The National tribune., 1904-08-25

federates, it was found that Lee had
slipped past. The direction Of the corps
was then changed: the Sixth Corps moved
from the right to the left; the Second
Corps was ordered to move by Deatons-
vile; and the Fifth and Sixth Corps to
move i'm parallel directions on the right
and left. AS Lee was retreating by the
Deatonsville route. this disposition Of the
pursuing forces placed one column in his
rear on the same road by which he was
moving, a second column by parallel
route to the south, and q third column by
| a parallel route to the north. Meanwhile,
the Army of the James, which had been
pushing its march by the line of the
Lynchburg Railroad, had reached Burkes-
vile; and on the morning Of the 9th Gen.
Ord was directed towards Farmyille. I'm
order, if possible, to reach and destroy the
bridges near that place. Ord sent forward
light column. consisting Of two regiments
OF infantry and squadron of cavalry. un-
der Brighten. Theodore Read. This force
met the head of Lees column near Farm
vile, and Read heroically attacked it in
! the effort to detain the Confederate column
until the main force should be able to
make up with it. That gallant officer sac
rificed his life in the execution of this
duty, and his command was overwhelmed; ;
but the attack served the intended pur-
pose, and so delayed the movements of the
enemy, that Ord had time to arrive with
| the Army of the James. Upon this, the
Confederate force Immediately intrenched
| itself
Sheridan, who had now with him only
| the cavalry, formed the van of the column
| that was marching on the southern par
| allel route; and he was deploying all the
| resources OF an energy that seemed to
| grow hotter and hotter with the chase, to
| head off the hunted prey. Near Deatons-
vile. that same 9th, he struck i'm upon the
/ " -fraI npfo I.,., e.,
midable force of infantry and cavalry. To
wrest this prize from its guardians Sheri
| dan made admirable dispositions. He or
dered Crooks Division to attack the train
| and IL the covering force proved too strong
| one Of the divisions would, while Crook
held fast to and pressed the enemy, pass
him and attack a point further on; and
this division was ordered to do the same
and so on alternately. This method of
action would, he judged. enable him finally
to strike some weak point.
LEES LOSSES AT SAILORS CREEK.
| This result was obtained just south of
Sailors Creek, small tributary of the Ap-
| pomattox that, running northward, emp
/ ties into that stream a few miles east of
Farmville. Clusters Division gained the
road and the divisions of Crook and Deyin
coming up 10 its support, 400 wagons were
destroyed, and 1G pieces of artillery and
many prisoners were captured. Ewelrs
Corps, which was following behind the
train, was thus cut off from its line of re-
treat. To detain this force as long as pos
sible, so that the infantry might have time
| to come up. was now Sheridan's desire.
and with this view he ordered a mounted
charge, which was executed in a very spir-
! tied manner by one of his brigades under
Col Stagg.
| When the head of column of the Sixth
Corps came in sight the Confederates be-
gan retiring, whereupon Seymour's Di-
vision was directed to carry the road This
being done, the Confederates fell back
| slowly, skirmishing and turning with such
| sharp and sudden sallies of resistance.
that halt had to be called to get up
Wheaton's Division of the Sixth Corps.
This took position on the left of Seymour.
whereupon a renewed advance was made.
and the COnfederates were driven until the
lines of the Sixth Corps reached Sailors
Creek Then from the north bank could
be deserted the cavalry on the high ground
| above the creek and south of it, and the
long lines of smoke from the burning wag-
ons beyond. But even while thus enyi-
roned, these men showed they could still
exact price before yielding; and when an
advance was made by a part of the Sixth
Corps they delivered so deadly a fire that
a portion of that veteran line bent and
broke under it. But the numbers were too
unequal, too overwhelming; and when n
simultaneous assault was made by the
Sixth Corps in front and the cavalry i'm
flank and rear, Ewell's troops, finding
themselves surrounded, threw down their
included nearly all that remained of the
corps Of that officer, with Lieut. Gen.
II