Fascinating event. Perhaps the “stiff” acting, as some here point out, seems more natural and makes it even more fascinating. It better accentuates the fact that away from the uniforms and fame, every man here is just that. A man, and the situation is extremely momentous for both sides, so they’re speaking carefully!
I will never forget you my Southern Brothers my great-great-grandfather was wounded at the Battle of Chancellorsville May 2nd 1863 never forget where you're from Southern Brothers
I was there at this filming on the Union side, aside from the fact that many Rebs were a little rotund their uniforms were tattered, torn and worn out. Some marched barefoot and there were genuine tears from their faces. It was a solemn and respectful occasion 125 years later.
I was there on the Confederate side and I can tell you the tears were real. I am sure you know all I'm going to say but for those who may read this, it is for them. Many of the Confederate units cut their battleflags up and surrendered only the flagpole. Most of these flags were made for the 125th Manassas and carried throughout the 125th events until the surrender ceremony. I still have my piece of the battleflag and it was heart wrenching to see a bunch of grown men in tears as they cut the flag in pieces. I can only image how bad it was for the men who actually fought under those banners. I have nothing but praise for the Union side that day for their behavior when we marched down that road.
@@JCmacDavid Brother in arms, I to have the greatest respect for the Confederates. We had heard on the day that many regiments tore up their flags. It did move us. I started re-enacting in 1983. The Civil War has always been a part of my life. My grandpa was in WW1 until Aug 1919. His father was in the 144th NY Volunteers and later in 1st NY Veterans Cav. My Grandpa had his saber. As a young boy to see this and handle it was special. During my time re-enacting we saw a swell in the ranks every time a Civil War film was shown. Only about 1 in 10 would remain. To the rest, it was just a fancy. To people like you and me, it is a part of our lives. I now live in England and yet I still have all my uniforms and kit both Infantry and Cavalry. My saddle was made in the 1870s. I always wear my slouch hat with Chaplin's badge and hat cord. My photo you see was taken in England with my wife. The unit I belonged to in Minnesota was the 1st Regiment of Minnesota Company A
An uncivilized war, and yet, so civilized and dignified at the end. May We, the People, never have to witness such carnage from, or for our fellow Americans. Ever again ......
Yet we have a certain segment of our society who throw's the use of the term civil war around like nothing and seems to hope for it because there wannabe dictator lost the 2020 election. Insanity.
@@richardross119Exactly how did the federal government overstep its bounds? Do you have the slightest idea what the Confederacy was fighting for, and what it was that triggered 11 of the 15 southern states to secede?
@davidlawrence3645 it must be awesome being so superior to everyone around you. Do you have to wrap a towel around your ears at night so all that knowledge doesn't roll out and stain your pillow?
I loved the dialogue, as reenacted in its formal style of the time, by Grant and Lee. It expressed a certain character of American English that has perhaps been totally lost. Even the current norm of standard American English is often flouted and mindlessly ignored,
Who knew Tom Downes, who played Meade, could ride a horse at a gallup! I was there for both Sayler's Creek and Appomattox. It was the end of my first full year of reenacting with the 8th Ohio in the National Regiment. I am still at it, though unauthentically long of tooth for sure!
That I should find this 34 years 5 months after the day my beloved and I attended this site is moving . Those stacked arms , visual reminder that my memory now fading still recalls and to all those who tramped past as we stood silent while I shed a tear . Yet His tender mercies for those who were once there in Spirit ,not forgotten, with mine prayer . God bless
The war actually ended when Johnston surrendered to Sherman on April 24th. Also Lincoln was assassinated one week later ending all hopes for an amiable reconstruction.
I have always held Lee in high regard. As I get older this video reminded me that he was old. Old for the time and old for a soldier. He was an old man. Some kind of quote said be weary of an old man in a profession meant for young. Lee was that old man. A professional soldier his whole life.
A traitor, a brutal slave owner who broke up slave families and employed use of the lash. He was responsible for the killing of more soldiers of the United States than any enemy leader in history. He was the only Virginian among 8 Virginians who held the rank of Colonel to have turned his back on his oath and his country and joined the rebellion.
I love civil war documentaries, photographs, learning new facts and especially quotes from personal letters and battlefield journals. @ 8:35 ...I used to own one just like it as a kid. Used it for tricker treating and quickly found out it wasn't allowed during school session hours but it was a big hit on the school bus.
Later on there was a Victory Parade in Washington for the Union Army to pass by and be honored. The troops were angry about this. They just wanted to return home as soon as possible.
They had to have the dog and pony show! The elites get their rocks off to this. Proof that the army was a tool for rich folks to gawk over and thump their chests.
@@rawfoodwriter My experience that it is a chance for the common folk to give their thanks, and to share being proud of them. I don't see the cause for the Civil War as being a money making endeavor for the capitalists, although they certainly did make huge profits. That the troops just wanted to go home showed GI's just being totally burnt out by what they went through. Need I tell you that you are walking on thin ice here?
In my experience as someone that has come home from war the parade stuff is something most soldiers don't like but realize it's part of the deal. Obviously anyone would rather go home.
'Have been to the Appomattox house recreation and it is worth a visit. A comment of Grant by on the character of Confederate officers who had attended West Point has always struck me as a good measure of the man. His comment was about the oath a plebe took to always defend their country the USA. Grant said that he was true to the oath and they were not.
22:14 Looks like the Wisconsin State Flag^!!^ My Grandpa was with the Fighting Fifth and he was at Appomattox Court House. A few years later he went back to the Fatherland were he was born and fought in the 7 Weeks War with Count von Moltke.
@@horrorfan1455 , O, I was there and It was a Slaughter. When you see Me Reign in Blood and Utterly Destroy all those which oppose Me and Oppress the Weak and Needy, be not shaken nor surprised and you will know My Judgment is Faithful & True. Therefore prepare your heart that when the Destroyer come I shall pass over thee. Psalms 144:1
I wish we heard more of Johnston's surrender to Sherman.... I mean I love hearing about appomattox, but I wish there was more about Johnston's surrender to Sherman
Lee and Grant had made it already for them and on which terms, they were meeting mainly to follow and proceed on that and the difficulties on the ground given there were military units widespread across 3 more states past them and as far as Texas, some units posted managing logistics places as telegraphs or Post lines, military hospitals and train depos, awaiting to be relieved by Civilians under Federal officers supervision. Many Southern officers could not just get discharged and on the way back home. So if it took weeks for many of their men in the ranks to get back home, the officers would have to remain helping the Federal officers to account for the whole release, exchange of Military Forts and properties and relieve units of the rest of dependencies (however there were many desertions that would not await) and restitute to civilians local or state management assets the Army had commissioned or required. Their adjutants and staff would keep working on the details, but their meeting had the urgency to quench any units temptations to go rogue and pretend not receiving orders and I guess they stressed on being effective the fastest the could, showmanship as executive commanders.
Upon learning about Lee's surrender Confederate General Joseph Johnston opened negotiations with Union General William T Sherman in North Carolina to not only surrender his army but to bring hostilities to a close Sherman tried to make the terms of surrender the same that Grant gave Lee but he ran into opposition from Washington DC following Lincolns assassination Finally on April 26th 1865 Johnston surrendered He also commanded troops in South Carolina Georgia and Florida those were also included in the agreement making Johnstons capitulation the largest Confederate surrender of the war
I've known a few people who have taken part at re-enactments of this, and all told me it was very sad and subdued, for everyone. I'm told that many in blue or grey were crying
This ending score on the he credits made this more sad and heartbreaking, because you think of we have loss and what we gain. We must ever repeat this history!! The American Civil War was sad and extremely tragic, 750, 000 lives were lost during the war. Whole generation of men and young men who are dead and gone forever. We must ever forget them, and their personal sacrifice for God and Country.
My great-great-grandfather served with 12th North Carolina he was present at Appomattox Court House during the surrender he served with Stonewall Jackson and wounded at the Battle of Chancellorsville May 2nd 1863 return to service January 1864 I am proud of him and I wish wished it would have turned out different for our great country CSA forever
@CipiRipi00 no, they weren’t close at all. Near the end of the war, the south’s troops had a saying- “if you can’t feed us- surrender us.” And again- the north hadn’t even brought the other arm from behind its back yet.
My ancestors who fought with Gordon were happy that the war was over one of em who was 16 when lee surrenderd he wrote saying "I have always been faithful to the cause and to Lee today I and many others cry tears of joy and sadness for so many died for What? How many gave their lives and lost many loved ones all for nothing I do not know but I'm happy that this god forsaken conflict is finished."
@Frogman Smith well I think he means that after all the pain and suffering they went through and yet they were now surrenderd he and his comrades still believed in their cause but I think he thought it should have been different with out the death and carnage
make Damn sure U r on the True side of any Cause......the south was farming based and they refused to learn that there was more coins in manufacturing and since the whites of then being rich possessed less education about business they feared teacing their slaves how to use tools to fix machines that would make the dresses that many southern fools bought from paris. why cant these southerners learn how to sew and manufacture?/ because they are farmers only and not serious about business models.. losing wars is losing.. ask GWBush about his loses../ iraq war now vets kill themselves at 20 per day.. 7300 per yr.. but so many sheep still make believe that business models are not important and they instead now offshore the jobs to where the slaves are chinese. // stay inside during this Purge fo 2020.. sure the First Amendment had been suspended in over 40 States, but that is what happens after Trump cuts the CDC funding by $100s of millions and fires the head of the pandemic dept.. he did that act of selfishness in 2018.. long before the C-Virus.. knowing is wining.. and losing is losing. and God hates idiots..
I was in this event. I asked one of the Union reenactors if he had anything for a starving rebel. He reached in his haversack and said "Sure. Have a potato!" lol
there is much to be said that Chamberlin and his small act of kindness to show honor to the confederates. the soldiers remembered that and helped in the early days for rebuilding
It's sad and I did not know but in Georgia, one of the youngest Confederate Soldiers grave was located. He was only 11 years old. He did live to be a good age but I never seen Soldiers fight so young in combat. There was 3 in one area with tombstones and two or three is a nearby area. Not a big cemetery and the video is actually fairly new showing it. I guess from what the video stated most burial sites where parts of the properties belonging to the homestead where the family houses were back then. I could find the video if you are interested.
No doubt Lee was trying to show Grant up, but Grant actually bettered Lee again by not returning his insult by saying , “ maybe you’ll remember this face after today!”
I highly doubt Lee meant that as an insult. He was a gentleman through and through I think he was merely telling the truth that he couldn't remember Grant. But even if he hadn't been given the circumstances he was trying to get the best possible result out of this surrender for his men and for the South its unlikely he would be purposely disrespectful like that. In fact after the war he praised Grant for his generous terms. And Grant for his part was trying to make sure he ended the war with this meeting. Though the Confederate Army was all but licked as a conventional army, they had more than enough men left to carry out guerilla warfare from the hills against Union troops and make their lives hell for years, and some Confederates were in favor of that. Lee didn't want that however, because it would be little more than vengeance and would not achieve the goal of southern independence. He thought more of his men than to make them merely be fugitive terrorists in their own land so the best he could do for them was try to get them a fair deal. Grant knew this too, which is why he had to be tactful to end the war, neither man wanted that.
The fact that Lee did not surrender his sword to Grant on his own volition and military protocol is disrespectful and makes me think of him in a different light
Some of the books that go into detail say Lee offered his sword, Grant wouldn’t take it. Other books say Lee never offered it and no one mentioned the sword. Neither Grant nor anyone else ever asked for it. One of history’s little mysteries. This re-enactment correctly shows Lee leaving the McLean house wearing his sword. In any case, Lee’s descendants donated the sword and scabbard and Lee’s dress uniform to the Museum of the Confederacy in Appomattox where it is to this day.
@@jameshepburn4631 Adding to the mystery - I had also heard Custer was late, and locked out of the meeting, waiting on the porch until it was over (which they said here* Sorry! been a long time since I saw this video!), and supposedly, after seeing he still was in possession of it, he took the sword as Lee was about to depart - I don't believe this, the idea of Custer confronting Lee after he surrendered (let alone AT ALL!) and with other major generals and staff around... could only imagine what Grant would do to him alone! Haha
Those who's homes were not invaded by illegal and unconstitutional warfare will never understand how this affected generations. My GG grandfather and his cousin both of 2nd Md Co B CSA were at Appomattox, I was a Confederate reenactor at this 125th event, the reading of Gen Lee's order was truly powerful. As we face cultural genocide in whats left of the United States remember that the Confederate American was the true fighter for right.
yes let's not forget that those who wanted to forcefully keep millions enslaved were the ones fighting the "righteous" fight. The lost cause propaganda has been real effective.
No, they fought against humanity and progress. We can respect the men who fought for a cause, but not the cause itself. Today to many still fight this losing battle for nothing more than selfish pride.
and May then u enter the Gates of Heaven.. Matthew 26:52 might not have been violated by U by the time u dropped that useless sword.. better to teach the south to arm their slaves with tools so they as slaves can fix machines that make more valuable items for resale.. farmers make the least of coins from the process of business and industry.. the south was destined to as it is today, low waged labor lands .. its their nature to have majority of their whites and non whites be low waged so the few can own their time to off for what they wish to do.. while the low waged (many white are the new slaves in the south) slaves slave away their useless uneducated lives.. // stay say and await that Last day..
And know America faces the same chapter again , mark my words we just had Harper's ferry and soon you will see a new fight occur it's just a matter of time
Lee should have known better than to invade Pennsylvania after the death of Jackson. The "game" was up, offensively after Chancellorsville. After Gettysburg on July 3rd and Vicksburg on July 4th, 1863. Richmond should have reconsidered...Lees hubris caused the destruction of the South.
Chris Hamilton General Lee along with President Jefferson Davis and others were trying gain support from England while lowering support that was already very divided in the North not to mention moving the war away from vital resources in Virginia They knew it was a calculated risk The French called it a saillie or to sally forth Lee wasn’t known for hubris If anything the opposite
@@satturnine7320 All the South had to do was not lose, and it could have won the war. The peace Republicans and/or Copperheads would not have allowed Lincoln to continue with staggering losses, if the Confederacy had kept things on a defensive plane. Which is what Davis wanted. Lee wanted an all or nothing gamble with the Army of the Potomac, around Washington, Gettysburg meant nothing to him, and chop it off and make a move on D.C. Lee was nothing without Jackson offensively, and squandered the Army of Northern Virginia like his father did with Stratford. Only had Jackson lived, resulting in serious Union defeats would the French or the English intervened. Slavery was a problem for many Europeans.
Lee was wanting to stir up Northern resistance against continuing the war by going into Pa. Without the North giving up, the South would have lost the war on purely military grounds. The massive Union military machine was moving into high gear. There were good generals and the troops were well experienced and trained. The Union cavalry became a match for the legionary South's. Basic arithmetic was against the South. Lincoln had warned England that any support of the Confederacy would be considered an Act of War, and he continued to aggressively rattle that sword through his ambassador to England. By the time the war was in high gear England knew it was no match to the Union Army or Navy to accomplish much of anything except to eventually loose Canada.
@@SandfordSmythe Had Jackson lived, and been uninjured after Chancellorsville. The entire complexion, narrative and outcome of the war would have been much different. Lee and the entire Army of Northern Virginia were nothing without Jackson.
Before each battle a safety inspection is performed. Every musket is checked to make sure it is clean and unloaded, every cartridge box is checked for any improper loads or an unsafe object that could accidently be loaded. Many times, we even check what type of cap is used, there are some types of caps that are unsafe to use with men so close together. We use black powder, but we don't pull the ramrods, in case someone gets excited and accidently fires it. Any unsafe action can get someone pulled from the battle or event; file closers keep an eye out for everyone's safety.
What happened to the quote about Parker being a real America (because he’s a Native American) by Lee and Parker responses we are all real Americans?????
The terms that Grant offered Lee were extremely generous to the point that although many Southerners came to respect for his actions. The only term was the Confederates had to promise not to take arms again.
to the civilians it means nothing, but for the military what the Union did when the approaching Confederates arrive is a MARCHING SALUTE. The victorious Union Army give their full honor to their enemy, the once mighty Army of Northern Virginia. The strongest Army of all the Confederacy. And years later many of the men in grey, saw action at the war with Spain under the flag of Stars and stripes again. Only in America. 👍
The military combat ended, but sadly the Civil War did not. I went to college in the South in the 1970's (Atlanta, GA) and much to my surprise I found that quite a few of the students were still fighting the war. In my junior or senior year, my school had a black quarterback and it was not uncommon to hear in my dorm someone saying "Everyone knows a N... is too stupid to be a quarterback". You can just look at the state of politics in the South to know that that the war is not over.
i watched a utube video on the german nazi flags at lenin's tomb.. the soviets grabbed all the Standards but they could not find the main one.. that had the blood from the Brownshirts that died .. the flags and standards were out of berlin.. it was an interesting video. many of the flags are still on show and tell in mother russia.. a terrible place.. // waste of time them russian lives.. //
@Pee Tee The arrogance of those who would wish to destroy historical artifacts because of their own pettiness about a long ceased war is astounding. Better that flag be in a museum than in the hands of those who treat history the same way an ISIS terrorist would.
@Pee Tee I come from a long line of Civil War vets from New York and Wisconsin. I am a reenactor from Minnesota. In reading your post I can only say your a prat!
When we left the field we stayed in formation, then a short time later we marched back in, in formation, to our spot and retrieved our weapons and gear. We did the surrender ceremony for the public and for the reenactors the filming of it was not our primary goal. This ceremony culminated the 125th series of events that began in 1986 with the 125th Anniversary of Manassas/Bull Run.
@@JCmacDavid Well you guys did a fantastic job, because of this series I became a Civil War Reenactor. I watched this as teenager, my mother got me this series as a birthday gift from Block Buster
it amazes me to this day that the comments here concerning the surrender. It does not mention the emancipation of the enslaved that should have happened with the defeat of the Confederacy.
@@michaelwheeler3782 Yes, I have also, but this seems to be presenting itself as the "authoritative" account... so I'm just wondering why they didn't mention Robert Lincoln. and also I have seen depictions of Robert Lincoln later describing the events to his father....so I am still wondering if it's just a myth...
I just googled this and Wikipedia is saying that he was present at Appomattox.. I know he was on Grant's staff but he may have been outside not actually inside the room...so maybe there have been some embellishments of the story over the years.
lastima que no este doblada en español toda la conversacion, porque esta representacion de la rendicion es bastante buena. ....por otra parte si LEE hubiese tenido fuerzas parejas al norte esta escena podria haber sido bien distinta, es decir , los papeles cambiados.
Though the South was beaten as a conventional army, they had more than enough men to carry out guerilla warfare on the Union troops for years from the hills and woods. Many Confederates were in favor of that in fact. Lee however realized this would not achieve the goal of Southern independence and would basically make his own men fugitives and terrorists, and he thought more of them than that so he decided the best he could do for them was try to get them a generous deal.. Grant knew it too, which was part of the reason he offered the generous terms he did, he wanted to end all fighting.
@@joshlight6892 It's true this reduced the threat of domestic terrorism. It was also not feasible to try thousands of Confederates for treason. It also appears Grant was aware of the notion of rebuilding the nation.
I love how the Yankees always scream "THERE WAS A NATIVE AMERICAN THERE! LOOK! WE ALLOWED THEM TO BE IN OUR MILITARY!!! ISN'T THAT SO PROGRESSIVE!?!?!" Meanwhile the South: Ever heard of Gen. Stand Watie? Or all of our Indian allies who you exterminated after the war ended?
