It's an enduring myth of the Civil War: Robert E. Lee surrendered his sword to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox, and his Union counterpart refused the traditional gesture of surrender.
"Lee never offered it, and Grant never asked for it," said Patrick Schroeder, historian at Appomattox Courthouse National Historical Park.
In a historical twist, though, Lee's French-made ceremonial sword is returning to Appomattox 146 years later, leaving the Richmond museum where it has been displayed for nearly a century.
The Museum of the Confederacy in downtown Richmond is delivering one of its most-treasured pieces to Appomattox for a new museum that it's building less than a mile from where Lee met with Grant to sign the document of surrender on April 9, 1865. The Army of Northern Virginia's formal surrender followed three days later, effectively drawing to a close the Civil War that left about 630,000 dead.
The sword, scabbard and the Confederate gray uniform Lee wore to his fateful meeting with Grant are all destined to be displayed about 75 miles west of Richmond when the museum opens next spring. Until then, the sword will be on display at the Richmond location, starting today.
Senior curator Robert F. Hancock said the Lee sword remains one of the Confederacy museum's biggest attractions.
"It's a one-of-a-kind piece," he said. "There's really no replacement, so you can't put a value on it. It's like putting a value on the Mona Lisa. It can't be done."
Wearing white gloves, Hancock lifted the glittering sword and its scabbard from a metal case, both freshly conserved after years of polishing had erased much of the gold gilt from the brass. With the gold gone, the sword's elaborate hilt had turned a dull ocher.
The 40½-inch sword now sparkles, from the lion head on its pommel to the gilded relief on its steel sword. It has an ivory grip.
Russell Bernabo, a fine-object conservator, was selected by the museum to restore the piece to its original luster. He considered 12 samples of gold before settling on a match: 23-karat Italian gold in tissue-thin sheets, used to restore gilt to the engraved text on the blade, the hilt and pommel.
Bernabo approached the job with reverence.
"For an object of this iconic significance, the most important consideration is to not do anything that is too intrusive," he said. "This sword is of the very highest workmanship. This is absolutely top notch."
The sword was intended for ceremonial use. There is no evidence that Lee used it in battle.
The museum is sharing its collection — a fraction of which is on display at the Richmond facility, which will remain open — at three planned centers in Virginia. In addition to Appomattox, others are planned in the Fredericksburg area and in Hampton Roads.
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