The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-07-04

hHOhIHB SAuCby NtitIS Lee was
They induced the person in charge
to come further on by their descrip
ton of the pitiable condition of the
/ Confederate troops. Our start on the
morning of the Sth was before tht
sun was up. and having proceeded
but a few miles Major White, Of the
scouts, reached me with the news
that the trains were east Of Appo
mattox station, that he had succeed.
ed in bringing them On some dis
tance, but was afraid that they
would again be run back to the
station. Intelligence Of this fact was
Immediately communicated to Gems
F., Crook, Merritt and Custer. and the
latter, who had the advance, was
urged not to let the trains escape
and | pushed on and Joined him
Before reaching the station Custer
/ detailed two regiments to make a
detour, strike the railroad beyond
the station, tear up the track and
/ secure the trains. This was accom-
plished, but on the arrival of the
main body of our advance at the
station it was found that the advance
guard of Lees army was Just CON-
ing on the ground.
A sANGUINARY ENGAGEMENT
at once ensued. The enemy was
driven of, forty pieces of artillery
captured, and 400 baggage wagons
burned. The railroad trains had
been secured in the first onset, and
were taken possession ofby locomo-
! tive engineers. soldiers in the COM
mand, whose delight atagain getting
at their former employment was so
great that they produced the great
est confusion by running the trains
to and fro on the track, and making
such an unearthly screeching with
the whistles that | was at one time
on the point of ordering the trains
burnt; but We finally got them off
and ran them to our rear 10 or 10
miles to Ord and Gibbon, who with
the infantry were following the cav
airy. The cavalry continued the
fighting all that night, driving the
enemy back to the vicinity Of Apo
mattox Court House, a distance Of
about four miles, thus giving him
no repose, and covering the weak
ness ofthe attacking force.
| remember well the little frame
house Just south ofthe station where
the headquarters Of the cavalry
rested, or rather remained, for there
was no rest the night of the 8th. Dis
patches were going back to our hon
orsd chief, General Grant, and Ord
was requested to push on the wea-
ried infantry, Tomorrow was 10
end our troubles in all reasonable
probability, but it was thought nee
essary that the infantry should
arrive in order to doubly insure the
result. Merritt, Crook and Custer
We're, at times, there.
HAPPINESS WAS IN EVERY HEART.
Our long and weary labors We're
about to close; our dangers soon to
end there was no sleep; there had
been but little during the previous
eight or nine days. Before sunrise
General Ord came in, reporting the
near approach of his command.
After a hastv consultation about p0-
sitions to be taken up By the incom-
ing troops we were in the saddle and
off for the front, in the vicinity OF
Appomattox Court House. As we
were approaching the village
heavy line of Confederate infantry
was seen advancing, and rapid firing
commenced. Riding to slight ele
vatiOn, where | could get view OF
the advancing enemy, Immediately
sent directions to General Merritt
for Clusters and Devins' divisions to
slowly fall back, and, as they did so,
to withdraw to our right flank, thus
unmasking Ord's and Gibbons in
fantry. Crook and Mackenzie, on
the extreme left, were ordered to
hold fast. ! then hastily galloped
back to give General Ord the benefit
of nv information. No sooner had
the enemy's line of battle reached
the elevation from which my recon-
noissance had been made, and from
whence could be distinctly seen
Ord's troops in the distance, than he
called a sudden halt, and aretrogade
movement began to ridge about
one mile to his rear. Shortly after
ward returned from General Ord to
the front, making for General Mer-
ritt's bat;ie-f flag on the right flank of
the line. On reaching 1t the order
to advance was given, and every
guidon was bent TO the front, and as
we swept by toward the enemy's 5
line of battle he opened heavy fire
from artillery. No heed was paid to
the deadly missiles, and, with the
widest yells we soon reached 4
point some distance to his right and
nearly
OPPOSITE APPoMATToX COURT HOUSE.
Beyond US, in low valley, lay
Lee and the remnant OF his army.
There did not appear to be much or
ganization except in the advanced
troops under General Gordon, whom
we had been fighting, and a rear
guard under Longstreet, still further
up the valley. Formations were i'm
mediately commenced to make a
bold and sweeping charge down the
grassy slope, when an aid-de-camp
from Custer, filed with excitement,
dashed up to me with this message
from his chief: " Lee has surrender
ed Do not charge; the white flag is
upl" Orders were given to compete
the formation, but TO make no
charge s
Looking to the left of Appomattox
Court House, a large group was seen
near by the lines of Confederate
troops that had fallen back to that
point. Custer had not come back,
and, supposing that he was with the
group at the Court House, | moved
on gallop down the narrow ridge.
followed by my staff. The Court
House was, perhaps, three-fourths of
a mile distant. We had not gone