Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1865-11-30

patched Pickett's and Bushrod Johnson's
divisions, Hugar's battalion of artillery,
and Fitzbugh Lees division of cavalry (ir
all about II, 900 men, Lee had so weaken
ed his lines before Petersburg, that there
was but one Confederate left to every fifty
yards.
! Under these circumstances, Lee called
upon Longstreetf for men. But at dawn npor
the I'd of April, before Longstreet had had
time to obey Lees orders, Grant deserted
from bis wooden tower of observation of the
weakness of the Confederate lines Imme.
diately he threw very heavy column con-
sisting believe, chiefly of Gibbons Corps,
upon the weakest spot. The FederaIs car.
ried with very slight loss the outer line,
thinly held by Heath's Division of Confed.
crates, and bulged inward until they struck
two of the detached forts, whereof string
or system ran behind the whole length of the
Confederate outer works These two de,
tacbed forts, which were of course designed
to cover each other, were named Forts Gregg
| and Alexander
The officer iu Command of Fort Alexau.
der, which was farthest away from the on.
coming Federals, deemed it important to
save his guns than to try and help Fort
Gregg. Receiving no assistance from its
twin-brother, Fort Gregg, manned by Har.
ris's Mississippi Brigade, numbering $50
undaunted men, breasted intrepidly the tide
of its multitudinous assailants Three times
Gibbons Corps surged up, and around the
work--three times, with dreadful carnage,
they were driven back I am told that it
was subsequently admitted by Gen. Gih5on,
that in carrying Fort Gregg be lost from FIVE
to six hundred men or, in other words,
that each Mississippian inside the works,
struck down at least two assailants When
at last the work was carried there remained,
out of its 25O defendants, but 30 survi
vors. In those nine memorable April days
there was no episode more glorious to the
Confederate arms than the heroic self.immo-
latiou of the MississiPpians in Fort Gregg
to gain time for their comrades
Fort GREGG fell about seven o'clock on
the morning of the I'd. After delay of
two or three hours, the Federals swept on
ward 10 the direction of Petersburg, taking
the Confederate lines en- revers. At this
moment Longstreet, accompanied by Ben.
'ning's Brigade of Fields Division, about
ITO bayouets strong, met the on-pouring
food, and checked it long enough to enable
fresh troops to hurry up in his rear, and to
form fresh line in front of Petersburg.
simultaneously in an attempt of Heth's
Division to re-estsblish their lines, General
A. p. Hill (who commanded the Corps to
which Heth's Division belouged) lost a life
which for nearly four years he had unAinch.
ingly exposed in nearly hundred of his
country's battles. About the same moment
was dispatched tie memorable telegram
which surprised Davis in church, and an
nounced that the last day of that heroic re-
sistance which had made Richmond the
post beleaguered cities had at length arri-
we'd. The delay purchased by the obstinate
defense of Fort Gregg, and by. Longstreet's
bold handling of Benuing's Brigage, saved
Peterburg until the tobacco and cotton 'stor-
; ed in that city could be burned, and until
leisurely preparation for its evacuation could
be made.
1t is remarkable that no further onslaught
was made by the Federals throughout the
day, or during the evening, although the
flames springing up in many parts of the
town must have told their own tale. At
nightfall on the I'd all the Confederate troops
about 4, 900 strong, which remained under
command of Gen. Eweli, to the north of
James River, fell back from their lines, and
passed through the bewildered streets of
Richmond, traversing before daybreak the
bridges over. the James River, which were SO
soon to be given to the flames. About eight
on the night of the same I'd, the Confeder.
ate troops also commenced leaving Peters
burg, their retreat being covered by Fields
Division under Longstreet. Pursuit there
was none. 1t is probable that already Grant
was bending all his energies to get round
and cut off Lees retreat. The Petersburg
section of the Confederate troops full of
vigor and elan, crossed to the north side of
Appomattox river on poutoon bridge, and
made sixteen miles during their first night
of retreat.
1t would be difficult to conceive anything
brighter or more hopeful than the tone of
Gen. Lees spirits on the morning of the
3rd. 81 have got my army safe out of its
breastworks," he said, "and, in order to
follow me, my enemy must abandon his
lines, and can deIiRe no further benefts
from his railroads, or from the James Riv-
er." Theye can be little doubt that Lees
design was to recruit his army with rations
which he hoped to ind In abundance at
Amelia Court House, and to fall in detail
upon the Federals, who breaking up into
bodies of one or two army corps, were
scattered all over the country with view
to vigorous pursuit. Two days rations
at Amelia Court House for 10000 men
would possibly have made q great differ
ence in the Immediate, though, as believe,
none in the ultimate history of the Cont
neut of North America
There is little satisfaction in dwelling in
detail upon the five subsequent days, for
which parallel must be sought on the banks
of the Beresina, or ir other similar passa-
ges of military anguish. 1t is hardly nec-
essary to state that at Amelia Court House
Lee found not ration. | shall not pause