Hello Lyle,
I believe that the mode of transport would be determined by money -- if you had hard money for a train ticket you could buy one.  I know of one individual who traveled by train from the Southside to Norfolk in June 1865 -- for business and apparently to give his oath of loyalty (perhaps away from the eyes of his neighbors in the county).  But a lot of people were walking.    My great-great-great grandfather walked home to the Valley from the Fort Delaware prison camp.

Regards,
David Kiracofe

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From: Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Lyle E. Browning [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, October 10, 2012 12:05 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: After the Surrender

As I was driving back through Appomattox yesterday, it occurred to me that while the big picture was the surrender and effective end of the Civil War took place there. What happened then? The Union Army had administrative control of its troops because they were in the army and it was responsible for their care and feeding. But what of the CSA folks who had no effective governmental unit to take care of them and to provide them transport home. If I remember correctly, the US Army fed the, but then what? How did these thousands upon thousands of people (not just Lee's Army folks, but the entire CSA contingent all over the South at the various surrender points) get home? One foot in front of the other? Train transport? Was there anything organized for them by the USA? Also, for the former POW's, once released, how were they able to return home?

Any info for a thought provoked by driving by in comfort on a paved road seeing the open fields and signage would be gratefully received.

Lyle Browning
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