The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1897-08-19

value 10 the south. IuaG ilCG WAS d ucCASa-
ration that the war was to be continued.
The Confederate troops at Richmond,
Joined with those under Lee s immedi-
ate command at Petersburg, marched
away in the direction Of Danville, keep
ing out a strong rear guard under COM
mand of General John B. Gordon. The
Appomattox river lay across their path
way, and the delay in crossing it had
much to do with bringing the campaign
to sudden close. The Federal army
was in close pursuit, and a running
fight was kept up between the vanguard
of the blue and the rearguard of the
gray. After a desperate battle at Sail
or's Creek the Confederate corps Of Gen
eral Ewell was almost destroyed, and
the latter, with several other generals,
taken. That was the first brilliant stroke
of tho pursuit. 1t cost Lee 1000 men
and many good officers, which he could
ill afford to spare at that stage.
That same day, the 9th Of April,
there was a brilliant passage of arms
between a body Of Federal infantry,
supported by about 80 horsemen, and
the Confederate cavalry under General
Rosser, which showed that the fighting
spirit had by no means died out on
either SIDE The Federals were led by
Colonel Theodore B. Read. They struck
out for the flank of Lees marching
army to find out which way the leading
Confederates were going. Rosser saw
the movement and started his brigade
in pursuit. Read halted and posted his
infantry along the edge Of an oak grove.
This line was attacked by dismounted
column Of Confederates, led by General
Munford, while General bearing led a
column in saddle to attack the flank.
The little cavalry detachment with
Read was commanded by General Wash
burn, who promptly charged Bearings
forces and gave him hand to hand bat
tle Washburn and bearing were killed
within three feet Of each other. All Of
the Federal cavalry officers fell, and
Rosser claimed that his men either killed
or wounded or captured the entire de-
tachment of 80 men. After disposing Of
the cavalry, Rosser charged the infantry,
and after a short fight, in which Read
was killed, the leader raised the white
flag
There was great confusion in the
Confederate camps, and the route of re-
treat was changed many times The
crossing Of Appomattox river by Lee
was made during the night Of the 9Th of
April at High Bridge and Farmville.
The bridge at Farmville he destroyed
behind him, but just as his soldiers
were giving the last stroke to the work
of destruction at High Bridge the Fed
eral advance of General Barlow ap-
peared on the scene The railroad
bridge, crossing a wide marsh on piers
60 feet high, was burning. Tie wagon
bridge was saved by the infantry Of
Barlow, who drove off the Confederates
at that point. Meanwhile the Fedora.
soldiers were trying to save the rail
road bridge from burning. The Con
federates whom Barlow had driver
from the wagon bridge rushed to thu
railroad bridge and tried to defeat al
efforts to save it, but Barlow's me1
dashed across the bridge, which the.
controlled, and the enemy was soon il
fight r..
=, The whole Of the next day, April 7
Lees retreat was delayed by the activit..
Of the Federals, who harassed the marc]
of his army westward along the Apo
mattox river. During the night he pu
men in motion for Appomattox Cour
House and reached it about o'cloc
the evening of the 9Th. Then he discov
cred that the Federal cavalry corps IN
der General Merritt was across hi
front. He had already been for "a hour
in correspondence with Grant, not wit