Appomattox in Appomattox County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Confederate Artillery Position
Battle of Appomattox Station
Both Walker’s column and Lee’s army were not far apart late on the afternoon of April 8. Walker’s artillerymen had stopped along the road here to Appomattox Station for a respite and were cooking rations when Union Gen. George A. Custer’s troopers attacked at about 4 P.M. One part of Walker’s command escaped to Lynchburg with 21 cannon and another with 54 artillery pieces to Oakville (five miles north). Walker put up a stout defense with about 30 cannon before his position was overrun. At about 8 P.M., Custer launched a final assault with all of his brigades and captured the remaining cannon. The French Creole gunners of the Donaldsonville (Louisiana) Artillery muttered, “Tout perdu” (“All is lost”). Confederate artillery Capt. William G. McCabe wrote, “Enemy attacked us in park. … Disgraceful panic. … Saw a captain of art’y behind a stump on his knees.” One hundred cannon were effectively eliminated from Lee’s army.
”Our men stood off the enemy until dusk, repelling numerous attacks, until the greater part of the guns and wagons had moved off towards Lynchburg, when nearly the whole of Custer’s division having arrived, they made a charge and swept over all that was left.”—Capt. William W. Chamberlaine, of Walker’s staff
(captions)
(top left) Gen. Reuben L. Walker Courtesy Valentine Richmond History Center
(top center) Gen. George A. Custer Courtesy Library of Congress
(bottom right) William G. McCabe, from Armistead C. Gordon, Memories and Memorials of William Gordon McCabe (1925)
(top right) William W. Chaberlaine, from his Memoirs of the Civil War (12912)
Erected by Virginia Civil War Trails.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Virginia Civil War Trails series list. A significant historical date for this entry is April 3, 1865.
Location. 37° 21.915′ N, 78° 49.592′ W. Marker is in Appomattox, Virginia, in Appomattox County. Marker can be reached from the intersection of Jamerson Lane (Virginia Route 1014) and Jones Street (Route 1012). Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Appomattox VA 24522, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Walker's Last Stand (here, next to this marker); Custer's Third Brigade (within shouting distance of this marker); Carver-Price School (approx. 0.4 miles away); Winonah Camp / Mozella Price Home (approx. 0.4 miles away); Heritage Garden (approx. 0.4 miles away); Appomattox County Confederate Monument (approx. 0.7 miles away); Appomattox County Units (approx. 0.7 miles away); Appomattox County Eternal Flame (approx. 0.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Appomattox.
Also see . . . Appomattox Court House National Historical Park. (Submitted on June 27, 2015.)
Credits. This page was last revised on March 26, 2021. It was originally submitted on June 27, 2015, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 809 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on June 27, 2015, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. 5. submitted on March 25, 2021, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia.