Editing Robert E. Lee (section)

===General in Chief===
[[File:Robt E Lee & Staff by Brady, 1865.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Lee with son Custis (left) and aide [[Walter H. Taylor]] (right) by [[Mathew Brady|Brady]], April 16, 1865]]

On February 6, 1865, Lee was appointed [[General in Chief of the Armies of the Confederate States]].

As the South ran out of manpower, the issue of arming the slaves became paramount. Lee explained, "We should employ them without delay&nbsp;... [along with] gradual and general emancipation". The first units were in training as the war ended.<ref>{{harvnb|Nolan|1991|pp=21–22}}.</ref><ref name=Davis61>{{harvnb|Davis|1999|p=61}}.</ref> As the Confederate army was devastated by casualties, disease and desertion, the Union attack on [[Petersburg, Virginia|Petersburg]] succeeded on April 2, 1865. Lee abandoned Richmond and retreated west. Lee then made an attempt to escape to the southwest and join up with Joseph E. Johnston's Army of Tennessee in North Carolina. However, his forces were soon surrounded and he surrendered them to Grant on April 9, 1865, at the [[Battle of Appomattox Court House]].<ref name=Davis233>{{harvnb|Davis|1999|p=233}}.</ref> Other Confederate armies followed suit and the war ended. The day after his surrender, Lee issued his [[Lee's Farewell Address|Farewell Address]] to his army.

Lee resisted calls by some officers to reject surrender and allow small units to melt away into the mountains, setting up a lengthy guerrilla war. He insisted the war was over and energetically campaigned for inter-sectional reconciliation. "So far from engaging in a war to perpetuate slavery, I am rejoiced that slavery is abolished. I believe it will be greatly for the interests of the South."<ref>{{harvnb|Nolan|1991|p=24}}.</ref>