Omaha daily bee., 1883-06-22
APPOMATTOx.
The Story Of the Last Days Of the
Rebellion, Told by Lieut..
Gen. Sheridan.
Incidents of Events that Have
Passed Into History Vividly
Recalled.
A Charming Narrative.

p. H. Sheridan, in The North American Review.
Public attention having of late been
occasionally called to some of the events
that occurred in the closing scenes of the
Virginia campaign, terminating at APP
pomattox Court House, April o, 1865, /
feel it my duty to give history the follow
ing facts:
When, April 4, 1865, being at the head
of the cavalry, | threw across the line of
Gen. Lees march at Jettersville, on the
Richmond and Danvile railroad, my per-
sonal escort, the LIST United States caval-
ry, numbering about two hundred men, a
tall, lank man was seen coming down the
road from the direction of Amelia Court
House, riding a small mule and heading
toward Burkesville Junction, to which
point Gen. Crook had early that morning
been ordered with his division Of cavalry
to break the railroad and telegraph lines.
The man and the mule were brought to a
halt, and the mule and himself closely
examined, under strong circumstances at
the indignity done to a southern gentle
man. Remonstrance, however, was with
out avail, and in his boots two kilograms
were found from the %commissary general
of Lees army, saying: 1.-THE army is at
Amelia Court House, short of provisions.
Send SOC, 900 rations quickly to Burkes-
vile Junction" One Of these dispatches
was for the confederate supply depart
ment at Danville, the other for that at
Lynchburg. 1t was at once presumed
that, after the dispatches were written,
the telegraph line had been broken by
Gen. Crook north Of Burkesville, and
they were on their way to some station
beyond the break to be telegraphed.
They revealed where Lee was and from
them some estimate could also be formed
of the number of his troops. Orders
were at once given Gen. Crook to come
up the road from Burkesville to letters
vile, and to Gen. Merritt, who, with the
other two divisions of cavalry, had fol
lowed the road from Petersburg, On the
south side of and near the Appomattox
river, to
CLOSE IN WITHOUT DELAY
on Jettersville, while the Fifth army
corps, under the lamented Griffin, which
was about ten or fifteen miles behind,
was marched at a quick pace to the same
point, and othe road in front of Lees
army blocked until the arrival of the rest
of the Army of the Potomac the after.
noon of the next day. My command
was pinched for provisions, and these
dispatches indicated an opportunity to
obtain a supply: so, calling for Lieuten-
ant Colonel Young, commanding my
scouts, four men, in the most approved
gray, were selected-good, brave, smart
fellows, knowing every cavalry regiment
in the Confederate army, and as good
-Johnnies' as were in that army, so far
as bearing and language were concerned.
They were directed to go to Burkes-
vile Junction and there separate. Two
were TO 90 down the Lynchburg branch
of the railroad until a Confederate tele-
graph station was found, from which
they were to transmit by wire the above
mentioned rebel dispatches, represent
the suffering condition of Lees army,
watch for the trains, and hurry the pro
visions on to Burkesville, or in that di'
~rection. The other two were to go on
the Danville branch, and had similar
instructions. The mission was accom-
plished by those who went out on the
Lynchburg branch, but / am not certain
about the success of the other party; al
all events noEations came from Danville
that know of.
arrived at Jettersville with the ad
vance of my command-the First United
States cavalry-on the afternoon of the
4th of April. / knew the condition anG
position of the rebel army from the dis
patches referred to, and also from tn,
following letter (erroneously dated Apri
81 taken from a colored man who wa
captured later in the day:
"AMELIA G. H., April 8, 1865.-DEAl
MAMMA: Our army is ruined, / fear. w
are all safe as yet. Shyron left us sick
John Taylor is well, saw him yesterday
We are in line of battle this morning
Gen. Robert Lee is in the field near US
My trust is in the justice of our eau
and that of God. Gen. Hill is killed
saw Murray a few minutes since. 1Ber
nerd Terry, he said, was taken prisoner
but may get out. l send this by a negr
j see passing up the road to Michler
burg. Love to all. Your devoted sol
CIVILIAN b. TAYLOR,
Colonel"
l accordingly sent out my escort
demonstrate and make as much ado
they could, by continuous
FIRING IN FRONT OF THE ENEMY
at or near Amelia court house, pendiI
the arrival of the Fifth corps. TIL
corps came up in the course Of the afte
noon, and was put into position at rigl
angles with the Richmond and Danvil
road, with its left resting on a pond
swamp at the left of the road. iowa
evening Gen. Crook arrived with his di'
sion of cavalry, and later Gen. Merri
with his two divisions, and all took tn,
designated places. The Fifth corr
after its arrival, had thrown up cart
works and made its position stro
enough to hold out against any force
the period which would intervene befc
the arrival of the main body of the Arr
of the Potomac, now rapidly coming
on the lines over which i had travelled,
On the afternoon and night of the
no attack was made by the enemy up
the small force in front-the Fifth co
and three divisions of cavalry-and
the morning of the 9th / began to
lieye that he would leave the main rC
il he could, and pass around my ]
flank to Sailors creek and Farmville.
watch this suspected movement, early
the morning of the 9th | sent Davi
brigade of Crooks division of cavalry
make a reconnaissance in that directi
The result was an encounter by Day
with a large train Of wagons, UNI
escort, moving in the direction ant
pated. The train was attacked by hi
and about two hundred wagons W