The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1865-08-12

the removal of all the stores of the army to
Danville. Government cotton and tobacco
was hauled away from Petersburg hundreds
oftAe inhabitants left the place; all the sur.
| plus artillery was sent to Amelia Courthouse,
and even the reserve ordnance train of the
army was ordered to the same point Then
suddenly, in the midst of all, the movement
stopped The authorities at Richmond had
| said, -"Hold your position" Lee counters
manded his orders and awaited his fate.
say awaited his fate, because | am per-.
fectly we'll convinced that from that moment
he regarded the event as a mere question OF
time. Yet he determined to stand at bay,
and fight to the last The expected attack
came. General Grant rapidly concentrated
his army (amounting, General Meade stated
at Appomattox Court House, to about one
hundred and forty thousand men) on Lees
right, near Burgess Mill his most efficient
corps of infantry and cavalry were thrown
forward, and desperate attack was made
upon the Confederate works on White Oak
road. bloody repulse awaited the first as
sault, but the second was successful. At the
same time the lines near Petersburg were
broken by great force, and the affair was
decided The Confederate army was cut in
two; the enemy held the Soutbside railroad
intercepsing the line of retreat; and what
Lees clear military Judgment had fores cen,
had come to pass. Between his forty thou.
sand, or less, and Daavile, were the one hum
dred and forty thousand me of GIANT.
|a General Meade, is is said, expressed ex
IRENE establishment to General Lee when ins
formed of bis small numbers, debating that
If GeneralGrant hadlsuspecled this weakness
be would have long before broken Though th g
Confederate lines, and this would have doubt
less been done sooner but that up 10 this
time his adversary, by rapid movements Of
his small force from point to point aud OBJ.
stinate fighting, had invariably foiled him.
After describing the difficulties of swollen
streams and broken down TRANSPORTATION
which aided the energetic movements OF
General Grant In producing the final surren>
der, the writer speaks of another scene 10
the retreat in which General Lee appeared
conspicuously: ffre
Ia-front of all was the still line of battle
just placed by Lee, thrown in at the esitic Il
moment and most unexpectedly, and waiting
calmly. General Lee had rushed his infan1
try over just at sunset, aud his eye brilliant
With the .soldiers spirit of "fghtp-Lbut biz
bearing unhurried as before An artist desir-
ing to paint his picture, oughtto have seen
the cid cavalier at this moment, sweeping on
his large, iron gray, whose name and tai
hoated in the wind, carrying his field glass
half raised in his right hand with his head
erect, gestures animated, and in the whole
face and form the expression of the hunter
closeupon his game. The line once interpo.
sed, he rode. ins the twilight among tn,
disordered groups above mentioned, and th,
sight of him arouted tumult.- Fierce criet
responded ON all sides, andwith hands clencb,
| ed violently and raised aloft, tie men called
on him TO lead them against the enemy. at,
General Leei'' Uncle Robertl' "Where's thu
man who won't fellow Uncle Robertl"
heard on all sides-the swarthy faces, full o
dirt:and courage lit up every instant by Thu
glare Of the Federal signals near Atogethe
the scene was indiscfibsble.
The end cameeat Last. The, great soldier hal
fought as long as he could, and done all il
his power to extricate his army from DO
sition in which It had been placed by faul
| of his. Now he did not hesitate in course. A
| frat he had reooiled from the idea of surrende
when it was suggested to him by, i thinl
General Ptndleton. This officer had inform eli
him that his corps commanders were unani
mously of opinion that surrender was inevi
table; but he had exclaimed, greately shocked
| sSurrenderl Ihave too many good hghtin,
| men for that!2- Now the current had set to
strongly against him, and he was forced t
yield, and the army, with less than eigh
thousand muskets, a very short supply @
Eammunition, and almost smoothing to eat wa
surrendered
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