Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-04-14
REVIEW OF THE GREAT STRUGGLE
THE HISTORY OF FIVE DAYS.


From tAs Special Correspondent Of ". Y. Tribune
PETERsBuRG, Va, Monday April 8, 1866.
In looking over the momentous events OF
the past few days it is hard to realizethe fact
that the once great spinal column Of the most
powerful combination in arms against the
Union has been broken and crushed, and that
Lee with his ragged, disheartened and disor-
ganized forces, is flying from our advancing
columns which are rapidly bearing down upon
4 him to complete the work now SO nearly fin
ished. And yet, to-day, from many dizzy
hight. our flag floats in the bright sunlight
over Richmond and Petersburg the long
lines of earthworks around those cities, a few
days ago bristlng with guns and seemingly so
impregnahle, are silent and tenantless now ;
our advance is marching on, and to-day the
| streets of Richmond and Petersburg are trod
! BY the soldiers of the Union, and, mark it, by
men in uniform whose skin nature made dark
men whom the boasted chivalry Of the
South call Sldues, whose toll receives only the
remuneration of the lash, but who are men
nevertheless, and who have made valid their
claim to the title by their deeds. saw the
colored troops march up Washington street,
this morning in steady column, and witness
ed the delight which beamed in the faces of
tbs native black population when they reali-
| zed that the links which had bound them in
| Slavery were broken and mad fallen at their
! feet and saw also the curl of wounded
pride which told on the lip of many a long
haired patron of the lash as he too became
sensible of the fact that his human chattels
were free forever. propose to give some
what in erteRso an account of the operations
of the FIVE days campaign which compelled
| these radical changes in the military situa
ton.
J PREPARATIONS FOR THE OPENING OF THE CAM
PAIGS.
As the mariner reads in the sky evidence of
the approaching storm, so may we discover
in the military horizon sure indications of the
coming of active operations. For some time
before ethelate campaign preparations for work
might be seen going forward on all sides. A
week of beautiful weather, as warm, balmy
and breezy as May days, ushered in the fourth
month. The roads had become hard, and it
was evident that the campaign was about to
commence. From their scouts, or from some
other source, the enemy had obtained infor-
nation of the intended movement, and we're
growing uneasy. On Saturday night, Fort
| Steadman, on the liue Of the Ninth Corps,
was attacked by the enemy-with what result
is now well known to the public, and several
other minor demonstrations made along our
line.
On Saturday, the 25th of March, Turner's
James, was dispatched to the Chickahominy
for the purpose of supporting Sheridan in his
crossing in case of an attack by the enemy.
On the same night, Sheridan's forces quietly
crossed the Chickahominy at Jones Bridge,
meeting with no resistance, and on Sunday
crossed the James and Appomattox at Varina
and Broadway Landings, biyouacing a short
distance South of the last mentioned stream.
On Sunday, the 26th, the Army of the
james was honored by visit from the Presi-
dent, the Lieutenant General, Admiral Por-
ter, and several other civil and military off
cials of note. The coming Of the President
always but briefly preceded activity in the ar
my He apparently desires to see the troops
| for himself, to examine into their discipline
and general efficiency and to judge of their
capabilities as soldiers for the performance of
the work before them. AT Gen. 0rd's head
quarters everything was unusually active, and
oD Monday it was known that portion of his
army, afterward found to be Turner's and
Fosters Divisions of the Twentyfourth and
! and Birney's Colored Division of the Twenty
| ffth, the whole commanded by Gen. Ord,
would soon join the Army Of the Potomac
south of the James. On Mouday, the 9th,
in company with another knight of the quill,
left Gen 0rd's headquarters for the Army
| of the Potomac, remarking to f'Uncle VIII
ham, our ancient colored cook, just preyi-
vious to starting. "Well, William, take good
care of yourself, and in case the Johnnies
break through our lines as / think they viii,
make good your retreat across the river.
| The remark was made to ascertain his state Of
mind under the circumstances. With aston
ishment depicted on his countenances on dis
covering that believed such thing possible
he replied, 'sWhat, froo de coons, / No, sar !;
deg may take all de troops away de please, if
| dey or any leave line o. de coons (colored
soldiers) in front, / feels safe, yes, indeed,
sar. You alls may laugh, but tell you, de
coons will be de fust to get to Richmond, |
feels it in my bones" Uncle Williams pre-
diction was nearly correct, as proved by sub
sequent events.
On Monday, Sheridan's long column of
troopers filed down to the vicinity of Hancock
Station, keeping well to the rear of our works,
to shield his movements from the enemy.
Sherman was welcomed to City Point with the
thunder of cannon, where he met in council
the President and the Lieutenant General,
and the troops were being rationed for the
campaign.
Meanwhile the air was full of reports with
reference to the movement about tocommence
Some pretended to know that Goldsborough
would be our objective point some that the
whole affair was to be only raid BY Sheridan
to Burkesville, the intersection of the South
side and Danville Railroads some that the
whole army. with the exception of a sufficient
force left to garrison the City Point defenses,
would abandon the works in front of Peters
burg and swing off to some point on the rail