The treaty that formally ended the American Civil War in 1865 was the Treaty of Appomattox Court House, also commonly referred to as the surrender agreement. Signed on April 9, 1865, this pivotal event marked the surrender of Confederate General Robert E. Lee to Union General Ulysses S. Grant. The terms of surrender were generous, aimed at fostering reconciliation and healing in a divided nation. The official end of hostilities eventually led to further terms and agreements, with the formalities being addressed in subsequent months, leading to a fraught Reconstruction era filled with its own challenges.