Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1865-08-19

deTeu 10 luS SaAo punt hS"
ly, in the midst of all, the movement
stopped. The authorities at Richmond
had said, Hold your position" Lee
countermanded his orders and awaited his
fate.
I say avaited his fate, because am
perfectly well convinced that from that
moment he regarded the event as mere
question of time. Yet he determined 10
stand at bay, and fight 10 the last. The
expected attack came. General Grant
rapidly concentrated his army (amouns-
ing, General Meade stated at APPomat-
tox Court House. to about one hundred
ard forty thousand men) on Lees ri gh''
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. A bloody rePuIse awaited the
first assault, but the second was success
full. At the same time the lines near Pc
tersburg were broken by grea. force
and the affair was decided. The Confed-
crate army was cut in TWO; the enemy
held the Soulhside railroad, intercePting
the line of retreat; and what Lees clear
military judgment had foreseen' had come
10 pass. Between his forty thousand
men, or less, and Danville, were the one
hundred and forty thousand men Of
Grant.
General Meade, i, is said, expressed
extreme sstonishment TO General Lee
when informed of his small numbers, de-
claring that if General Grant had susPec-
ted this weakness, he would have long
before broken through the Confederate
lines, and this would have doubtless been
done sooner, but up to this time his adver-
sary by rapid movements OF his small
force from point to point, and obstinate
fighting, had invariably foiled him.
After describing the difficulties OF swol-
len streams and broken down transporla-
rion which aided ihe energetic movements
Of General Grant in producing the final
surrender, the writer speaks of another
scene in the retreat in which General Lee
appeared consPicously:
In front of all was The still line OF battle
Just placed by Lee, thrown in at The crIll-
cal moment and most Unexpectedly, and
waiting calmly. General Lee had rushed
his infantry over just at sunset. leading II
IN person, bis face animated, and bis eye
brilliant with the soldiers spirit of "6gh"
but his bearing unAurried as before.
An artist desiring to paint his picture
ought to have seen The old cavalier al this
moment, sweeping on upon his large iron
grey, whose name and tail flostsd IN The
wind, carrying his 6eld-g lass half raised
in his right hand, with head erect ges,
lures animated, and in the whole lace and
form the expression OF the hunter close
upon his game. The line once lntsrPos-
ed, he rode in The twilight among the dis
ordered groups above mentioned, and the
sight of him aroused tumult. Fierce
cries resounded on all sides, and with
hands clenchsd yiolenlly and raised siol'
The men called on MIN 10 lead them a.
qainst the enemy. ''Il's General Lee y
"Uncle Robert Where's the man
who won't follow Uncle Robert r Il
heard on all sides-the swaTIhy iaces, full
of dirt and courage, lit up every instant
by The glare of The Federal signals near.
Altogether the scene was indescrba0le.
The end came al last. The great sol.
der had fought as long as he could, and
done all his power 10 extricate his army
from a position in which il had been
placed by no fault Of his. Now he did
no. hesitate in his course. At first he
had rscOied from The idea of surrender
when it was suggested TO him by.I think,
General PendIeton. This officer had
informed him that his corps commanders
were unanimously of opinion that surren-
der was inevitable; bot he had exclaimed,
greatly shocked, "Surrsnder have too
many good lighting men for that !! Now
the current had set too strongly against
him, and he was forced to yield, and The
srmv with less than eight thousand mus
kels, a very short supply of ammunition
and almost nothing TO eat, was surrender
ed.
Ipa,e her rose and gave her ring.