Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-10-13

in the Confederate accounts-and the
space Immediately around II. although
they had handsomely repulscd several OF
the first attempts 20 drive them from the
captured works In this last position they
were subjected TO a pitiless cross-fre Of
artillery and small arms to which they
could not cnectually reply. The situation
Of the troops who had entered the Union
lines was now desperate General Lee
who watched the battle near Cemetery
Heights, concurred with Gordon that the
troops must be speedily Withdrawn. and
the latter dispatched n STAFF officer TO the
different commanders TO direct their men
10 run back in squads and get into the
Confederate lines as best they could. This
was Effected without any counter attack
in front Of Steadman. The Confederate
loss In this battle was nearly 3.py. and
the cncmys q little over 100. General
Gordon captured and brought back so
men. including Brigadier-Gcnerai Nc
Laughlin and two CoehOrn mortars. Thus
failed "A brilliant stroke which p--mIsed
great results The troops had fought
with vigor and determination. and the
failure Of the attack was due to unto
ward circumstances or chance. which can
not always be guarded against in war
OF 80 ORDINARY MOULD.
The speaker then detailed the closing
moments around Petersburg. and. again
abiding 20 the spirit OF the Confederate
army. said:
The troops who left the Petersburg
lines on The retreat with Lee were Of no
ordinary mould Each was veteran Of
year. OF terrible war and trial. the sur
viyor OF many q bloody battle. They had
experienced victories without undue Ella
ton and bore disaster and suffering
without being cast down. They re-
manned with their colors when the faint
hearted and selfish fell by the waysidc,
because OF a deep conviction of the jus
tice and necessity Of their cause. and were
sustained by high sense OF duty and
personal pride which scorncd discharge.
unless Il came through victory or by
death or wounds. The larger portion Of
them had an abiding faith, amounting
almost to fanaticism, that the god of
battles would. in the end. send their
cause safe dcliverance, and they followed
Lee with an almost Child-like faith. which
set no bounds to his genius and power
of achievement They did not doubt that
he would unite with Johnston and destroy
sherman and then turn on Grant. or else
take no a new line and hold Grant at
bav until the country i'm the rear rallied
and gave Lee power TO resume the often
sive The power Of the South 10 indch-
nitely prolong the struggle By partisan
war II its main armies were compelled
10 dispcrse. was belief fostercd by the
traditions Of the revolution and largely
pervaded the ranks.
WHAT THEY BELIEVED.
II was general thought among
these men that "A long continued
resistance. and the burdens it would
entail upon the invader as well
AS the blows Of Confederate arms. would
finally wiring recognition and peace from
th, United states. Such was tho frame OF
mind OF most of these men as they turned
tboir backs upon the Confederate capital.
and while they were too intelligent not
Ia aprreciate the extent Of the disaster,
thcv entered upon the retreat with good
heart and undoubtcd morale. The men
had been SO long cooped ~ in the trenches
that their march into the open fields ana
woods on the night of April ~ was as
oNhiIorating to them as cool brccZcS ana
sunlight 10 one long confined In the close
air of "a dark dungeon. These things cN-
rl,iu the almost buoyaut spirit OF Lee ,
iroous on that fatal night. The heIi"i 'h"'
th. retreat would possibly end IN suIIch-
der entered the minds OF few. Nhl' inc
fral result would probably not have been
HlftTg II .ef it'l lIl0i'lF a. t.s''''''-
Iohr,ston. II IL certain II there had h''i
Good ia sustain the bodies OF these men
tbeir uuquenchcd courage would nave
written a different history for the retreat
from the Petersburg lines.
THE Surrender.
The various engagements ana moVe-
norts upon the retreat were d'a'll"e',
y.i,b Great clearuess. and In treating "l
a. 4 rr.om1 ft0N. Governor
tones said. Lees last prop had iaHon
f~,r, under him when Gordon was driven
l,ck and surrender was all mat was
lot f. is not practical within the limits
,f am address like this 10 dos'rlhe an
the events connected with the SURRENDER
and IFS minutest incidents nave aTtai|
rasea1 into history. which oXplodeS INC
stories OF the whole number SURRENDER
"a nv Lee. including the soldiers d'laileu
iu me, arsenal and government W"iN9 ~
Richmond. and the clerks III the ntpai
mcuts who had been organized as Ho'-
di.rs. and the array of camp Followers
who went in the wake OF his army rom
Richmond TO AppomattoN. Is stated ny
General Humphreys at -N'"'o. heh INV
,,lti,o ceased on the morning of April
eth Ice had only 5000 men VINO coulo
b.sr muel,ets Hunger exposure an'
lo.s of rest weakened thousands, SO that
mo, mad not the strength TO bear arms
Grants army made some other cap
lures here. which should not he over
looked In the actions on the PETERSBURG
limos. the affair near the High brdtr
An which Reads force was destroyed
and that i'm which General Gregg was
cartur,d. and I'm other combats on th'
r,lr.at. Lees army had plucked IRON
its Uur~utrs and safely guarded 10 Nppo
pnattox over 100 prisoners, incIuplS
I,ttorv of artillery and a Brigadier-Gene
raj OF cavalry. The number oil 0d7N'l
ties in Grants army from the commence
mont of the final NOV, ment to the sur
render which. according TO oihclai re
,,,rt. amounted to 1894 officers and men
r ,bout one fourth Of the COniedcrat
strength at the beginning OF the ma
struggle. bears striking testimony 10 tl
ljrh courage of the retreating army. IL
h.-nic ,ndcavors are made still more con
spicuous 10y the fact that the ARMY
Northern Virginia, encumbered' as II was
With immense trains. moving over bt'
country roads. perishing from exposure
and lack of food, and hShtns dah@
vastly superior force marchel Oh u"
rout.s taken by it in the SIX days lIoi'
the night of April 2d TO the morning
r,e on over eighty-fivc miles. or an aver
]
marches Of an army OF its size unde
such circumstances have few an!
parallels in military annals.
"REMINISCENCES OF LEE.
Recurring TO the retreat Governor Jone!
! thu. referred to Lee.
/ In no part OF his life did the grandeur
/ of Lee shine more conspicuously thai
| now Tie was the same grave cam
umander-in-chicf; the same loVeaple
| tender man as in the days Of power ah'
| triumph. The troops who were wont u
| watch is countendnCe to catch II posi-
! BILE an index Of what was passing IN nj
mind saw nothing there which indicates
/ despair. 1t was 10 this bearing OF 'hel
commander that I'm a large degree may b
| attributed the heroic efforts which IN
/ ARMY of Northern Virginia made even u
/ The last. TO shake itself free from I'M
/ tolls OF it's mighty pursuers. l well re
member on the day after Sailors Creek
riding by some troops drawn up IN lin
/ and momcntarily expecting to adNanc
unon the enemy. who were discussing th
| truth of the report that Ewelfs corp
/ had been captured there, and how
nriyate produced conviction OF the falsl''
| ~ the news by Indignantly asking
| "Didu't YOU see Mars Bob when he roo
l.