Cumberland Church | Apr 7, 1865

The Battle of Cumberland Church (sometimes also referred to as the Battle of Farmville) was one of the last battles before the surrender at Appomattox and the unofficial end of the Civil War. By April 1865, the War had clearly turned in favor of the Federals. But at Cumberland Church, the Confederates continued to fight with every ounce of waning strength they had left. At 5:00 pm on April 7th, General U.S. Grant wrote his now-famous letter to Lee, speaking of the “hopelessness of further resistance,” and shifting to Lee the “responsibility of any effusion of blood, by asking of you the surrender of that portion of the C.S. Army known as the Army of Northern Virginia.”