This post explores the complexities of April 9, 1865, the day of Lee’s surrender at Appomattox. While it marked the end of the Confederacy and a hopeful beginning for enslaved people, it was not a day of pure celebration. The freedmen faced an uncertain future, unsure of their rights and freedoms. Former slave owners were devastated by the loss of “property” and their social status. Even civilians in Appomattox were impacted by the influx of troops and the potential for violence. The post concludes with a call to examine the role of white citizens in shaping the “new normal” of a post-slavery South.
If April 9, 1865 was the dawn of the brightest day of Emancipation sunlight, it was also the darkest night of uncertainty and anxiety for both the freedmen and the whites. Were the Freedmen truly free? Free to go where? Free to do what?
For former slave owners the loss of over 4,600 enslaved or $6,900,000 in assets with a stroke of Grant’s and Lee’s pens on April 9, 1865 was a pitch black night. They found themselves in their darkest hour as they descended from the ranks of the wealthy to becoming mere paupers.
And what of the darkness that descended on the Appomattox civilians as 60,000 Union troops and 14,000 Confederate troops, some a law unto themselves, became unwanted guests and shoppers by force in their homes.
How many Appomattox freedmen paid a painful price of retaliation at the hands of their former white owners for being the recipients of liberty granted to them by other white men?
Darkness can only be dispelled by light. As Appomattox encountered its greatest hour of darkness, the questions remained, who were the whites who would become the lights? Who were the white lights to illumine the pathway to Appomattox’s new, extremely uncomfortable and complicated new normal?
Some of Appomattox’s white lights were brilliantly bright while others were dimmer merely flickering in the night.
<poem starts> General Robert E. Lee
Lee’s decision to surrender on April 9, 1865, prevented an Appomattox “blood bath” that would have killed and wounded 1,000s of Union and Confederate soldiers and Appomattox civilians.
“Lee saw it was past midnight and time to stop the fight and reunite.”
White Light
Ulysses S. Grant
President Abraham Lincoln’s desire, carried out by Grant, was “to bind the nation’s wounds.” “The war is over; the rebels are our countrymen again”, said Grant to his army. Grants amicable terms of surrender extended to Lee on April 9, 1865, at worst prevented an Appomattox “blood bath” or at best a state of guerilla warfare executed by the former Confederate Army that could have lasted for years.
“Grant was polite in spite of Lee’s plight.”
White Light
188th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers Company D
Provided guard and provost duty in Appomattox from April 9, 1865, until December 14, 1865. Freedmen, in your dark night, no need for fright, we’re here to protect your human rights.
The Hundreds of Unknown White Appomattox Families
Freedmen were destitute indeed with so much desperate need could “shelter in place!”
“No campsite, no frostbite you will stay with us tonight”
White Light
Lieutenant Henry J. Cogan
Assistant Superintendent of the Freedmen’s Bureau in Appomattox and Assistant Provost Marshall provided military protection, provision, and motivation for both the freedmen and the white.
“Freedmen I must ignite, maybe incite, or even indict, you must work with might.”
White Light
Charles W. McMahon
The Appomattox Freedmen School teacher from Plymouth, Massachusetts sent to Appomattox by the Pennsylvania Freedmen’s Relief Association of Philadelphia.
“Despite the fight I have little fright. Never except your plight just reignight, with much foresight always expedite you are not finite you are dynamite.”
White Light
Lewis Daniel Isbell
First Appomattox Commonwealth Attorney Secessionist Disenfranchised after the war, and the Appomattox Freedmen’s Bureau Agent. He had a slave lover, Louisa “Kittie” Patterson, and four slave children.
“Now that I have more insight freedmen have a legal right.”
White Light
George T. Peers
Appomattox Deputy Sheriff, Appomattox Court Clerk disenfranchised after the war. He became an Appomattox Freedmen’s Bureau “Agent” appointed to represent white litigants in criminal cases against former enslaved litigants.
“Whites, I will not incite, my job is to reunite.”
White Light
Samuel W. McDearmon
The developer of Appomattox Court House, Virginia General Assembly Delegate, Virginia State Senator, High Bridge contractor and, an enslaved. McDearmon was a member of the Virginia Reserves. He was also a Freedmen’s Bureau “Agent” who represented former slave litigants in criminal cases against whites.
“The freedmen’s plight is my fight.”
White Light
The Unknown Courageous Appomattox White Men
Allowed Charles W. McMahon to establish his 2 freedmen schools “opposite the Mclean House” on Charles H. Diuguid’s (Black) property. The U.S. Grant Day School and the Lincoln Night School.
“Even though I may incite the white, for the Freedmen’s plight I will continue to fight.”
White Light
Frances Reeve Cope
The Vice President of the Pennsylvania Freedmen Relief Association of Philadelphia.
A wealthy Quaker philanthropist who invested in Appomattox by buying one and three-fourths acres of land on Stage Road for Plymouth Rock Freedmen’s School and Galilee African Church.
“For the Freedmen I expedite and underwrite.”
White Light
The Pennsylvania Freedmen’s Relief Association of Philadelphia
Establishment of freedmen’s schools throughout the South, paid the rent for school buildings, helped to build new school houses and paid teacher salaries.
“We underwrite, we always fight, we expedite, we also ignite, we give freemen panoramic sight.”
White Light
John H. “Jack” Johnson
One of the largest slave owners in Appomattox, John Johnson was extremely wealthy. He emancipated his enslaved lover, Martha and their enslaved children in his will. Johnson left the bulk of his estate to his former slave family and established a Sunday School for his slaves before emancipation. Johnson built a freedmen’s school on his plantation in the Tower Hill community of Appomattox County. He provided room and board for the freedmen school teacher who taught on his plantation. Johnson was one of only five “prominent whites’ who supported freemen education.
“For freedmen I underwrite, their good plight I expedite.”
White Light
J. W. Shoemaker
Superintendent of the 7th District Schools of the Pennsylvania Freedmen’s Relief Association. The 7th District was comprised of freedmen’s schools in Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, Fincastle counties, and the city of Lynchburg.
“Freedmen teachers I supervise, always paying attention to their cries. Freedmen teachers I must ignite for this is such a midnight fight.”
White Light
Jacob Yoder
The principal of the 7th District Schools of the Pennsylvania Freedmen’s Relief Association of Philadelphia which included Appomattox.
“I wrote a journal to make my words eternal. I had to fight for my teachers that the KKK tried to extradite.”
White Light
Dr. John R. McDearmon
McDearmon demonstrated extreme courage in selling one and three-fourths acres of land in Appomattox to Frances Reeve Cope, the Vice President of the Pennsylvania Freedmen Relief Association of Philadelphia, for Plymouth Rock freedmen’s school and Galilee African Church.
“Selling my land made me no fan. Despite the white incite I did what was right.”
White Light
Wilson Hix
Appomattox Sheriff on April 9, 1865, one of only five prominent white men who supported freedmen education.
“I may have been white but unlike my son I was determined to do what was right to improve the freedmen’s plight.”
White Light
Rev. John C. Hamner and Liberty Baptist Church
Rev. Hamner accepted a “membership of color” (1849-1865) during enslavement. Liberty Baptist Church granted “thirty colored members” letters of dismission in 1866 to form an African Church (Galilee Baptist Church). The “former” slave Hannah Reynolds was a member of Liberty Baptist Church.
“What a bright light in the middle of the night.”
White Light
Liberty Chapel Baptist Church
Enslaved membership out-numbered white membership three to one. “In February 1854, Liberty Chapel ordained four enslaved Deacons to take oversight of their colored members.”
On August 18, 1866, Liberty Chapel “ordained” and “licensed” the first Appomattox former enslaved to preach the gospel. “Some” of the colored Liberty Chapel membership asked to be allowed to organize themselves into a church. Their request was granted.
The Liberty Chapel white membership contributed money, material, and helped them build Springfield African Church in 1866. In 1876 the “white” membership of Liberty Chapel “dismissed” their “colored membership” from the fellowship of “their” church stating, “We believe it best for them and for us…”
“We started out doing right but under so much pressure we gave up the fight.”
White Light
Fanny Harvey
She was an Appomattox native who was first a private school teacher and then became a freedmen’s school teacher in Lynchburg and Appomattox. She was forced to leave Appomattox prior to the Civil War because she publicly advocated for the education of the enslaved for which she received death threats.
“I caused so much white incite I had to get out of sight to continue this fight.”
White Light
Alvin Varney
An Appomattox freedmen school teacher at Union Grove School in Spout Spring. The school was housed in Union Grove Church which later became Shiloh Baptist Church.
“A freedmen school teacher must fight for right and not just for white.”
White Light
James Shearer, Esq.
Shearer donated the land on which Union Grove African Church (Shiloh Baptist Church) was built on October 12, 1868. He requested fifty dollars from the Freedmen’s Bureau to finish the construction for school purposes for the colored people. Union Grove School was Union Grove African Church.
“It was more important for me to be right than to please the white.”
White Light