161st Anniversary of the Surrender and Freedom Day Appomattox Court House National Historical Park will commemorate the 161st anniversary of the victory of Lt. General Ulysses S. Grant, forcing the surrender General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia. Special anniversary programs and activities will take place April 8-12, 2026.
The commemoration will include guided walks and talks, living history programs, family activities, and more. See the event schedule below. The schedule is subject to change. Event Schedule11:00 a.m. Final Fury and the Last to Die: The Battles of Appomattox Station and Appomattox Court House Historian Patrick Schroeder highlights the final engagements of Federal troops and the Army of Northern Virginia. 1:00 p.m. From Hamlet to History: Appomattox Court House Walking Tour Join a ranger for a 35-minute walking tour discussing the events that brought the war to Appomattox Court House, the surrender proceedings, and how these events shaped the course of American history. 0.25 mile walk on mostly level surfaces. 2:00 p.m. Reclaiming Revolutionary Relics in the Civil War Era Discover the ways objects associated with George Washington became instruments within the proxy war over whether the United States or the Confederacy best represented the American Revolutionary era’s principal values of liberty and equality. This talk demonstrates how the relics linked to the Revolution shaped how the Civil War generation thought about America’s past. 3:00 p.m. Civil War Era Music at Appomattox Enjoy a few songs from the time period as you learn about popular music during the Civil War and how music connects to the community here at Appomattox Court House. 4:00 p.m. Fighting Like Tigers: The Battle of Appomattox Station Join Park Historian Patrick Schroeder for a tour of the site of the Battle of Appomattox Station on April 8, 1865. Participants are encouraged to bring a camp chair for seating. 5:00 p.m. Progression of Small Arms Firing Demo The Appomattox-Petersburg Preservation Society highlight the progression of small arms with a firing demonstration. 10:00 a.m. The Last to Die: The Battle of Appomattox Court House Walking Tour Walk in the footsteps of history with Park Historian Patrick Schroeder to examine the Battle of Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. 1.5-hour walk, 1-mile round trip, including uphill and downhill sections. 11:00 a.m. From Hamlet to History: Appomattox Court House Walking Tour Join a ranger for a 35-minute walking tour discussing the events that brought the war to Appomattox Court House, the surrender proceedings, and how these events shaped the course of American history. 0.25 mile walk on mostly level surfaces. 12:00 p.m. A Warrior in Two Camps: Ely Parker Uncover the story of Lt. Colonel Ely Parker, a Seneca Indian and Grant’s Military Secretary. 1:00 p.m. The Surrender Meeting On April 9, 1865, Robert E. Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia to Ulysses S. Grant in the parlor of the McLean House. Join a ranger to discover how the meeting between these generals began the nation’s transition from war to peace. 2:00 p.m. United States Colored Troops Approach Trail Walking Tour On April 9, 1865, 5,000 United States Colored Troops were part of the United States forces that slammed the door on the Army of Northern of Virginia’s escape route. Join a ranger-led guided hike following their approach. Bring water and proper footwear for this open-field 1.25-mile round trip trail on uneven grassy paths. The tour will exceed one hour in length. Handicapped parking available at the Grant’s Headquarters Parking Area. Additional parking is available at Galilee Baptist Church. 3:00 p.m. Final Fury and the Last to Die: The Battles of Appomattox Station and Appomattox Court House Historian Patrick Schroeder highlights the final engagements of Federal troops and the Army of Northern Virginia. 10:00 a.m. Don’t Touch that! Museum Tour with the Park Historian Dive deeper into the history of the artifacts on display in the Visitor Center. Highlights include the recently restored Watson Collection. This tour involves climbing stairs. 11:00 a.m. Meet Grant and Lee Meet the Generals themselves for a first-person living history presentation. 12:00 p.m. Emancipation and the Quest for Freedom April 9, 1865 was long commemorated as Freedom Day in Virginia. Join a Ranger to learn more about how the events here at Appomattox Court House ultimately led to the ending of slavery in Virginia and beyond, forever changing the lives of so many. 1:00 p.m. Coleman House Trail Walk Walk with Park Historian Patrick Schroeder to the epicenter of the Appomattox Court House battlefield. Included are a stop at the location where Federal cavalry made a stand to block the escape route of the Army of Northern Virginia, and the advance of the Western Brigade. Other stops include the Coleman House site where civilian Hannah Reynolds, an enslaved woman, received her mortal wound and the 11th Maine Infantry was decimated by artillery fire. Bring water and proper footwear for this wooded 1.25-mile round trip trail hike on uneven terrain. The tour will exceed one hour in length. Parking is available along Gordon Drive and the Confederate Cemetery parking lot. 2:00 p.m. Meet Grant and Lee Meet the Generals themselves for a first-person living history presentation. 3:00 p.m. Paroling the Army of Northern Virginia Participate in this interactive demonstration of the printing of parole passes for the Army of Northern Virginia. 10:00 a.m. Meet Grant and Lee Meet the Generals themselves for a first-person living history presentation. 11:00 a.m. Small Arms Firing Demo Experience the sounds of battle during this musket firing demonstration. See all the steps the soldiers had to go through to load and fire muskets in the heat of battle! 12:00 p.m. Breaking Boundaries: Women of the Civil War Era Women were instrumental in the Civil War as mothers, wives, sisters, factory workers, teachers, authors, slaves, cooks, nurses, spies, and sometimes even posing as soldiers. Discover how these women contributed to the Federal and Confederate causes with a strong degree of passion and sacrifice, just as the soldiers they supported. 1:00 p.m. Stacking of Arms Witness living historians recreate the April 12, 1865 stacking of arms ceremony. 2:00 p.m. Meet Grant and Lee Meet the Generals themselves for a first-person living history presentation. 3:00 p.m. Yorktown to Appomattox: A Comparison of Two Surrenders Both major surrenders that led to the ending of the American Revolution and the Civil War occurred in Virgina. They have fascinating similarities as well as major differences. Join park ranger Bert Dunkerly, who has worked at both sites, as he shares insights about the final battles and the surrenders of each conflict. 4:00 p.m. Footsteps to Freedom: The John Robinson Experience Explore the life of John Robinson, one of nearly 4,600 enslaved African Americans residing in Appomattox County who were emancipated as a result of Lee's surrender on April 9, 1865. 6:00 p.m. Appomattox: Final 48 Hours Witness the events of the final 48 hours with a first-person living history presentation featuring Generals Grant and Lee.
9:00-12:00, Coffee Wagon Enjoy free coffee from a reproduction 1860s era coffee wagon. The wagon allowed the United States Christian Commission to deliver coffee and other hot drinks close to the front lines. A coffee wagon was present in the village after the surrender in April 1865. 9:00-5:00 Federal and Confederate Encampments 10:00-4:00 Kids Zone 10:00-4:00 Test Out Civil War Era Toys 10:00- 4:00 Printing Press Demonstrations 9:00 a.m. The Soldier’s Comfort: A Civil War Worship Experience This historically grounded program reflects the faith, music, and prayer that sustained many soldiers and their families during one of the nation’s most trying times. The service will incorporate elements inspired by the work of the United States Christian Commission, an interdenominational agency founded in 1861 to support Federal soldiers through spiritual ministry, Bible distribution, and aid. Representatives from the Commission were present in the village immediately following the surrender. 10:00 a.m. Joshua Chamberlain and the Stacking of Arms On April 12, 1865, Confederate infantrymen marched into the village to turn over their rifles, flags, and military equipment along the Stage Road. Join Park Historian Patrick Schroeder to explore the stacking of arms ceremony and its famous salute. 0.5-mile round trip walking on largely level gravel paths. 11:00 a.m. Meet Grant and Lee Meet the Generals themselves for a first-person living history presentation. 12:00 p.m. Stacking of Arms Witness living historians recreate the April 12, 1865 stacking of arms ceremony, 161 years to the day. 1:00 p.m. Paroling the Army of Northern Virginia Explore the paroling of the Army of Northern Virginia with an interactive demonstration of the printing press. 2:00 p.m. Meet Grant and Lee Meet the Generals themselves for a first-person living history presentation. 3:00 p.m. Surrenders after Appomattox: April to November 1865 The Civil War did not come to in an immediate end with General Robert E. Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. Join a ranger to examine the piecemeal fashion of Confederate military surrenders. Activities throughout the day: 9:00-11:00 Coffee Wagon Enjoy free coffee from a reproduction 1860s era coffee wagon. The wagon allowed the United States Christian Commission to deliver coffee and other hot drinks close to the front lines. A coffee wagon was present in the village after the surrender in April 1865. 9:00-12:00 Federal and Confederate Encampments 10:00-4:00 Family Activity: Artifacts, Arts and Crafts 10:00-4:00 Test Out Civil War Era Toys 10:00- 4:00 Printing Press Demonstrations |
Last updated: February 27, 2026