The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1882-05-25
NUMBER 2l.
Sketches of Army Life.
SECOND SERIES. NUMBER EIGHT
THE END DRAWING NEAR.

two O'Clock in the afternoon of April I'd we
marched from the battle field of the preceding
day and soon crossed the South Side railroad.
The boys were in high spirits. The cavalry
was in the advance and we laughed. talked,
Joked, and ran to keep up with the cavalry. We
knew that we had gained an important a,lvan-
tagc over the rebels, and with such leaders As
| Grant and Sheridan we knew that Lee would
be hard pushed. A staff officer came Clashing
back along the line swinging his hat and shout
ing, ''Petcrsburg and Richmond are evacuated
and General Lee is in full retreat The news
was too good to believe. As old soldiers we re-
membered how often we had been told Of great
victories that never had been won, when they
wanted Us to make some great cXertion at criti-
cal points in the campaigns through which we
had passed 50 we shouted back in reply,
That's played out, Tell it to the recruits :"
| ''Put him in canteen." ''Pu him out :" Give
him Il hard tack" Thus the first intelligence
of the glorious victory fell upon sccptical ears.
But Colonel Morrill, soon rode back along our
line and told Us that the news was true In a
moment we were wild with excitement. We
| forgot all the disappointmcntS and hartlShp> of
y
faction. Our caps Went Up in tile air, we shook
each others hands and chcered until we were
hoarse, and all the'time cur line was sweeping
on IN swift pursuit Of the flying toe. What
days those We're! They can never b, forgotten
by the survivors of that army.
The situation of the two armies at that time
is so well known that | vii not dwell upon it,
General Lee, with his brave army. was making
a last retreat and was pursued by leader of
| remorscless energy The vebel chipftain was
endeavorins to reach North Carolina, where he
could effect a junction with the troops of John
son. and thus hoped to proong the conflict
And doubtless by skillful manuryerng and
swift movements he expected to escape from
the clutches of his Old enemy; but Grant threw
his army corps upon the rear Of Lees army
with such force that the retreat soon became n
rout. There was incessant fighting and prison.
oncrs were captured by thousands While
Grant was thus pressing the rebel army in its
! rear Phil Sheridan. with his cavalry aud the
| Fifth corps was sweeping along Lees flank like
tornado. thus preventing him from reaching
| North Carolina | wish | could picture Sheri-
dan As we used to him. ! have careful
|
| suppose are Iife-likc, but somehow | have
always been disappointed. Not one of them
does justice to this peerless Union leader
| This is how he appeared on the field 4
| short, thick set man, with very short legs his
| broad shoulders little STOPPING a. he sat upon
his horse. very large head with hair clipped
close short thick mu>tache, his uniform
usually the worse for Wear and spotted with
mud, Il soft felt hat at least two sizes too small
| for the head it wa> designed To cover, and for
safe keeping usually pressed down upon
portion Of the back of his head. He rode
4 splendid horse, usually went at a round
gallop. and rolled and bounced upon the back
Of his steed much is an old salt does when
walking up the aisle of a church after four
| years cruise at sea. Some of his surroundings
Were also of a singular character At his
side usually rode party of Il dozen scouts,
| clad i'll the neat gray uniform Of rebel officers
and ranking from captains to colonies. They
We're evidently brave, jolly, reckless fellows
and theirs was a most dangerous OCCUPATION
one that required skill tact. and cool, deliberate
daring, They would simply enter the rehcI
| lines and make themselves familiar with all
their movements. Dashing from one brigade
TO another, they would claim to br ON one
generals staff, and then on that of another TO
Suit The situation. They would give orders that
purported to come from rebel commanders to
| rolonel~. quartcrmaSterS. and officers in charge
| Of wagon trains, and these being obevcd. would
add to the confusion of the rebel army and
! ha>tencd its destruction.
| \ huge rebel wagon train was toilug through
a long piece Of woods. The drivers We're lash
Ing their hungry mules to make them 60 as fast
aS possible To escape from Shrridans cavalry
An officer in the uniform of a rebel colonel
rod" up to the qumterma>tcr Who had charge
| of the train and said '.Gcneral - (nam-
| ING the one who commanded that dy~ion} pre-
SCENTS his compliments and orders YOU to pack
| Your train i'll that licld yondcr," and then rode
swiftly away. The order was obcyrd, and soon
| the long train was packed in tho field, surround
cd on all sides by the ,lrn>c forest Just a> the
last wagon was taking its position, there was Il
yell as if five thousand Comancllc Indians were
on the war path, and Shcridm> cavaly came
daShing out from among the trees. and the
whole train was captured and destroyed in 4
| few moments time.
BfiSauitf hcntfal was III the head OF
a rebel brigade, leading them in their haSty re-
treat. He was met one afternoon. Il dav or TIVE
before Lee surrendered, by Il rebel staff officer
as he supposed, " ho accostcd him with General
---- commands You to take Your men out III
the open field yoll,i,r and halt there for short
| rest. In what direction is the field" qurS-
| toned the General. The staff officer pointed
his hand and then Remarked ''If YOU will ride
with me few steps can show it to YOU" The
| General motioned for his staff to remain and
| followed his guide. They passed around a
clump of small trees not overa dozen rods from
his staff and escort, when two other men in |
rebel uniforms made their appearances seized |
the Generals horse by the rcins and bore him |
prisoner to the Union army. As he rode past |
our regiment TO say that he was disgrstcd |
looking man would be Il mild way of putting it, |
Success made these scouts reckless, and quite a |
number We're captured, and some, | believe |
were executed before Lee surrendered one |
of them rode up to Il rebel General and gave an |
order as to the disposition of the Generals |
troops. Whose staff are You on, SIR" demand |
ed the General. General -- answered the |
unabashed scout. "'That is too thin sir" replied |
the other, ''tor | am General -- and do |
not recognize you as belonging to my staff"
The poor fellow had made mistake. He was |
instantly captured, and if Lee had not Surrcn- |
dcred on the following day, his blmder would |
have cost him his life.
Another singular feature in Sheri,lan'S pro-
cession was at least twenty captured battle
flags, which We're borne unfurlcd as trophies of |
the campaign. His staff officers and body guard |
were all as rash and daring as Sheridan himself.
and whenever they went dashing past lis it |
would stir the boys up to the widest cnthlsi-
asm, while they would cheer as if pandc-
monium had broken loose
On every hand we could see indications that
Lees army would soon melt away. Prisoners
were pouring into our lines by thousands |
Baggage wagons, artillery, mortars. and bag
gage of all kinds, lined the roads along which |