On April 9, 1865, finding himself surrounded with his weak and exhausted men, Robert E. Lee had little choice but to discuss terms for surrender. General Grant gave generous terms that would make the Confederates immune to being tried for treason, leading them to feel treated with dignity and respect. According to General Grant, “I felt like anything rather than rejoicing at the downfall of a foe who had fought so long and valiantly and had suffered so much for a cause.”
The stamp featured here, designed by Leonard Fellman, commemorates the centennial of the surrender of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox, Virginia, and bears the words, “With malice toward none…” from Lincoln’s second inaugural address. The stamp is the fifth and final of the Civil War centennial series and depicts the silhouette of a soldier and a stack of rifles against a blue and gray background.
