I was at Appomattox Court House, Virginia on Thursday, April 9th for the 150th Anniversary and minute to minute reenactment of Lee’s surrender to Grant in the Wilmer McLean house which marked the end of the Civil War. There was a very moving program with a detailed reenactment of Lee and Grant entering the McLean house and after the meeting Lee emerging, tipping his hat to the Union Generals and riding through the town on his horse. For more photos and detail on the ceremony go to www.BradleyHistory.com

The National Park Service was also letterpress printing soldiers paroles. Compare the reprint on top with an original below it. After the surrender the Union Army printed 30,000 paroles, 4 to a sheet, in 26 hours in the Tavern at Appomattox so that each Confederate soldier could return to his home unmolested.

Jim Walczak and Stan Nelson helped set this up with the Park Service. (see Jim Walczak’s description of the project below) Stan’s reproduction of the Union Army’s traveling type case was on display along with an original. (Click on scans & photos to enlarge)