3 - Lee And Grant - Their Finest Hour

About this episode:

It was a conflict that stretched four years. It began in April and, that same month four years later, so began the beginning of the end. In many wars before and since, winning the war was only half the challenge for, then, victors had to win the peace. And, winning the peace after a civil war presented an ominous set of issues. Indeed, history has shown us that in the French, Russian and Chinese Revolutions, once the fighting ended, then, came the bloodbaths.

That did not happen here and, in large part, we owe that to Abraham Lincoln and to two warriors who made peace not just for that current generation but for countless others in the future. This is the story of Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee who, amidst the stillness of Appomattox, had their finest hour.

Some Characters Mentioned In This Episode: 

Robert E. Lee

Ulysses S. Grant

John B. Gordon

George Armstrong Custer

Joshua Chamberlain

 

 

Other References From This Episode:

 

Jay Winik's April 1865: The Month That Saved America

 

Location of the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park

 

 

Great Resources To Check Out:

 

 Bruce Catton's A Stillness At Appomattox

 

 

 

 

Get The Guide:

Want to learn more about the Civil War? A great place to start is Fred's guide, The Civil War: A History of the War between the States from Workman Publishing. The guide is in its 9th printing.

 

**Title Image by Timothy H. O'Sullivan

Producer: Dan Irving