The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1865-12-06

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airy Gn oil about 1900 men, Lee had so
weakened his lines before Petersburg, that
there was but one Confederate left to every
fifty yards.
Under these circumstances, Lee called
upon Longstreet for men. But at dawn
upon the I'd Of April, before Longstreet
had time to obey Lees orders, Grant des-
cribed from his wooden tower of obserya-
ton the weakness Of the Confederate lines.
Immediately he threw very heavy col
unln, consisting, believe, chiefly Of Glib
bon's Corps, upon the weakest spot. The
Federals carried with very slight loss the
outer line, thinly held by Heath's Division
of Confederatcs, 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 detached forts, which
were of course designed to cover each 9th
CT, were named Forts Gregg and Alexan-
Ger.
The officer in command of Fort Alexan-
der, which was farthest away from the on
coming Federals, deemed it more impor-
tant to save his guns than to try and help
Fort Gregg. Receiving no assistance from
Its twin-brother, Fort Gregg, named by
Harris's Mississippi Brigade. numbering
250 undaunted men, breasted intrepidly the
| tide of its multitudinous ansailants. Three
times Gibbons Corps surged up and a.
round the work--three times with dread
| full carnage, they were driven back. / am
told that it was subsequently admitted by
Gen Gibbon that in carrying Fort Gregg
/ he lost from five to six hundred men; orin
other words, that each Mississippian inside
the works struck down at least two as
sailants. When at last the work was car
ried there remained, out gifts ESQ defen-
dants, but 80 survivors. In those nine
memorable April days there was no enis-
ode more glorious to the Confederate arms
than the heroine self-immolation of the
Missippians 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 in the direction of Petersburg, taking
the Confederate lines en- rerers. At this
moment Longstreet, accompanied by Ben
nings Brigade of Fields Division, about
|l7O bayonets strong, met the onpouring
flood, and checked it long enough to emf
BILE fresh troops to hurry up in his rear, and
to form fresh line in front of Peters
burg.
;. Simultaneously in an attempt Of Heth's
4 Division to re-establish their lines, Gen.
4 a. P. Hill (who commanded the Corps to
, W Itch Heth's Division belongeD lost a life
!, which for nearly four years he had unainch-
Iingly exposed in nearly hundred of his
!; country's battles. About the same mo-
, ment was despatched the memorable tele-
: gram which surprised Davis in church, and
announced tn the last day of that heroic
3 resistance which made Richmond the most
/ notable of beleagured cities had at length
) arrived. The delay purchased by the obsti-
, nate defence of Fort Gregg, anu by Long
/, streets bold handling Of Benning's Brigade,
!, saved Petersburg until the tobacco and
: cotton stored in the city should be burned,
9 and until leisurely preparation for its evac-
: uation 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 1000 strong, which remained
/ under the command of General Ewell, to
p the north Of the james River, fell back
/ from their lines, and passed through the be
g wldered streets Of Richmond, traversins
o before daybreak the bridges over the james
K River, which were SO soon to be given tc
5, the flames. About eight o'clock on the
l. night of the same I'd, the Confederate
|, troops also commenced leaving Petersburg
IS their retreat being covered by Fields hi
n vision under Longstreet. Pursuit ther'
e was none. It is probable that already
n Grant was bending all his energies to Sc
n round and cut off Lees retreat. The Pc
81 tersburg section of the Confederate troops
ct full of vigor and elan, crossed to the nortl
Of side of the Appomattox river on pontool
% bridge, and made sixteen miles during thei
first night of retreat.
" 1t would be difficult TO conceive anythin!
er brighter or more hopeful than the tone 0
Of Gen, Lees spirits on the morning Of the Sd
lie Il have got my army safe out Of its breast
vs. works" he said, land in order to follow me
Of my enemy must abandon his lines, and ca
re- derive no further benefit from his railroad
ID or from the James River" There can b
}g little doubt that Lees design was to recrui
Ibis army with ratioas which he hoped t
ix find in abundance at Amelia Court HOUSE
r. and to fall in detail upon the Federals, VIII
n, breaking upinto bodies Of one or two arm
lily corps, were scattering all over the countr
m with view to vigorous pursuit Tw
p- DAYS rations at Amelia Court House fl
ur 10000 men would possibly have made
ed great difference in the immediate, thong
De- as believe, none in the ultimate history
nd the Continent of North America.
of There is little satisfaction in dwelling
at detail upon the FIVE subsequent days, f
of which a parallel must be sought on Il
of banks of the Beresina, or in other simil
a passages Of military anguish. It is hard
os- necessary to state that at Amelia Cou
en- House Lee found not ration. ] shall N
en- pause now to distribute blame, or to inve
he tigatc who was at fault. All that ha'
the Ito state is that the flnlt was not Lee
rg, whose orders on this subject for fortnig
, past had been urgent and precise. 1t
fell came necessary for Lee to break near
my half his army up into foraging parties
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