Final answer:
General Lee's surrender was a result of strategic Union victories, the dire situation of his troops, and Grant's pursuit and eventual encirclement of his forces, culminating in the surrender at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865.
Step-by-step explanation:
Events Leading to General Lee's Surrender
The culmination of events that led to General Lee's surrender began with several strategic losses for the Confederacy. By the spring of 1865, with major cities and resources captured by Union forces, the Confederacy's situation was bleak. General Lee faced the inevitability of defeat as he abandoned Petersburg and Richmond, aiming to join forces with General Johnston's troops. However, Ulysses S. Grant effectively blocked this move, leading to Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865.
Prior to surrendering, Lee witnessed the desperation of his troops, suffering from starvation, disease, and plummeting morale. Despite Lee's efforts to seek aid from the Confederate Congress, his pleas were met with indifference. Facing overwhelming odds, with his forces reduced to fewer than 35,000 men against Grant's 100,000 plus reinforcements, and after attempts to evade Grant's pursuit, Lee acknowledged that further resistance was futile. This acknowledgment was followed by an exchange of letters between Lee and Grant, after which they arranged to meet at the McLean house in Appomattox Courthouse for Lee to formally surrender. Lee's dignified surrender included terms that prevented the humiliation and prosecution of his soldiers, a decision that helped to heal a divided nation.
The news of Lee's surrender spread slowly in the South due to destroyed telegraph lines and lack of newspapers. Nevertheless, Lee's surrender signalled a domino effect of Confederate surrenders, referred to as the "Appomattox Spirit." Eventually, this led to the surrender of the remaining Confederate forces and the capture of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, signaling the end of the Civil War.