• The village of Appomattox Court House from the west, the McLean House is on the right.

    Appomattox Court House

    National Historical Park Virginia

Silent Witnesses: Surrender Souvenirs from the Mclean House

silent witness

The silent witness

The significance of the events which took place on Palm Sunday, 1865 in the parlor of a private residence in a small Virginia town was immediately apparent to many who were there. A number of Federal officers carried home souvenirs that would commemorate the part they had played.

Group 1: "Silent Witness" Doll

Group 2: Surrender Pencil

Group 3: "Lee's Surrender Table"

Group 4: "Lee's Chair"

Group 5: "Grant's Table"

Group 6: "Grant's Chair"

Group 7: Brass Candlesticks

Did You Know?

George Armstrong and Elisabeth Bacon Custer

Libby Custer's will states: “...the table on which the surrender of General Lee to General Grant was written...and now located in the... War Department Building in Washington, D. C., I give and bequeath to the United States Government...” Now in Smithsonian Museum of American History collections.