The herald. (Big Stone City, Dak. [S.D.]) 1883-1890, 1889-01-11

ncN tHSN struck Lle James river ana Cc-
stroyed every lock and mill they came TO,
reaching Hanover junction, where they
had brush with Plckett's division, which
Harry Winthrop declares TO this day was
tue best in the Confederate army, and final
" joined Grant at Petersburg.
Meanwhile Lees position was becoming
utterly desperate, for every day Grant S
grip upon him was Tightening with the
cruelty of an avonglng Nemesis, and the
only hope left to him was to steal away and
joiu Johnston
On the LIST day of April Sheridan, with
hlnc thousand sabers and heavy columns If
infantry. drove his force like wedge be-
hind the Confederate position at Five Forks,
twelve miles southwestof Petersburg; and,
assalled IN front and rear, the garrison
was overwhelmed, ana five thousand men
were taken prisoners.
The next morning at four O'Clock the
Union army advanced along the whole
front, and the Confederate line Of intrench-
n!eAts WAS broken and thousands Of prison
ers wore captured.
Oh, that sad, SAD Sunday at Richmond I.
The churches were full Of people pitifully
praying for Divine interference TO avert
the calamity they trembled to think was
beyond the power Of human aid. Even as
Jefferson Davis sat IN his pew the bitter
tidlngs were brought him, and men read in
his palid face the beginning of the end of
their heroic struggle. From lips 10 lips
were passed the fatal words-Richmond
must fall. Then the streets were filled
with men, women and children. rushing in
wild lamentation they knew not whittier,
while even in that supreme hour Of misery
the figures of busy plundcrers might be
seen doing their unholy work regardless
Of the suffering around them. In vain the
city fathers tore from the warehouses the
whisky barrels and poured their contents
into the cutters, men were found even in
that dread hour reeling like demons through
the streets, and when night came and Con
eral EWcll fired the great tobacco houses,
and the flames leaped with uncomfortable
fury from street TO street, the crisis of
wrctchedness was reached by the terror
stricken inhabitants.
That night Petersburg and Richmond
were evacuated, and Lee. having done all
that man could do, passed with the wreck
of that splendid array with which he had
struck the Union forces 50 many i crushing
blow out into the open country, with the re-
lentlcss Sheridan hanging on his tanks.
III all history where is there parallel OF
the heroic suff.rings OF Lees fugitive host:
Bcset on all sides by a relentless foe, ragged
and spirlt-brolsen, driven by the pangs OF
hunger to eat the young shoots OF trees. witt
Tie elatter Of the pursuing cavalry III then
ears II for Il moment they fingered for rest
they wandered on in grim despair AnC
when the last supreme moment was coEl,
and the long ranks Of the Union army
brlstled III their front, they rallied to then
gallant leaders, order TO form for til,
charge.
Eut Grant's letter 10 Lee, demanding sur
render and Offering terms Of generous
treatment, averted what would have beer
one oi the bloodiest tragedies of the war
the slaughter OF men who, right or wrong
lad fought like heroes.
So on the 9th day Of April. 1sG5, thC
Army Of Virginia lala down it's arms, ant
the men who had pcrlcd SO much for Il sen
t.nent, We're no longer Confederate soldiers
but simply cillzens, and Northerner ant
Southerner fraternized and conversed il
words Of sympathy and respect.
why, surely this is Nalter Fro
bislam'' Harry cried, graspng the hand o.
pale, enlaciatcd young fellow, who stool