The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-11-25
SURRENDER OF LEES ARMY.
Tragic Events Of The Two Weeks Prior 10
The Collapse Of The CONledtraCy.
GENERAL GRANTS GREAT ANXIETY.
An Iptere.ting Review by Ex-Governor
Cameron, of tho Lat Important heNe-
meat, of the Army OF Northern Va.

Lees army at Appomattox courthouse.
For months previous the slender Inc
with which the Confederate chieftaih
held the fortihcations defending Rich
mond and Petersburg had been growing
more attcnuated day by day, and ere the
opening spriuctime of the year placed
tbp roads IN such condition as TO render
krNtary operations possible 1t had be
come apparent that the real problem be-
fore General Lee was not the longer
yrotraCtion OF ms hold upon those Clues
bat the cNtTlCaiion OF ms army from
them. The anxiety OF Gchciai ttdIl'
since the previous pc,cmbcr had been
lest his willy antagonist should Snp
through his fingers. leaving only deserted
trenches AS tue irult Ot the long anu
bloody Siege. He did not wish TO drive
Lee ont OF his intrenched camp, but 10
capture him I'm DO. ana so he wrote 10
Meade advising the latter rather 70 eN-
tend his belt OF development toward the
only line OF communication Wmch re-
NAMED open 10 the CCutederdtes than
20 seek entrance 10y The front into the
circle of forts SO Ions and so brdvely
defended.
DURING nc UIntcr-one OF exposure and
discomfort 20 the men OF both armies,
bur OF untold privdtiOu and actual suffer
Ing 10 tnc southern uoops-that once
foIWidlbi, Army of Northern Virginia
had surguk from various causes into a
mere shadow of That splendid oTgahlZa-
tiou which so nearly Wrung success from
unwilling fortune upon the heights or
Get.y rhurg. For the first time the morale
OF the troops gave way. sherman was
cutting "a swatn Of devastation through
the sunny fields which many of them
called home. and every southern breeze
brought tidiuls which wrung the hearts
Of husbands and fathers. The duty In
the trenches was iuccssaut. But 3l,Ob
men We're left 10 guard thirty-three miles
OF ordinations. EauouS Wcr" OF the
tCantcTt. small In quantity. WretChed ln
quality, and irreEularly furnished.
Neither officers nor men were sufficiently
lousy the reason for the numerous de-
scrtions reported daily. General Lee re-
Piled CURLY. " lncessant service, INSULT
Clcut food and nakednesS. / suppose.
The exodus went on at such a rate as 10
dcplctc the ranks more rapidly than ac-
tive campaigning The limit of human
endurance hal been reached.
Matters were IN this condition at the
end Of March, when Grant, reinforced
by Sheriddn's cavalry 1000 sdbers, con
oeutrated upon Lees right TO deliver the
coup de grace. Anticipating this move
uent. the Confederate commander on the
morning Of the 18th Of March made a
desperate attack upon the Federal POSI-
lions resting On the AppOmattoX river,
the main object being to free his own
right from pressure and 20 to gain room
Tor the egress now inevitable. Inc attack
was made with splendid courage ana
Nig0r by a column under General j. Is.
Gordon. and was successful TO the eN-
toni OF momeutarily surprising the enemy
and occupying Fort Steadnan. But the
attacking force was too weak. was not
effectively supported, the Federal re
serves were soon upon the ground, and
the outcome was the sudden Teilleneni
of the ConfederdteS after a loss of 5.hH
men. OF whom 800 were left in the
cucWys hands. There was nothing left
iu the euemy's hands. There was noth-
ing left now but 10 carry out n posi-
bile. the plans TO which Mr. Davis had
tIl.f.IUf FNetIt-fD abandon lIt
capital, % make rapid retreat southwark
10 join Johnston, and uhlct mortal
blow upon sherman ere Grant COuld
throw rriuforUemcutS into Carolina. In
preparation for such a movement, as
well Ass 20 hold in check Grants threat
euIuE demonstration upon nis marching
flank, General Lee now transferred the
bulk OF his army 10 his extreme right
ant orders We're transmitted TO General
Johnston notifying him of me projected
U&UoeuNeIs. The Confederate Govern
mcnt also took the preliminary steps
toward change Of base to the South:
Man proposes. a junction between the
two armies under the two ablest OF
southern commanders might have proved
fatal 10 sherman. for Johnston alone
came within hairs breadth of defeat
ing him at BcutOuyIle. But higher
power disposed events. Grant moved
upon his lines ere Lee was ready to com
meuCc the march. and the subsequent
movements of the latter were dictated
by necessity. The disaster al Five Forks
upset all Lees calculations and the re-
suit was a forced mate
The Sabbath morning of April ., 1860.
was ushercd IN 10 the people OF Peters
burg by the noises OF heavy battle. tur
some weeks previous ] had been detail
ed in charge of the general recruiting
station IN the city, and was awakened
az my home by the furious cannonadlns
which ensuel upon OrdS breach IN our
lines on the Jerusalem plank road. Eie
loup courier brought a dispatch from
Col. Walter Taylor Of Lees stan direct
iug me 10 report at army headquarters.
Already lby 10 o'clock the federalS had
penetrated into the outskirts OF the city
on the west. had burned the Trumbull
house. where the general had slept the
ui-ut previous. ana were extending then
left toward the South-Site railroad y.
J.. Hin was shot and Killed by the led
eral forces at~auciGE In this direction.
Cen Lee was at his house and indeed
during the rest OF the day, occupying
position in the yard OF the house now
occupied 10y John McGu. whence an
extensive view Of the surrounding coun-
try could Doe had. The enemy were first
across narrow raVine, holding the
ridge upon which now stands the central
asylum for insane negroes. No Coined
crates were in sight except two smaii
briSadcs brought over from the Richmond
front 10y Gen. LouGstreet. but TO the
left and front stood Fort Gregg. at
later hour the scene OF the bloodlest con-
nlct OF the war, considering the numbers
engaged In its defense. The enemy were
not pressing at this time. seemingly more
intent on hcmmlng as M. though the fire.
both of artillery and musketry, was an
noyine. Cen Lee Was standing beside
his horse, familiar Traveller. alternate
Is sweeping the field with his glasses
and communicating instructions to the
stan officers grouped around tu tr. prt-
ence Of a trying emergency and in con-
temptation of a coming disaster he was
10 an outward seeming unmOvea His
countenance was as calmly rcsolute and
his tones were as EtaVely quiet as usual
Only once his eXpre Ssion varied 10 that
OF painful emotion-Whon the sad fate OF
Hnl was reported. For all that his face
told the occurrences OF fdtcful morn
ing might have been favorable TO his
designs instead OF crushing 10 his tours
The wonderful self-control of the great
soldier was never more severely tested
AID never more strik.nsy eXhib ted.
The long hours wore away. The deSper-
ate struggle az Fort Gregg made an eX-
citing irtcrlude. but otherwise the rem
nant OF the DAY witnessed no actual cor
nict at that point. An incident of the
afternoon was the departure Tor Richc
pODd OF the young ad1utant general or
the stan there to be Joined In marriage
to a bride who should be left at the very
altar Al sunset / was directed 70 pro-
coed 10 Bermuda first and then TO reioin
my command (Mahone's division. with
which / shared the subsequent expert
ences OF retreat and surrender
At midnight the worn veterans Tell INTO
line for their last campaign. Toward
Petersburg all was Quiet as the grave.
The exit through its darkened streets
was made so silently that the enemy
did not suspect the evacuation until many
hours later. In the direction OF Richmond
were fWc Witn tn reuecuOn
OF burning storehouses. and ever and
D "a a H.. "a an