The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1888-12-14

endless lines Of infantry, and fifty batter
les Of artillery, all in their best, with the
spring sun shining on their ranks.
il was long ride for Sheridan that day
~ pass before the extended ranks. On
starting hc was accompanied by his stah,
brave lu furbishcd uniforms, but by de-
grccs. as horse after horse succImbcd 20
fatigue, there was nothing left Of the gay
cavalcadc but the General himself on his
urclcss black charger. And the most sin
gularpart of IL all was, that when the long
ride was over, every soldier In line was
ready 10 swear that Shcridan's eyes looked
straight into his with especially approving
glance.
Two days aflcrward, at four O'Clock in
the morning, this sp.udid host set forth
10 fulfll los destiny. 10y captured Staun-
ton, passed HayucaborO, and marched
along the muddy roads 20 Charlottesville.
Little did Harry think, when ho went Il
soldering, that high academic honors would
be conferred upon him; that, ia fact, he
would be- appointed temporary couscrvator
Of the third greatest university Of this
country but 50 10 was "A the Union
troops approached the city eager dcputa-
tiDns Of burghors and college authorities
came forward 20 pray inc clcmcncy Of tho
invaders, and ~ Wiuthrop's guardian care
was cpulidcd tho protection Of those classic
halls which have made Virginia illustriOus
as u homo Of learning. But | am afraid
these registering troopers enjoyed the good
fare the rich city provided "a great deal
more than the honor aCCruiug from their
protcctoratc Of college dons.
Then they struck the James river and de-
stroycd oycry lock and ml they came 10,
reaching Hanover junction, whore they
had "a brush with PickctCs division, which
Harry Winthrop declares 10 this day was
the best in the Confederate army, and final
~ joined Grant al Petersburg.
Meanwhile Ices position was becoming
utterly desperate, for every day Grants
grip upon him was tightening with the
cruelty Of an aycngIug Nemesis, and the
only hope left 10 him was 10 steal away and
join Johnston.
On the lst day Of April sheridan, with
nine thousand sahcrs and heavy columns Of
infantry, drove his force like wedge be-
hlud the Confederate position AT Five Forks,
twelve miles southwest Of Petersburg; and,
assaulted u front and rear, the garrison
was ovcrwholmcd and five thousand men
were taken prisoners.
The next morning AT four o'clock the
Union army advanced along the whole
mcuts wps broken and thousands of prison
crs were captured
on, that sad, sad Sunday at Richmond
The churches wcrc fun Of people pitiiully
praying for Divine interference tu avert
the calamity they trcmblcd TO think was
beyond tie power OF human aid. Even as
jefferson Davis sat in his pew, the bittcr
tidiugs were brought him, and men read in
his pallid face the beginning U the end Of
their heroic struggle From lips TO lips
were passed the fatal wOrds--Richmoud
must fall Then the streets wore filed
with men, women and children, rushing in
wild mmCntatiOu they knew not whittier,
while even in that supreme hour of misery
the figures Of busy piuudcrCrs might be
seen doing their unhOiy work regardless
of the suffering around tacm. I'm vain the
city fathers tore from the WarchCuscs the
whisky barrels and poured their contents
into the cutters, mon were found even In
that dread hour rcolinC Ike demons through
the streets, nud Nhon night canc aud Gen
Cral iWoll ini the great tobacco houses,
and the lllacs lclHci with mcontrollablc
fury FROM strcFt To street, the crisis Of
wrctchcducss T,g rcduIci by thc terror
stririrn iuha1lmts.
That urht pctorsbGrg and Richmond
were cyarutcl. and Lra, having done all
that man could do. plsHod wi,b the wreck
Of that .pcud,d array with winch lac had
struck the Union forces $40 many a crushing
blow out into the open country, Wl,h there
lcuilcs, sheridan hanging ou hia iimEs,
In all history where j, thcro % parallel Of
the heroic arrI .r,ngt of Lor'a iIrtivc host?
Brsct ol all .ilcs byH rricHtlc.5fl Zoe, ragged
and spr,-brusou, driven ly tho paugs OF
hunger 90 cat the young uho9tsut trcrs,With
the cIat'cr of tho pJr-uug cavalry IN their
ears lf for % moment they fingered for rest
they wandered ON i'm rrm despair And
when the last supreme moment was como
and the long ranks of the Union army
brlstlcd m their front, they rallied 10 their
gallant leaders order 60 form for tho
charge
Bu, Grants lcttcr to Lee, demanding sur
render and Offering torne of generous
treatment, avCrtcd what would have been
one of the hlood,vat tragedies of the war
the slaughter Of men who, right or wrong,
had fought like heroes.
So, ou the 9.h day OF April, 1863, the
Army OF Virginia Nil down ID, arms, aud
the men who uvd pnricd $50 uuch tor u sen
tmcut, wore mo- Iuug'r Confederate soldiers,
but siwply ,u.cn-, aud Northerucr and
Southcrucr frgfcru..l and colvHrsrd IN
words of sympathy yaj rosInyt
"Why. surcy ir.. is Nsltcr Fro
hlshamr Harry ,rj.j, r.wspi"r Jbo hand OF
y pa'c, cmactat,I yonn, follow, Who stood
discousolai,Iy leaning ue.l., , t.uc,, ami
vh,,, d, ~, rnr. .r.,.,,.,... q .., tbc hero or
n,,, -, 4. .,.....,, ....r,
And you are Harry rmhrop" was the
cordial IosUuus" ',h, his - glorious