On this date 151 years ago...

On April 9, 1865, the American Civil War ended with Robert E. Lee's surrender to General Grant in Virginia.

Drawings of the era show the two generals meeting under a large tree, In the one shown here, Lee appears to be looking over terms of the surrender.

James Fuller Queen, artist/Library of Congress

A lesser known scene was also captured in a drawing of the era. Union soldiers soon after cut down the tree and chopped it to bits, to be carried home as war trophy souvenirs.

Alfred R. Waud, artst/Library of Congress

Update: Since posting this, I've read as many as five trees may have been felled that day at Appomattox Court House. At least one of them is said to have been an apple tree.