The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-04-16
GRANT AND LEE.
The Interesting Story Of AppOmat-
tox Retold.

0uthe nightof April2, 1885,, Gen. Lee ordered
ens evacuation OF Petersburg. The move
ment was conducted with wonderful address.
and the march being pushed vigorously all
night. Lees army. now reduced TO $4,000
men, hdd by dawn put sixteen miles between
e and Petersburg. On April . squad or
Federal cavalry rode into Richmond without
molestation, and thus the Confederate capi-
te4 TELL When morning revealed the flight
or Lees army, Grant made haste to follow.
PURSUED and pursuers marched by parallel
iineS Lee by the north side or the Appomat-
tok and Grant by the south bank In south
westerly dpection- 1t was Lees desire TO
reach tho mountains, In the businesses OF
which he hoped To recruit the strength ana
spirits OF his army. IL was terrible race
for fffe. The Coufederates began the retreat
with but ono ration. and the country through
which they passed had no supplies Hun
dreds OF men dropped from exhaustion ana
thousands let fab their muskets from IN
sbihty to carry them any further. when
night came, exhausted divisions sinking In
the woods for a few hours repose would near
suddenly the boom OF hostile guns, and they
had TO rise and hasten away as fast as their
weary limbs would carry them. 49,
IL was Lees hope TO reach the IAnNhe
Railway at Amelia Courthouse, concentrate
ct that point then fan back southwestwaru
tosDanvile and make a Junction Win the
army OF Joseph E Johnston. IT was the de-
termination OF Grant and Sheridan thar ne
should do nothing of the kind. Lee expected
Grant to follow on his track; Grant decided
20 race and head him of. At Amelia court
House Longstreet, Gordon, and Ewell united
their wearied and hungry troops Here was
the railway, but where were the hoped Tor
eupplies2 Sheridan had seized the road ten
miles TO the southwest OF them and held and
barred the way. Meade was but shert dis
lance behind him; Grant, with Ord ana the
Twenty fourth Corps farther TO the south,
along the South-side railway. Lee found
that he could not reach Danville; but there
waa another hope: Iynchburg, nifty miles
west-Lynchburg and the neighboring
mountains. Thither he turned his weary
eyes, and, with Sheridan hanging to
his bleeding TANKS and worrying the col
umn over every mile of road, the Southern
leader strove to keep his men together and
stih push ahead. Almost every hour he had
to turn and light; first on one side, then on
the other. In front, flank, and rear; small de-
tachments Of cavalry leaped upon his bat
teries or trains, looping on few guns, a
score OF wagons, or hundred prisoners at
ever crossroad, while behind him and on his
left pushed relentlessiy ahead the now en-
thusiastic infantry OF the Army OF the Poto-
mac. Night and day, for five successive
days, II was one vehement, never-relaxing
pursuit, varied only by the savage combats
that attended Lees every halt for
breath. At Sailors Creek, at Farmville.
at High Bridge. where again they strobe
along the banks of the Appomattox, there
was bloody fghtfnR;' but never could the
southern General snake on the uodtn-Rrlp Ol
Sheridan. He had fully forty thousand men
at Amelia on the 5th, and at least one-fourth
OF these were gone when his staggering col
umns pushed on for the last march of all
April &. He had succeeded In crossing to the
north side OF the Appomattox now, leaving
Ewells corps, with Ewell himself, Kershaw.
Custis Lee, Dubose, Hunton, and Corse as
prisoners, a loss of fully eight thousand men
sustained In one day; and now, with Hum
phreys and wr ght close behind him on the
ArNh nd ShAr Aatafa nav alrV Ord mr.
Griffin's corps on the south side and even
with his leading columns, Lee was striking
for Appomattox Court House, where supplies
we're awaiting him. On tho 9TH Grant had
written a few words 20 Gen. Lee, pointing
out the hopelessness of further resistance,
and asking his surrender, the only means
of avoiding further bloodshed. Lee replied
that he did not regard his position as hope
less, but inquired what terms would be
offered. On the 9Th Grant had offered most
lenient terms-the mere disqualification OF
all SURF ndered officers men from
again taking up arms until properly
exchanged; but Lee still hoped to es-
cape. He counted on getting those
supplies at Appomattox and then
breaking for Lynchburg, only a long days
march away, and he declined. This corre-
spendeuce was really conducted on the run,
for both armies were pushed to the utmost in
the race. But Lee stopped twice on the eth
and suh to fight Humphreys, who was cling
ing to the rear with grasp that threatened
opull him TO earth, and the delay was fatal.
Stopping for nothing, Sheridan's cavalry
shot forward along the lower road, sprang
upon the railway station beyond the Court
House, Clusters troopers rode in among the
coveted trains, and long before the morning
OF the 9th had whisked every vestlge of
supplies out of sight; brigade after brigade
came trctting up from the southeast, and
depleyng its skirmish lines up the Richmond
road toward the Court House, five miles
away, whittier Custer had already driven the
advance guard OF Lees army, sent forward
with empty wagons for those desperately
needed rations. Lee knew that Sheridan's
cavalry had headed him, and that now he
must not only fight back the fierce pursuers
go close at his rear-he must cut through
those daring troopers In front.
when Lee perceived his inability to force a
passage through Sheridan lines he was con-
scious that, unless he quickly submitted to
whatever terms Grant chose to i'm
pese, he and every man in HIS army would
be annihilated. With Sheridan. Ord, and
Griffin in front, and Meade with Humphreys
and Wright i'm tho rear, there was no possible
avenue of escape. One solitary road over
thefiille was indeed still open to Lynchburg
and by this route one of Lees ncphews, Gen.
Fits-Hugh Lee even now led few hundred
oayalrymen, in opposition, IL is said. 70 the
wish of his uncle. But IL was impossible for
Lee 10 save his army by this road aud all
that was left OF the host that had so long de-
Tended Richmond was In reality Enclosed In
the hines of the conqueror dispatch that
Lee wrote to Grant on the 9th was in these
words: IL received your note of this morning
on the picket line whittier / had come TO
meet you, and ascertain definitely what
terms were embraced In you proposal oe yes
terday, with reference TO the surrender OF
this army. now ask an inerS lew in accord
ance with the offer contained in your letter
of yesterday for that purpose" Grant had
started for Sheridan's front at an early hour,
andthis communication was sent by the way
of Meades conn and. IL, therefore. did not
reach him, the Ceneral.in- { hief, .until nearly
midday. He Immediatelv replied Your
note OF this date is but this moment III 80 a.
m.) received. In consequence OF my having
passed from the Richmond and Lynchburg
Road tn the Iarmvhle and Iynchburg Road,
/ am at this writing about four miles west
of Walter Church, and will push forward 10
the front for the purpose OF meeting you
Notice sent TO me on this road where you
wish the interview To take pace will meet
me-" This note was carried forward by Col.
Babcock, of Grants staff who passed the
enemy pickets, and was conducted TO Iee
Tho great rebel was sitting by the roadside,
under an apple tree, surrounded by his oll-
GERS. but he Immediately mounted and rode
forward TO select the place for the interview,
IN accordance with the suggestion of Grant.
First. however. be desired to send n message
TO Meade. He had been so anxious TO avoid
any further sighting that he had requested
% 40 nall ,.,f