USA HISTORY

AMERICAN CIVIL WAR(1861 1865)

CIVIL WAR TURNING POINTS

[SOURCES]
On April 7, 1865, one Civil War leader sent a letter to another Civil War leader. He wrote, “The result of the last week must convince you of the hopelessness of further resistance onthe part of the Army of Northern Virginia in this struggle.” What happened as a result ofthis letter being sent?

(A) Jefferson Davis gave Robert E. Lee command of the Confederate army.

(B) Ulysses S. Grant retreated from Virginia in order to save the Union army.

(C) Abraham Lincoln made Ulysses S. Grant commander of the Union armies.

(D) ** Robert E. Lee surrendered his army at Appomattox Court House, Virginia.

EXPLANATIONS BELOW

Concept note-1: -On April 7, General Grant penned a letter to General Lee offering him the opportunity to surrender and end the war. The letter read: General, The result of last week must convince you of the hopelessness of further resistance on the part of the Army of Northern Virginia in this struggle.

Concept note-2: -The surrender at Appomattox took place a week later on April 9. While it was the most significant surrender to take place during the Civil War, Gen. Robert E. Lee, the Confederacy’s most respected commander, surrendered only his Army of Northern Virginia to Union Gen.

Concept note-3: -Why did Southerners believe that the British would support their move to secede from the Union in 1860? The British supported the use of slave labor in the South.

Concept note-4: -The surrender was conducted through an exchange of two short letters. Grant’s was a mere five sentences long and Lee’s reply was only three very short, terse sentences. Aside from Grant and Lee, only Lt. Colonel Marshall and perhaps a half dozen of Grant’s staff officers were present for most of the meeting.