The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1885-04-22
WHOLE NO. 1862.

WHOLE NJ. lIO2.
horsemen from the train Every
man to his tree. Cartridges were
laid at his feet In quantities 70 sup
ply his wants. Field, staff and line
| officers were active and efficient in
encouraging their men, intent on
holding the enemy close to his
works, assured openly that Sheri-
dan was on the march and might be
expected at any moment TO attack
on the left flank Of the enemy. We
never saw more dogged deterni-
nation upon the part of men nor
experienced a severer test of patient
endurance.
HOT WORK.
For almost three hours the inces-
SAINT roll of small arms continued,
guns heated, vents were powder
blocked; water was not near At
hand. The smoke Of burning pow
der was thick and sitting, the en-
emy were pouring into the woods
yolley after vOlley and sweeping
every road and opening with shot
and she'll Our killed and wounded
lay along the line, the sun was low
ering. and at 4 o'clock no friendly
volley was yet heard on our right,
from whence every minute we hop
ed to hear the guns of War-
ren and Sheridan. All knew that
upon the cavalry gaining the
line now held operations there were
! placed under the directions of Gen.
Merritt, and that Sheridan had gone
TO hasten the movement Of the in
fantry.
VICTORY.
A half hour more of intense firing,
of anxious waiting and then there
came distant, scattering shots on our
right, then the magnificent lines OF
blue OF the divisions Of Ayers and
Crawford, as they come in view on
the flank of unsuspecting COnfeGer-
ates, with General Sheridan, For
syth his chief OF staff and others,
occupying the interval between the
two divisions, well 10 the front, with
his headquarters flag. Cheer after
cheer ran out through the grand old
forest Forward rang out from a
hundred bugles, bullets, shot and
shell ceased to fy towards Us a
rush for the works followed. Caval-
~ and infantry mingled in broken
ranks and Wed with each other in
the capture Of men and the trophies
of war. The sunset upon a victor
ious field; 6,OoO prisoners, with
arms, artillery, ambulances, wagons,
horses and mules with the enemy ;
dead and wounded, all fell into our
hands, and better still, those that
had escaped were driven west and
without hope of reaching Lee for ef-
feetual service Tor Gays te come.
A NIGHT CANNOxADE.
Sheridan was thoroughly con-
scious OF the importance Of the work
done and gravely soiicitous concern
ing possible movements on the part
Of Lee and therefore made necessary
dispositions of his troops to resist
any immediate movement on the
part of that officer. This being
done and General Grant apprised
of the victory and its fruits, he at
once opened along his entire line a
caDnonade with volleys OF musketry
at all points until the earth shook
and trembled with the awful din Of
battle, making the night at Five
Forks as hideous as the day had
been and rest or sleep an impossi-
bility.
AN INCIDENT or The NIGHT
By direction Of General Merritt at
the close of the battle, the writer
took charge of all the prisoners, with
orders to have them in readiness to
march to City Point by daylight on
April 2. The task was a laborious
one, as the names Of all, with their
regimentsl, brigade, division and
corps organization had TO be written
and the men guarded from escape
and otherwise cared for. About
midnight we were met and recogniz-
ed as brother in a great fraternity.
the benefcent and friendly offices
OF which were not entirely obseured
by the brutalities Of war The
greeting was cordial and confidential
mutual and strong. The brother
was given food and drink, and the
| interview be requested was granted
about an hour later. The name Of
the person IS not and viii not be
given. He was a commissioned off,
Ger of the artillery and belonged %
I the command of General Pickett.
He was veteran. having participat-
ed in all the prominent battles with
the Army of Northern Nirginia, in
cluding the battle of Gettysburg. and
an eve witness of the famous charge
of his division. His disclosures
were as follows:
Lee and the Confederacy have
been ruined to-day. You viii never
/ fight the army Of Northern Virginia
again. You have captured and cut
of the flower Of our army. This
event is sudden and unlocked for az
Richmond. We knew theend must
come, but did not think it so near.
IF General Sheridan 6!lows up his
advantages. one of two things must
speedily happen, namely. Lee must
surrender OF break up and disperse.
And Of one thing you may rest as
sured, and that is. the Army of
Northern Virginia will never surren-
der Internationally to General
Grant. Come what may that is more
than our pride can bear, and We will
not. even should il be demanded.
The possibility Of this contingency
has been discussed by many of the
officers. who know that General
Grant I'D to this time has taken
nothing but an unconditional sur
render, bu; he can never exact this
from Lee and the men under him,
and nv chief object in seeking this
interview with you asa brother has
been in the hope that by some prov
idential means this universal feeling