The National tribune., 1904-08-25

forth by parallel lines-Lee by the north
side of the Appomattox, Grant by the
south bank. Let US see whittier led all
this mad haste.
The Danville Railroad, Lees line of re-
treat, runs southwest from Richmond, and
is intersected by the Southside or Lynch
burg Railroad, which runs westward from
Petersburg, at Burkesville, which is So
miles from Richmond by the former road,
and 90 miles from Petersburg by the lat
ter road. Burkesville, therefore, was to
Lee strategic point of the first impor-
tance for if he should be anticipated in it's
possession. he would be forced off the di-
rect Danville line, and could only re-
| cover it. if at all, by great detour to the
west. This, accordingly, was his first OBJ
| jectiye.
The march of the Union forces was con-
Quoted by two lines: the troops of the
| Army Of the James, under Gen. Ord, by
the line of the Southside or Lynchburg
Railroad. towards Burkesyille. and Sheri-
| dan, with the cavalry and Fifth Corps,
| followed by the Second and Sixth Corps
| Of the Army of the Potomac by routes
| near the Appomattox, to strike the Dan
vile Railroad north of Burkesville.
| Lees march led by the north bank of
| the ,Appomattox for 80 miles west, when
| 1t was necessary to cross that stream at
/ Goodies bridge in order to strike the Dan
vile road at Amelia Courthouse. 3S miles
west of Richmond and Petersburg. Push
| ing the advance vigorously during the 3d.
Lee next day reached Amelia Courthouse
| Here a dire and unlooked-for anguish be-
| fell him.
| NO SUPPLIES FOR Ills ARMY.
| When Lee determined to abandon
Petersburg and Richmond, he dispatched
orders that large supplies of Commssary
and QuartermaSters' stores should be sent
| forward from Danvile to Amelia Court
house, there 10 await the arrival of his
columns. When, however, on Sunday af-
| ternoon, the loaded train of cars reached
| Amelia Courthouse, the officer i'm charge
| was met by an order from the Richmond
authorities to bring on the train to Rich
| mond it being the design to use the cars i'm
| the transportation of the personnel and
property of the Confederate Government.
Interpreting this order in the sense that the
| train and its contents should be taken to
| Richmond, the officer, without unloading
the stores al Amelia Courthouse, carried
on cars, freight and all; and the rations on
which Lee had depended for the subsist-
ence OF his army were consumed i'll the
general conflagration of Richmond!
Such were the agonizing tidings that
met the Confederate commander on his ar
rival at Amelia Courthouse; and one can
well imagine how, from that moment all
his hopes were dashed to the ground Lee
had fairly counted, that as Grant had, for
the purpose of rapid pursuit, broken up his
| force into several bodies, an opportunity v
would present itself to fall upon these
| fractions in detail, should his retreat be-
come seriously endangered. But, to ac-
complish this. it was necessary that he
should have his whole army, now not much
above 2o,oOo men, we'll in hand. This, in
the absence of rations, was no longer pos
sible; for, In order to keep life in what
force remained to him. it became incum-
bent on him to break up moiety Of it into
foraging parties.
At Amelia Courthouse, where Lee had
arrived the morning of the 4th. he was
compelled to remain during the whole of
that and the following day; and this forced
delay gave Sheridan, who, with the cav
airy and the Fifth Corps. was pushing tn,
advance impetuously far in the van of the
remainder of the army time to strike in
> upon the Confederate line of retreat. This
he did the afternoon of the 4th at .Jeters
vile, on the Danvile Railroad. seven mile,
southwest Of Amelia Courthouse.
LINE OF RETREAT oBsTRUCTED
1 Thus headed from the direct line Of re
treat, there was for Lee but one altarna
tiye-tO fall upon Sheridan's isolated force
5 IN the attempt to overwhelm it and re
D cover the Danville route, or, by doublin,
I on his track. take up an eccentric and ex
/ terror line. But, in reality. the first cours.
$ was, under the circumstances, out of the
I question. Sheridan, indeed, had animad
yerted upon Lees. want of activity here
1T seems to me-, says he, that this was
D the only chance the Army of Northern Vir
e ginia had to save itself, which might have
I been done had Gen. Lee promptly attacked
and driven back the comparatively small
: force opposed to him. and pursued hii