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by　making　their　way　through　the　woods　toward　the　Appomattox　River

before　they　could　be　entirely　enveloped。　　Night　had　fallen　when　the

fight　was　entirely　over；　but　Devin　was　pushed　on　in　pursuit　for　about

two　miles；　part　of　the　Sixth　Corps　following　to　clinch　a　victory

which　not　only　led　to　the　annihilation　of　one　corps　of　Lee's

retreating　army；　but　obliged　Longstreet　to　move　up　to　Farmville；　so

as　to　take　a　road　north　of　the　Appomattox　River　toward　Lynchburg

instead　of　continuing　toward　Danville。



At　the　close　of　the　battle　I　sent　one　of　my　staffColonel　Redwood

Priceto　General　Grant　to　report　what　had　been　done；　that　we　had

taken　six　generals　and　from　nine　to　ten　thousand　prisoners。　　On　his

way　Price　stopped　at　the　headquarters　of　General　Meade；　where　he

learned　that　not　the　slightest　intelligence　of　the　occurrence　on　my

line　had　been　received；　for　I　not　being　under　Meade's　command；　he　had

paid　no　attention　to　my　movements。　　Price　gave　the　story　of　the

battle；　and　General　Meade；　realizing　its　importance；　sent　directions

immediately　to　General　Wright　to　make　his　report　of　the　engagement　to

the　headquarters　of　the　Army　of　the　Potomac；　assuming　that　Wright　was

operating　independently　of　me　in　the　face　of　Grant's　despatch　Of

2　o'clock；　which　said　that　Wright　was　following　the　cavalry　and　would

〃go　in　with　a　vim〃　wherever　I　dictated。　　Wright　could　not　do　else

than　comply　with　Meade's　orders　in　the　case；　and　I；　being　then　in

ignorance　of　Meade's　reasons　for　the　assumption；　could　say　nothing。

But　General　Grant　plainly　intending；　and　even　directing；　that　the

corps　should　be　under　my　command；　remedied　this　phase　of　the　matter；

when　informed　of　what　had　taken　place；　by　requiring　Wright　to　send　a

report　of　the　battle　through　me。　　What　he　then　did；　and　what　his

intentions　and　orders　were；　are　further　confirmed　by　a　reference　to

the　episode　in　his　〃Memoirs；〃　where　he　gives　his　reasons　for　ordering

the　Sixth　Corps　to　abandon　the　move　on　Amelia　Court　House　and　pass　to

the　left　of　the　army。　　On　the　same　page　he　also　says；　referring　to

the　6th　of　April：　〃The　Sixth　Corps　now　remained　with　the　cavalry

under　Sheridan's　direct　command　until　after　the　surrender。〃　　He

unquestionably　intended　all　of　this；　but　his　purpose　was　partly

frustrated　by　General　Meade's　action　next　morning　in　assuming

direction　of　the　movements　of　the　corps；　and　before　General　Grant

became　aware　of　the　actual　conditions　the　surrender　was　at　hand。









CHAPTER　VIII。



LINCOLN'S　LACONIC　DESPATCHCAPTURING　LEE'S　SUPPLIESDELIGHTED

ENGINEERSTHE　CONFEDERATES'　LAST　EFFORTA　FLAG　OF　TRUCEGENERAL

GEARY'S　〃LAST　DITCH〃　ABSURDITYMEETING　OF　GRANT　AND　LEETHE

SURRENDERESTIMATE　OF　GENERAL　GRANT。



The　first　report　of　the　battle　of　Sailor's　Creek　that　General　Grant

received　was；　as　already　stated；　an　oral　message　carried　by　Colonel

Price；　of　my　staff。　　Near　midnight　I　sent　a　despatch　giving　the　names

of　the　generals　captured。　　These　were　Ewell；　Kershaw；　Barton；　Corse；

Dubose；　and　Custis　Lee。　　In　the　same　despatch　I　wrote：　〃If　the　thing

is　pressed；　I　think　that　Lee　will　surrender。〃　　When　Mr。　Lincoln；　at

City　Point；　received　this　word　from　General　Grant；　who　was

transmitting　every　item　of　news　to　the　President；　he　telegraphed

Grant　the　laconic　message：　〃Let　the　thing　be　pressed。〃　The　morning　of

the　7th　we　moved　out　at　a　very　early　hour；　Crook's　division　marching

toward　Farmville　in　direct　pursuit；　while　Merritt　and　Mackenzie　were

ordered　to　Prince　Edward's　Court　House　to　anticipate　any　effort　Lee

might　make　to　escape　through　that　place　toward　Danville　since　it　had

been　discovered　that　Longstreet　had　slipped　away　already　from　the

front　of　General　Ord's　troops　at　Rice's　Station。　　Crook　overtook　the

main　body　of　the　Confederates　at　Farmville；　and　promptly　attacked

their　trains　on　the　north　side　of　the　Appomattox　with　Gregg's

brigade；　which　was　fiercely　turned　upon　and　forced　to　re…cross　the

river　with　the　loss　of　a　number　of　prisoner's；　among　them　Gregg

himself。　　When　Crook　sent　word　of　this　fight；　it　was　clear　that　Lee

had　abandoned　all　effort　to　escape　to　the　southwest　by　way　of

Danville。　　Lynchburg　was　undoubtedly　his　objective　point　now；　so；

resolving　to　throw　my　cavalry　again　across　his　path；　and　hold　him

till　the　infantry　could　overtake　him；　I　directed　everything　on

Appomattox　depot；　recalling　Crook　the　night　of　the　7th　to　Prospect

Station；　while　Merritt　camped　at　Buffalo　Creek；　and　Mackenzie　made　a

reconnoissance　along　the　Lynchburg　railroad。



At　break　of　day；　April　8；　Merritt　and　Mackenzie　united　with　Crook　at

Prospect　Station；　and　the　cavalry　all　moved　then　toward　Appomattox

depot。　　Hardly　had　it　started　when　one　of　the　scoutsSergeant　White…

…informed　me　that　there　were　four　trains　of　cars　at　the　depot　loaded

with　supplies　for　Lee's　army；　these　had　been　sent　from　Lynchburg；　in

compliance　with　the　telegram　of　Lee's　commissary…general；　which

message；　it　will　be　remembered；　was　captured　and　transmitted　to

Lynchburg　by　two　of　Young's　scouts　on　the　4th。　　Sergeant　White；　who

had　been　on　the　lookout　for　the　trains　ever　since　sending　the

despatch；　found　them　several　miles　west　of　Appomattox　depot　feeling

their　way　along；　in　ignorance　of　Lee's　exact　position。　　As　he　had　the

original　despatch　with　him；　and　took　pains　to　dwell　upon　the　pitiable

condition　of　Lee's　army；　he　had　little　difficulty　in　persuading　the

men　in　charge　of　the　trains　to　bring　them　east　of　Appomattox　Station；

but　fearing　that　the　true　state　of　affairs　would　be　learned　before

long；　and　the　trains　be　returned　to　Lynchburg；　he　was　painfully

anxious　to　have　them　cut　off　by　breaking　the　track　west　of　the

station。



The　intelligence　as　to　the　trains　was　immediately　despatched　to

Crook；　and　I　pushed　on　to　join　him　with　Merritt's　command。　　Custer

having　the　advance；　moved　rapidly；　and　on　nearing　the　station

detailed　two　regiments　to　make　a　detour　southward　to　strike　the

railroad　some　distance　beyond　and　break　the　track。　　These　regiments

set　off　at　a　gallop；　and　in　short　order　broke　up　the　railroad　enough

to　prevent　the　escape　of　the　trains；　Custer　meanwhile　taking

possession　of　the　station；　but　none　too　soon；　for　almost　at　the

moment　he　did　so　the　advance…guard　of　Lee's　army　appeared；　bent　on

securing　the　trains。　　Without　halting　to　look　after　the　cars　further；

Custer　attacked　this　advance…guard　and　had　a　spirited　fight；　in　which

he　drove　the　Confederates　away　from　the　station；　captured　twenty…five

pieces　of　artillery；　a　hospital　train；　and　a　large　park　of　wagons；

which；　in　the　hope　that　they　would　reach　Lynchburg　next　day；　were

being　pushed　ahead　of　Lee's　main　body。



Devin　coming　up　a　little　before　dusk；　was　put　in　on　the　right　of

Custer；　and　one　of　Crook's　brigades　was　sent　to　our　left　and　the

other　two　held　in　reserve。　　I　then　forced　the　enemy　back　on　the

Appomattox　road　to　the　vicinity　of　the　Court　House；　and　that　the

Confederates　might　have　no　rest；　gave　orders　to　continue　the

skirmishing　throughout　the　night。　　Meanwhile　the　captured　trains　had

been　taken　charge　of　by　locomotive　engineers；　soldiers　of　the

command；　who　were　delighted　evidently　to　get　back　at　their　old

calling。　　They　amused　themselves　by　running　the　trains　to　and　fro；

creating　much　confusion；　and　keeping　up　such　an　unearthly　screeching

with　the　whistles　that　I　was　on　the　point　of　ordering　the　cars

burned。　　They　finally　wearied　of　their　fun；　however；　and　ran　the

trains　off　to　the　east　toward　General　Ord's　column。



The　night　of　the　8th　I　made　my　headquarters　at　a　little　frame　house

just　south　of　the　station。　　I　did　not　sleep　at　all；　nor　did　anybody

else；　the　entire　command　being　up　all　night　long；　indeed；　there　had

been　little　rest　in　the；　cavalry　for　the　past　eight　days。　　The

necessity　of　getting　Ord's　column　up　was　so　obvious　now　that　staff…

officer　after　staff…officer　was　sent　to　him　and　to　General　Grant

requesting　that　the　infantry　be　pushed　on；　for　if　it　could　get　to　the

front；　all　knew　that　the　rebellion　would　be　ended　on　the　morrow。

Merritt；　Crook；　Custer；　and　Devin　were　present　at　frequent　intervals

during　the　night；　and　everybody　was　overjoyed　at　the　prospect　that

our　weary　work　was　about　to　end　so　happily。　　Before　sun…up　General

Ord　arrived；　and　informed　me　of　the　approach　of　his　column；　it　having

been　marching　the　whole　night。　　As　he　ranked　me；　of　course　I　could

give　him　no　orders；　so　after　a　hasty　consultation　as　to　where　his

troops　should　be　placed　we　separated；　I　riding　to　the　front　to

overlook　my　line　near　Appomattox　Court　House；　while　he　went　back　to

urge　along　his　weary　troops。



The　night　before　General　Lee　had　held　a　council　with　his　principal

generals；　when　it　was　arranged　that　in　the　morning　General　Gordon

should　undertake　to　break　through　my　cavalry；　and　when　I　neared　my

troops　this　movement　was　beginning；　a　heavy　line　of　infantry　bearing

down　on　us　from　the　direction　of　the　village。　　In　front　of　Crook　and

Mackenzie　firing　had　already　begun；　so　riding　to　a　slight　elevation

where　a　good　view　of　the　Confederates　could　be　had；　I　there　came　to

the　conclusion　that　it　would　be　unwise　to　offer　more　resistance　than

that　necessary　to　give　Ord　time　to　form；　so　I　directed　Merritt　to

fall　back；　and　in　retiring　to　shift　Devin　and　Custer　to　the　right　so

as　to　make　room　for　Ord；　now　in　the　woods　to　my　rear。　　Crook；　who

with　his　own　and　Mackenzie's　divisions　was　on　my　extreme　left

covering　some　by…roads；　was　ordered　to　hold　his　ground　as　long　as

practicable　without　sacrificing　his　men；　and；　if　forced　to　retire；　to

contest　with　obstinacy　the　enemy's　advance。



As　already　stated；　I　could　not　direct　General　Ord's　course；　he　being

my　senior；　but　hastily　galloping　back　to　where　he　was；　at　the　edge　of

the　timber；　I　explained　to　him　what　was　taking　place　at　the　front。

Merritt's　withdrawal　inspired　the　Confederates；　who　forthwith　began

to　press　Crook；　their　line　of　battle　advancing　with　confidence　till

it　r