel Orville E. Babcock, of Grant's staff, arrived with word that Grant was hurrying to the field.
Soon the two generals met in McLean's parlor Lee in a new uniform and dress trappings and Grant dusty, in fatigue dress, and without side arms. They had known each other slightly in years past. Once in Mexico years before, Lee had reprimanded Grant for his unkempt appearance. Now the tension was relieved by the casual conversation of old friends. It was General Lee who introduced a businesslike note into the conference by requesting General Grant to tell him the terms of surrender. After further conversation Grant wrote out the terms, and handed the paper to Lee. The officers and men were to be paroled and disqualified from taking up arms again until properly exchanged. Only public property was to be surrendered, and officers were to retain their side arms and horses. Lee was pleased. The cavalry and artillery horses, he said, were owned by the rank and file in the Confederate service, and would be of great help to the men when they got home. Grant gave orders to exempt these animals when they were claimed by their riders. Generously he ordered Sheridan to supply Lee's commissary with 25,000 rations. Then Grant apologized for the condition of his dress and lack of side arms, saying that he had been some distance from his headquarters and believed that Lee would rather receive him as he was than to be detained. After more conversation, the meeting ended. When firing of salutes and the playing of bands began in the Federal camps, Grant gave orders that all such demonstrations cease.
Another meeting took place, at Grant's request, the following day. Of this, little is known except that Grant wished Lee to meet President Lincoln, in the belief that Lee's, Lincoln's, and his own influence would restore a condition of rest to the country. As the Confederate Government still existed, Lee declined the assumption of political prerogatives.
Grant set out for Washington on the evening of the 10th, and two days later Lee left for Richmond.
About 10,000 muskets were surrendered at Appomattox. About 28,000 men, including noncombatants, were paroled. The tragic, unnecessary war had come to an end; and another era, more tragic and equally unnecessary, was about to begin.