The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1875-06-20
THE CLOSING ScESE.-In his remi-
niscences of Gen. r. T.. Lee, Rev. J. w.
Jones publishes, we believe, for the first
time, the following letter:
NEAR APPOMATrOS c. Fl Va,

time, the following letter:
NEAR ApPoMATToX c.. H., Va,
April 12, 1865.
HIS Ercellency Jefferson Daris--NIn.
PRESIDENT 1t is with pain that 1 an
nounce to your EXcellency the surren-
der Of the army of Northern Virginia.
The operations which preceded this re-
suit will be reported in full. I will,
therefore, only now state that upon mr.
irving at Amelia Court House, on the
morning Of the 4th, with the advance of
the army, on the retreat from the lines
in front of Richmond and Petersburg,
and not finding the supplies ordered to
be placed there, nearly twcnty-four
hours were lost in endeavoring to collect
in the country subsistence for men and
horses. This delay was fatal, and could
not be retrieved. Tho troops, wcaricd
by continued fighting and marching for
several days and nights, obtained neither
rest nor refreshment, and on moving on
the 5th, on the Richmond and Danvillc
Railroad, 1 found Mt Jetersville the enc
my's cavalry, and learned the approach
Of. his infantry and the general advance
of his army toward Burkevillc. This
deprived us Of tho use Of the railroad.
and rendered it impracticable to procure
from Danvillo the supplies ordered to
meet US Mt points of our march. Nothing
could be obtained from the adjacent
country. Our route to the Roanoke was,
therefore changed, and the march di-
rected upon Farmville, where supplies
were ordered from Lynchburg The
change of route threw the troops over
the roads pursued by the artillery and
wagon trains West of the railroad, which
impeded our advance and embarrassed
our movements. On the morning of the
9th, Gen. Longstreet's corps reached
Rices Station, on the Lynchburg Rail
road. It was followed by the commands
of Gems. r. H. Anderson, Ewell and
Gordon, with orders to close upon it MS
fast as the progress of the trims would
permit, or as they could be directed, on
roads further West. Gen. Anderson,
commanding Pickett's and B. r. John
sons divisions, became disconnected
with Mahone's division, forming the rear
of >Longstreet. The enemy's cavalry
penetrated the line of march through
the intervals thus left, and attacked the
wagon train moving toward Fnrmville.
This caused serious delay in the march
of the centre and rear Of the column,
and enabled the enemy to mass upon
their flank. After successive attacks,
Anderson's and Ewell's corps were cnp-
tured or driven from their position.
Tie latter General, with both of his
division commanders, Kershaw and
Custis Lee, and his Brigadiers, were
taken prisoners. Gordon, who all the
morning, aided by Gen. w. F. Lees
cavalry, had checked the advance Of the
enemy on the road from Amelia Springs,
and protected the trains, became ex-
posed to his combined assaults, which
he bravely resisted and twice repulsel;
but the cavalry having been withdrawn
IN 0nnfhar mn nf tho linz of
and the enemy massing heavily on his
front and both hanks, renewed the attack
about p. NJ, and drove him from the
field in much confusion. The army
continued its march during the night,
and every effort was made to re-organiZe
the divisions which had been shattered
by the days operations; but, the men
being depressed by fatigue and hunger,
many threw away their arms, while
others followed the wagon trains and
embarrassed their progress. On the
morning of the 7th, rations were issued
to the troops as they passed Farmvillc,
bat the safety of the trains requiring
their removal upon the approach of the
enemy, all could not be supplied The
army, reduced to two corps, under
Longstrcct and Gordon, moved steadily
on the road to AppomattoX Court House,
thence its march was ordered by Camp
bell Court House, through Pittsylyania,
toward Danville. The roads were
wretched md the progress slow. BY
great efforts the head of the column
reached Apponattox Court House on
the evening of the 8th and the troops
We're llalt&d for rest. The march was
ordered to be resumed Mt A. NJ, on the
9th. Fitz Lee, with the cav Try, sup
ported by Gordon, wns ordered to drive
the enemy from his front, wheel to the
left and covert the passage of the trains,
while Longstreet, who, from Rice's
Station, had formed the rear guard,
should close up and hold the position.
Two battalions Of artillery and the
ammunition wagons were directed to ac-
company the army; the rest of the artil-
lery and wagons to move toward Lynch
burg In the early part of the night the
enemy attacked Walkers artillery train,
near Appomattox Station, on the Lynch
burg RAILROAD, and were repelled. Shortly