The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1875-06-19
The Tenth Anniversary Of Lees
Surrender.
A SUMMARY or THE RESULT.

FROM the London St1huafu, April Wh.
1t is exactly ten years this NOR
ming since the surrender at APP
pomattox Courthouse terminated
the splendid defense Of Virginia,
against the most fearful odds with
which, within the memory Of man,
soloierly courage and military &C.
Mus have ever had 10 contend,
and brought the existence Of the
Confederate States to 4 close.
Never was a more glorious nation
al history crowded into q few ycarsl
never was a more brilliant record
in the annals of war than that of
the vanquishcd army. To say no.
thing Of the three years Of inccss-
ant lighting, ahd almost unbroken
though fruitless victory that pre-.
ceded it, the final defence of Rich
mond and Petersburg is an achieve
ment almost unsurpassed in mar
tial history. The lines Of the Vir-
ginian army extended over space
Of full thirty miles, protected by
q ditch and All earthwOrk which
an English hunter would easily
surmount, and which child might
climb without difficulty. This
vast extent Of hasty Notifications
was held by force which at no
time exceeded $4,000 men; while
In their front lay q host which al.
why's exceeded 100, 900, and which
could draw on unlimited reinforce
ments and unbOunded resources.
The defenders could not hope for
another battalion, could not re-
place one of the men continually
wasted by casualties, by sickness,
and at last by descrtion. The AS
sailants had everything they could
desire in unstinted abundance ;
the defenders had u scanty supply
of bread and powder, an,l no more.
The enemy could choose their
point OF attack; the bcleaglered
army must guard their whole line.
Yet only once in the course Of six
months were the dcfcMces pierced.
On that occasion the explosion oi
the mine shattered the fortifica-
tions and dispersed the forces Of
the Confedcratcs, and Federal
division marched in; but before
the enemy had been able TO make
up their minds to push their adj
vantage, a single brigade Of South.
erners came up, and with one vol
ley and one charge drove out the
intruders, outnumbering them
five fold, at the point OF the bayo.
net, and strewed the narrow space
between the opposing lines will
the dead and dying. And when
at last the defence was 0vcrpow.
cred, the lines were not pierced
but stretched to breaking; Gene.
raj Grant pushing his circumyal.
lation westward, SO us to thrcate,
the only line OF supply and retrca,
left to Lee, and compelling him to
extend his defcnces in like manner
till his wasted forces could no lon.
ger muster even u skirmishing line
10 hold the trenches, and the mas
ses of the besiegers broke through
the tenscly stretched thread by
mere weight. The story Of III,
desperate defence which held then
at bay for twcnty-four hours Ion
ger, and made good the Confede
rate retreat; OF the terrible siA
days march without provisions ol
supplies, pressed by an ovcrwhel
ming enemy In flank and rear, ant
at last Intercepted by the rapit
movement of Shcridan's dragons
who by themselves outlimbcrct
the entire army of Virginia; thu
final capitulation of 5000 bayoneti
aud sabres to more than 100000
and the bearing In that painful
hour--on the 9th April, 1860
General Lee, commanding the re
luctant reverence of his enemies
and calling forth one last burst o
passionate affection from the com
radcs to whom he spoke his simpl
farewell: 1--WE have fought thro
the war together; have done m
best for you these things no on
who has read them can ever for
get.