{"id":103396,"date":"2026-04-09T09:55:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-09T16:55:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.geni.com\/blog\/?p=103396"},"modified":"2026-04-09T10:17:35","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T17:17:35","slug":"profile-of-the-day-robert-e-lee-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.geni.com\/blog\/profile-of-the-day-robert-e-lee-3-103396.html","title":{"rendered":"Profile of the Day: Robert E. Lee"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

On this day in 1865, Confederate General Robert E. Lee<\/a> surrendered his army to Union General Ulysses S. Grant<\/a>, effectively bringing an end to the American Civil War<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Image: General Robert E. Lee surrenders \/ Library of Congress<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lee served as Confederate President Jefferson Davis’s<\/a> senior military adviser during the first year of the Civil War. Once he took command of the main field army, the Army of Northern Virginia,\u00a0Lee led the Confederate forces to many early victories on the battlefield. However, his defeat at the Battle of Gettysburg would prove to be a severe blow to the\u00a0Confederate army.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By 1865, Union General Ulysses S. Grant had Lee’s army in retreat. Trapped, out-numbered, and\u00a0short on food and supplies, Lee finally surrendered to Union forces. On April 9, 1865, Lee met with Grant at\u00a0the home of Wilmer McLean<\/a> in the village of Appomattox Court House to officially sign documents of surrender.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Explore Robert E. Lee’s family tree on Geni and share how you’re related to the Confederate General.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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View Robert E. Lee’s Geni Profile<\/a>