On April 9, 1865, in Appomattox, Virginia my great-great Grandfather Elijah Mitchell was standing with his brother when he witnessed the surrender of Lee to Grant…and this is how he found out that he was free…as copied from a family history file left to my Father:
“Appomattox County is a historical place in the commonwealth of Virginia. This is the place where General Lee surrendured to General Grant in 1865. Grandpa Elijah was a house slave and his brother, was a field slave. Grandpa at the age of 16 stood by the side of the road and saw the two generals come out of the McClean House and read the papers stating the end of the war. Grandpa never forgot this moment because he and his brother knew that at last they were free and everybody was free. They fell into each other’s arms and wept. Grandpa’s former master later gave them 30 acres of land and this is recorded i the records at Appomattox County, Virginia….”
The Cooking Gene 