Skip to product information
1 of 1

The History List |

"Appomattox Court House" Magnet

Regular price $ 5.99
Regular price Sale price $ 5.99
Sale Sold out

The design is based on the events of April 9, 1865, the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia in the McLean House in the village of Appomattox Court House, Virginia which signaled the end of the nation's largest war. See below for more details about the surrender.

The magnet: Printed on a thin, flexible 3.23" x 4" die-cut magnet.

View our collection of stickers, magnets, bookmarks, and patches.


Historical background Behind the Design | A Gentlemen's Agreement

On the morning of April 9, while General Robert E . Lee realized that the retreat of his beleaguered army had finally been halted, U. S. Grant was riding toward Appomattox Court House where Union Cavalry, followed by infantry from the V, XXIV, and XXV Corps had blocked the Confederate path. Lee had sent a letter to Grant requesting a meeting to discuss his army's surrender and this letter overtook Grant and his party just before noon about four miles west of Walker's Church (present-day Hixburg). Grant, who had been suffering from a severe headache, later remembered that upon reading Lee's letter the pain in his head had disappeared. He stopped to prepare his reply to Lee, writing that he would push to the front to meet him.

The location of the meeting was left to Lee's discretion. Lt. Colonel Orville E . Babcock and his orderly, Capt. Dunn, took Grant's reply and rode ahead. Babcock found Lee resting under an apple tree near the Appomattox River. After reading Grant's letter, Lee, his Aide-de-Camp Lt. Colonel Charles Marshall, and Private Joshua O. Johns rode toward Appomattox Court House accompanied by Federal Officers Lt. Col. Babcock and Capt. William McKee Dunn. Marshall and Johns rode ahead of Lee in order to find a place for the generals to confer. As Marshall passed through the village he saw Wilmer McLean in the vicinity of the courthouse. He asked McLean if he knew of a suitable location, and McLean took him to an empty structure that was without furniture. Marshall immediately rejected this offer. Then McLean offered his own home. After seeing the comfortable country abode, Marshall readily accepted and sent Private Johns back to inform General Lee that a meeting site had been found.

Lee arrived at the McLean house about one o'clock and took a seat in the parlor. A half hour later, the sound of horses on the stage road signaled the approach of General Grant. Entering the house, Grant greeted Lee in the center of the room. The generals presented a contrasting appearance;Lee in a new uniform and Grant in his mud-spattered field uniform. Grant, who remembered meeting Lee once during the Mexican War, asked the Confederate general if he recalled their meeting. Lee replied that he did, and the two conversed in a very cordial manner, for approximately 25 minutes. The subject had not yet gotten around to surrender until finally, Lee, feeling the anguish of defeat, brought Grant's attention to it. Grant, who later confessed to being embarrassed at having to ask for the surrender from Lee, said simply that the terms would be just as he had outlined them in a previous letter.

The terms would parole officers and enlisted men but required that all Confederate military equipment be relinquished. The discussion between the generals then drifted into the prospects for peace, but Lee, once again taking the lead, asked Grant to put his terms in writing. When Grant finished, he handed the terms to his former adversary, and Lee -- first donning spectacles used for reading-- quietly looked them over. When he finished reading, the bespectacled Lee looked up at Grant and remarked "This will have a very happy effect on my army." Lee asked if the terms allowed his men to keep their horses, for in the Confederate army men owned their mounts. Lee explained that his men would need these animals to farm once they returned to civilian life. Grant responded that he would not change the terms as written (which had no provisions allowing private soldiers to keep their mounts) but would order his officers to allow any Confederate claiming a horse or a mule to keep it. General Lee agreed that this concession would go a long way toward promoting healing. Grant's generosity extended further. When Lee mentioned that his men had been without rations for several days, the Union commander arranged for 25, 000 rations to be sent to the hungry Confederates. After formal copies of the surrender terms, and Lee's acceptance, had been drafted and exchanged, the meeting ended.

The next day, April 10th, a second meeting of six officers, three Confederate and three Union, would convene in the McLean parlor. The purpose of this "commissioners' meeting" was to hammer out the details of the formal surrender ceremony and to define who was subject to the surrender.

In a war that was marked by such divisiveness and bitter fighting, it is remarkable that it ended so simply. Grant's compassion and generosity did much to allay the emotions of the Confederate troops. As for Robert E. Lee, he realized that the best course was for his men to return home and resume their lives as American citizens.

Before he met with General Grant, one of Lee's officers (General E. Porter Alexander) had suggested fighting a guerilla war, but Lee had rejected the idea. It would only cause more pain and suffering for a cause that was lost. The character of both Lee and Grant was of such a high order that the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia has been called "The Gentlemen's Agreement."

Source: National Park Service

 

 


 Design © 2018 Larry Stuart Studio. 

Shipping

For shipments to addresses within the U.S. (scroll down for International shipping) 

Flat-rate shipping: Regardless of the number of items you order, the shipping price for shirts, caps, unframed prints and posters, bracelets, lapel pins, pendants, and button packs is $5.95.

For hooded and crewneck sweatshirts, mugs, and blankets, the shipping cost is $8.95. 

Our flat rate shipping means you can add two or more t-shirts, sweatshirts, or caps for no additional shipping charge.

Note that some large or heavy items, including larger framed prints, may have a different shipping charge or a shipping surcharge. When they do, it will be noted on the product page.

 

Timing

We try to ship orders within three business days of receiving them. This applies to in-stock items. Framed items or items requiring personalization may take up to two weeks longer. If there is an extended delay, it will be noted on the product page.

We close for a week over Independence Day and Christmas. A notice will appear at the top of every page of the site in advance of this closure.

We ship most orders via USPS, so if the post office is closed, we won't be shipping orders that day.

If you need to receive your order by a certain date, such as to give as a gift or have for a trip, we recommend ordering at least two weeks in advance, especially if you are using USPS shipping. 

If you're looking for reliable, on-time deliveries, we strongly suggest upgrading to "UPS 3 Business Day Select Shipping."

Additional notes:

  • When fulfillment takes longer, such as around the Christmas holidays, we'll put up an announcement in the site and will list recommended shipping deadlines below.
  • If an item is out of stock, we will contact you.
  • If one of your items is an advance order, that will be noted on the product page along with an estimate of when it will ship. If that estimated date changes, the product page will be updated.

    Charges for shipping to destinations in the United States and to APO, DPO, and FPO addresses

    • Free shipping
      • On stickers, magnets, decals, patches, static clings, and individual button pins.

    • US Postal Service shipping - The least expensive, though also less reliable than UPS. (See more on UPS in the next section.) 

      • $5.95 for shirts, caps, unframed prints and posters, bracelets, lapel pins, pendants, button packs.

        Regardless of the number of items you order, the shipping price is still fixed at $5.95. Our flat rate shipping means you can add another t-shirt, cap, or book for no additional shipping charge.

      • $8.95 for hooded and crewneck sweatshirts, mugs, and blankets.

    We strongly recommend using UPS, especially in November and December.

      UPS 3 Business Day Select 

      Note: UPS 3 Business Day select is not available for addresses in Hawaii and Alaska. If UPS is selected for Hawaii or Alaska, the order will be shipped UPS Ground.

      Cut off time: Orders received by 3 pm Eastern will ship the same business day.  Applies to in-stock items that do not require personalization or signing.
        UPS's normal (non-holiday) delivery guarantee is by the end of the third business day, and this includes delivery on Saturday.  This applies to the 48 contiguous states. 
          • $14.95 for shirts, caps, unframed prints and posters, bracelets, lapel pins, pendants, button packs.

          • $18.95 for hooded and crewneck sweatshirts, mugs, and blankets.

          • If the actual shipping cost is significantly higher than what we’re charging, we will contact you to discuss alternatives.

        • UPS Overnight (Next Business Day Delivery)
        Before placing your order, call 469-233-7712.

        For shipments to addresses outside the United States

        Destinations

        We only ship to locations that are served by US Postal Service International Service.

        Charges

        • Canada and Mexico

          • $18.00 for shirts, caps, unframed prints and posters, bracelets, lapel pins, pendants, button packs.
          • $24.00 for hooded and crewneck sweatshirts, mugs, and blankets.

        • Rest of the World

          • Rates starts at $65.00.

        Additional charges for all destinations

        Some large, heavy items may have an additional shipping charge.  If that's the case, it will be noted on the product page.

        If the actual shipping cost is significantly higher than what we’re charging, we will contact you to discuss alternatives.

          All original designs are copyrighted by The History List

          All designs are copyrighted by The History List and the History Nerd text and design on t-shirts is a registered trademark. If you see a knock off, please let me know.

          Mission

          Your purchases support our mission to engage people with local history and to support historic sites and history organizations across the country.

            ["Civil War","Confederate","History buff","History lover","History student","History teacher","NBIS","Small items","USA made"]
          

          Customer Reviews

          Based on 1 review
          100%
          (1)
          0%
          (0)
          0%
          (0)
          0%
          (0)
          0%
          (0)
          K
          Kirk H.J.
          "Appomattox Court House" Magnet

          I love it!