Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1866-01-13

ill the tobacco and cotton stored in
that city could be burned, and until
leisurcly preparation for its evacu-
alton could be made.
1t is remarkable that no further
onslaught was made by the federals
during the day, or the evening, al
though the flames springing up in
many parts Of the town must have
told their own tale. Atnighttall on
tho End all the Confederate troops,
about 1000 strsng, which remained
under the command of Gen. Ewcll,
starvation, fatigue, sleeplessnoss,
miscry-unintcrmittcd for five or
six days, and eliminating in hope
lessness?
Yet there were not wanting oc.
casional episodes which recalled
some of the old pride Of former mem
ories, and reminded men that this
hunted famished crowd was still the
same army that had won two Bull
Runs, which had twice Gin pursuit
ofa fatal policy trodden its enemy's
soil, and had written Fredericks-
burg, Charlottesville, and a dozen
other glorious names upon its ban
ncrs. On the 9th, a large body OF
Federal cavalry, having got ahead
of Lees army and occupied Rices
Station, was attacked by some Con-
federate horseman under Gen. Ros-
ser, who drove them off, capturing
$50 prisoners. On the 7th, q heavy
attack was made upon Mahone's Di-
vision, and the prowess Of this ac-
tive Confederate General, so fire.
ouently exhibited during the last
twelve months ofthe war, was main
tained to the end, inasmuch as a
Federal brigade, getting entangled
in a ravinc, was surrounded BY Ma
homes men, and disappeared. On
the evening of tho 7th, General
Gregg, with six or seven thousand
Federal cavalry, made desperate
attempt TO capture all the wagon
trains. He was gallantly met by
two thousand horscmen under Fitz-
hugh Lee, and defeated. Gregg him
self was captured.
Through these gloomy days, as
an offset to the countless Confedc-
rates captured while foraging by the
Federals, numerous Federal prison
ers were taken by the Confederates,
and become participants of a hunger
and suffering of which they had no
previous conception. may as we'll
mention now that as the surrender
became moro inevitable, Generals
Fitzhugh Lee and Rosser with about
two thousand Confederate cavalry,
tacitly determined not to be includ-
ed in it, and started off towards
Lynchburg. On their road, they
fell in with a Federal supply train
and burned $50 wagons. The scanty
and partial ration which, after the
surrender, were issued on the night
of the 9th to the starving Confede-
rates by their captors, were apollo
gized for by the Federals on the
ground of destruction of those $50
wagons by Fitzhugh Lee.
The reader will have gathered
that when General Lee found his
depots along the Danville Road de-
stroyed by Sheridan had no altern-
alive but to make for Lynchburg.
He still hoped to get rations and to
turn suddenly upon Grant, whose
army was dispersed into many col
umns. The fatigue of the pursuit,
though unaggravated by famine,
to tell upon the pursuers.
But in pressing for Lynchburg, Lee
found himself in q dangerous pre-.
dicament. He was on strip of
land, not more than seven er eight
miles broad, between the James and
Rivers. On the after
noon of the 7th, Lees situation
seemed so unpromising that Grant,
for the first time, sent to propose
Lee at once replied that
his circumstances did not seem such
to him as to justify his entertaining
such a proposal. On the morning
of the Sth, Grant renewed his solic-
itations. Lee did not decline, but
debated the matter, calling coun-
Gil of war in the evening. No de-
was arrived ON the Sth,
and at midnight the usual dreary
retreat was resumed. The springs
of energy and will, unstrung by
long want of food had run down in
the men like the machinery of a
broken clock. Hitherto the retreat
had been covered by Longstreet and
Gordon alternatively, but now the
Federal force which had got ahead
of Lee, and was obstructing his re
treat. had become so considerable
that Gordon was thrown out with
1000 men in front, while the "old
bull dog" Longstreet, whose pluck
neither hunger, nor fatigue, nor de-
preston could abate or subdue, still
covered the rear.
At daybreak on the 9th, a courier
from Gordon announced to Lee that
a large body of Federal cavalry Gin
other words Sheridan's army was
ocroaa the road at ApDomattOx