Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-04-22
The Late Pursuit of Lee-Enthusiasm Of our
Soldiers.

The New York HeraLfS correspondent re-
counts the pursuit of Lees army.
The oath Corps reached near Blacks and
Whites Stations, on the South Side Railroad,
on the morning of the 9Th, with Generals
Grant and Ord. The 9TH Corps and cavalry
pushed on to Jettersville, on the Danville
Railroad, and arrived without any fighting
until the night of the 18th. The I'd, 9th and
9th Corps we're following closely in their
rear, and by the night of the 5th they were
all up on the Danville road, and the oath
Corps up to Burkesville Junction.
1t appears that Lee ordered that portion
of his army that was cut off, by our piercing
his left on Sunday, to join him at Amelia
Court House, fearing to have them attempt
to reach Burkesyille, and so on to Danville.
When General Grant reached Nottoway
Court House, staff officer arrived, stating
that Sheridan had encountered the enemy in
small force at Jettersville, had driven them
and made important captures. Our column
had intended to go into camp, but Grant
thought Lees only hope was in forced marches
and he therefore ordered the advance contin-
ued. The men who had already tramped
twenty miles, on being informed of the STIR
ring news from Sheridan, clamored to march
all night and started off with cheers When
ever Grant was recognized, as he rode along
the line, the delight of the soldiers was ex-
pressed in the most enthusiastic manner. As
one division exhausted itself in cheering, an
other would take it up, and SO it went all
along the whole column.
Soon another dispatch was received from
Sheridan, and it's contents were such as to
cause Grant to leave the road and cut across
the country to Sheridan's headquarters. On
the night of the 9TH, the army lay in line of
haf Ia IT
of country, and facing Jettersville Custar's
division of cavalry lay on the right flank, and
McKenzie's on the left. The infantry was
formed with the 9th Corps on the right, the
5th in the centre, and the I'd on the left
During the night Lee moved off many of mis-
trains, and it was feared he would elude this
column. Ord was TO march in the morning
towards Lynchburg and cut off his retreat to
any point south of that.
The Worlds Army of the Potomac CORES
pOndent, relative to the pursuit of Lees ar.
my, dating near Burke's Station the 18th, says
CATER another day of excitement and sue
cess, We have few miles more of the en-
emy's soil. The enemy were driven from
strong Notifications, guarding the approaches
to the magnificent bridge crossing the APP
pomatax. The enemy had strong, wellstock-
ed forts, and though we anticipated a de-
EtslsldllSc, we CapbufSQ tucIl, With
little trouble, together with all that was in
them, securing / s pieces OF all fashion and
calibres.
"The enemy then fell back and took posi-
ton near Farmville. Here they held us the
entire remainder of the day, nothwithstand-
ing strong efforts on the part of the I'd Corps
to dislodge them. The enemy tried several
times TO cut his way through our lines, hut
always with such fatal effects to himself that
he finally abandoned the attempt. The I'd
Division was sent down the railroad to seize
the village of Farmville, which they did
without trouble. Previously they had skir-
mish in which Gen. Smith was, it is feared,
MORALLY wounded.
"Gen. Ewell after his capture said Gen.
Lee, long since, wanted to take all his troops
westward and there disband them, but Davis
would not consent"
Another World correspondent dating Burks-
vile, April 7th, says:
yesterday Sheridan discovered force Of
the enemy and large wagon train pushing
briskly toward the main body of their army.
He Immediately pushed ahead his troops and
found the enemy in a strong position, from
which they were driven, and after hard fight
ing, they fell back to another position, from
which Sheridan with his cavalry could not
bulge them. The I'd and 9th corps came up
and were put in position, which they held
through the night
Next morning Custar was sent forward to
barricade the road the rebels would take in
retreating. The formation ofthe infantry be-
ing complete the charge was sounded. The
rebels held our troops at bay for time, but
our men finally rushed upon them when they
fed down the pike where they were met by
Custar and held in check. The enemy find
ing they could not get past Gustav turned
again upon the infantry. They charged i'm
petuously, and then our troops counter
charged, when the enemy hoisted the white
flag and surrendered. 1t was in this fight
that Ewell and other officers were captured,
not only out-fought but handsomely out gem
eralled"