The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-09-03

and cut loose from the base and head
quarters of the army This attack was
forlorn hope, but it was the only at
tempt made by Lee to break out through
the besieging lines and was pushed with
the usual vigor of Gordon and his gall
liant lieutenants.
Evans march down the works to-
ward Haskell was pushed rapidly in
the darkness, and he carried two bat
teries and the trenches of two regi-
ments lying between the forts. But,
owing to trivial incident, the garrison
in Fort Haskell was awake, and the
artillerymen were at their guns when
daylight broke and revealed Evans
line of battle bounding along inside the
Federal works In fact, HaskelPs guns
had opened before daylight and
aroused the troops lying near it. The
guns in this fort speedily welcomed
Evans column with shrapnel and can
lister, and at the same time the batter
les in the rear and on the TANKS of the
charging column joined in the firing
Evans orders were that he should carry
Fort Haskell by an attack upon its rear.
The assault was to be made before daylight,
SO as to surprise the garrison and avoid
plish the desperate task 100 picked men moved
through Fort Steadman the moment it fell
into Evans hands and set out for the COM
panion work. Owing to the ignorance Of the
guide selected to pilot the band the party
moved up to the front of the fort, striking
the wakeful trench guards, who alarmed the
garrison and gave the stealthy assailants a
hot reception. Undaunted by the mishap
Evans set out to fulfill his orders in the full
glare of day and would have succeeded but
for the same play Of fate spreading the
alarm from Fort Haskell to all the batteries
and infantry camps behind the breach. The
first attack in force was checked halfway
down the works between Steadman and Has
kell. Evans then recalled his men and formed
for another charge. This and still another
were repulsed with terrible slaughter and
Gordon, finding the case hopeless ordered the
troops back to their own lines.
Upon Gordons corps fell the honor of car
rying the flag in the last battle of the Con-
federacy at Appomattox. He attacked Sheri-
dams lines to open the Lynchburg road Of
that end when the signal came for surrender.
The advance of Sheridans cavalry was met
by the skirmishers of Evans brigade
Sheridan strengthened his line and pushed
the advance, but Evans quickly led a bril-
gade to the aid of his skirmishers and
charged the cavalry. Gordon recalled him
with the announcement that flag of truce
was flying.
General Evans was never a captive to the
enemy, but after he had laid down his sword
and given the parole which made him free
better half of him was a prisoner Of war in
the Federal camps. His wife had been cap
tured in battle and was detained under guard
at Petersburg. Like many other devoted
women of the South, Mrs. Gen. Evans had at
tended her husband on all his campaigns.
When the army left Petersburg, Evans div
ision in the vanguard, and Mrs. Evans
with the wives of other officers, remained with
the headquarters Of EwelIs corps This corps
surprised at Sailors Creek and captured
after a severe battle Early and IL general
officers, with all the military family, where
made prisoners and taken to Petersburg,
where the news Of the surrender some days
later brought tidngs Of defeat and Of liberty
in the same breath. George L. Kilmer.