Appomattox

The drive to Gladys, VA was nice - Interstate for a while then some state roads.

We got lucky for our stay here.  A cold front came through on Friday night and the temperatures have been in the low to mid 60’s.  So nice, after the hot weather we had in Salisbury and a nice site here at the campground.

The last few days have been filled with history – from the revolutionary war to the civil war, to WWII.

We started on Friday with a trip to Appomattox for some Civil War history.

First stop the Old Courthouse and Village. 

We got there just in time for the presentation over at the Tavern with the history of the war.  It was told from the time frame of 1865 with a very good character actress.

 

We saw where the last battle took place.

Where Lee and Grant signed the surrender documents at Wilmer McLean's  home (He was a war mongrel buying salt from the Union soldiers and selling it higher to the confederate armies).

The document signaling the beginning of the end. 

 The House Slaves' quarters of  McLean.

The outhouse – I remember these from my great grandfather’s house but his was a double.

Next we stopped at the Old Confederate Graveyard where 19 Confederate and I Union soldiers’ bodies were recovered and relocated.

The lone Union Soldier’s grave.

From there it was on to the Civil War Museum.  Unbelievable, the job they had done with it.  Definitely the best history museum I have seen. 

So much information and memorabilia, including Lee’s uniform and gloves he supposedly wore when the surrender was made official.

Although Florida did not have great participation, 33 from Madison County volunteered.

And if we hadn’t had enough history for one day, we went up to Red Hill to visit Patrick Henry’s Plantation.  Again, restored so well.

 The grounds are beautiful.

The famous Orange Tree planted centuries ago and still alive and thriving.

Patrick Henry and his second wife's graves.

It was a very busy day and we were glad to get back to the coach and chill!

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