Appomattox Court House > Site of Lee’s Headquarters
The Lee’s Last Headquarters wayside marker is at the Site of Lee’s Headquarters pull off on the northeast side of the park along Virginia Route 24. It is next to the Confederates Trapped orientation marker and across the parking lot from the Confederate Field hospital wayside marker.
From the marker:
Lee’s Last Headquarters
A short distance inside these woods stood Robert E. Lee’s last headquarters. Here on April 8, 1865, he held his final council of war. Here on April 10 he issued his farewell order to his army. And from here, on April 12, he departed for home – across a devastated landscape to war-ravaged Richmond.
Maj. Gen. John B. Gordon described Lee’s last council, the night of April 8:
“There was no tent there, no chairs, and no camp stools. On blankets spread upon the ground or on saddles…we sat around the great commander…No tongue or pen will ever be able to describe the unutterable anguish of Lee’s commanders as they looked into the clouded face of their beloved leader and sought to draw from it some hope.”
Lee and his commanders decided to make one last effort to break past the approaching Union columns. That effort would come the next morning, April 9, on the fields and ridges west of the village. With its failure would pass the last hope to save Lee’s army.
From the captions on the right:
This sketch (above) shows the view from this spot toward the village of Appomattox Court House, atop the ridge in the distance.
A conjectural view of Lee’s last council of war (left).
Lee’s farewell orders to his troops – General Orders No. 9. (right) Oft-quoted, the text of the order had become a Southern classic. It was written by Lee’s military secretary, Lt. Col. Charles Marshall.
The marker is on the east end of the Site of Lee’s headquarters pull off
Location
The Lee’s Last Headquarters wayside marker is on the east side of the parking area at the site of Lee’s Headquarters in the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park. The site of Lee’s Headquarters is at a pull out about 1 1/4 mile to the northeast of the park’s Visitor Center on the right side of Virginia Route 24. (37°23’29.1″N 78°47’01.1″W)