The National tribune., 1904-08-25
Ewell himself and four other general off,


federates were so crowded upon, that
large train was captured and many hum
dreds were taken prisoners. The trophies
OF the Second Corps included. i'll addition,
several pieces of artillery and 13 flags.
Lee. meanwhile. with the relics Of his
army, continued the retreat during the
night. and passed to the north bank of the
Appomattox by bridges near Farmville.
LEE HAD But THE RELIC OF HIS ARMY.
Such are the mere bald facts that. thus
far. marked the retreat and pursuit.
But it would need other colors in which
truly to paint that terrible race for life;
and one would have to seek its like in what
befell upon the snowy wastes of Muscovy
i'll the Winter of 1912.
The Confederates began the retreat with
but one ration, and when no supplies were
met ut Amelia Courthouse. they were re-
duced to such scant store as could be col
lected from the poor and almost exhausted
region through which they passed. This
resource. moreover grew more and more
precariouS. for the area of the fOragers
was so restricted by the clouds of enter
prising Union cavalry. that they could col
lect less and less. Those men were fortu-
nate who had in their pockets a few hand
fuls of corn which they might parch by
the waysde: but many had naught where
withal To aSsuage the pangs OF hunger save
the DuiS anu tWlgS Oh spring tHdl, With us
eXuberant bOurgeOn. seemed to mock the
sere and desolate Winter of their fortunes.
The misery of the famished troops during
the 4th, 9TH, 9th. and 9TH Of April passes
all experience of military anguish since the
retreat from the banks of the Beresina.
Towards evening of the 5th," says an
eyewitness. land all day long upon the
9th, hundreds Of men dropped from ex-
hausti0n. and thousands let fall their mus
from n Iry
The scenes of the Ith 9th. 9TH and 9Th
were Of a nature which can be apprehend
ed in its vivid reality only by men who are
thoroughly familiar with the narrowing de-
tails Of war"
While the sufferngs Of the men were
thus severe. those of the horses and mules
were even keener: for of forage there was
none. and the grass had not yet sprouted
OF course. in this condition of the draft
animals the lOcomotion of the trains and
artillery could be but slow. Moreover, the
long lines of wagons, filling miles Of the
road, frequently cut in upon the route Of
the infantry columns, delaying them for
half day at a time; SO that, from this
and other reasons, the march had to be
mainly conducted by night which added
the want of rest to the sumsof mseries ac
cumulating fast and faster on the hapless
host of fugitives. Dark divisions. sinking
in the woods for few shours' repose.
would hear suddenly the boom of hostile
guns and the clatter OF the hoofs of the
ubiquitous cavalry, and thev had TO mp and
hasten off as fast as their wearied limbs
would carry them. Thus pressed upon on
all sides, driven like sheep before prowling
wolves. with blazing wagons in front and
rear. amid hunger. fatigue, and sleepless-
ness. continuing day after day, they Jared
towards the setting SUN
Such resting found the seles Of unblest
feet.'
CLOSING SCENES.
When on the night of the 9th. the Army
of Northern Virginia had put the Apo
mattox between it and its pursuers, a
group Of the chief officers met around the
bivouac-fire TO take counsel together touch
ing their fortunes. Gen. Lee alone was
not Of the number.
The result of the interchange Of views
was to reduce the possibilities of the stna-
ton to three lines of conduct. /. To dis
band, allowing the troops to make their
way as best they might to some fixed rally
ing point 2. To abandon the trains and
cut their way through the opposing lines.
3. To surrender.
But it was soon seen that, in reality,
two of these courses were excluded. To
disband would be to give mp all; for there
was little likelihood that the troops could
ever be rallied, while their dispersion over
the country would necessarily entail un-
| numbered ills upon the inhabitants. To
cut their way through was more easy to
talk about than to do; and even if they
| succeeded in effecting this purpose, the
army, without a train or artillery or ma
teriel, would lose all organization, and
must starve. 1t resulted that there seemed
to be no alternative but surrender. This
was the voice of the council; and Gen.
Pendleton was appointed to communicate
the conclusion to Gen. Lee
But the Confederate commander did not
think such extremity was yet upon him {:
| or. rather, he did not think he could with
honor surrender until he should be com
PEELED to surrender and this had not yet
been. Moreover. all deliberation was cut
short by an Ominous outburst of sound
which told that the hunter was again upon
the track of the hunted. When the whole
Of the Confederate column had filed across
| the Appomattoy. near Farmville. which
was not till towards dawn Of the 7th, the
bridges were fired to prevent pursuit. But
the Second Corps, under Humphreys, TAX
| ing up an early pursuit, came up with the
| COnfederates at High Bridge, six miles
east of Farmville. The rear-guard was
| overtaken just rs it had fired the wagon
road bridge. and as the second span Of the
| railroad bridge was burning; but Hum
phreys succeeded in saving the wagon road
| the Appomattox was unfordable. A con-
siderable force of the Confederates was OBJ
served drawn up in strong position on
the nights on the opposite bank to dis
pute the passage, while the bridge was held
| by skirmshers. These were, however,
quickly driven off, and the Second Corps
crossed, Barlow's Division leading. Artil-
lery was put in position to cover an at
| tack; but this was unnecessary, for the
Confederate force retired. A redoubt,
forming the bridge-head on the south
bank was blown up as the Union troops
approached, eight guns being abandoned
| to the pursuers, as were also 10 others
on the north bank. Highi Bridge was saved
| with the loss of four spans.
Humphreys then took up the pursuit,
with the division of Miles and DE Tro-
BRAND, on the Old Stage road leading to
Appomattox Courthouse, while Barlow's
Division was directed on Farmville, dis
tant three miles. Barlow found this place
in possession of considerable force of
the enemy, that was burning the bridges
there, and covering wagon-train moving
toward Lynchburg; but on Barlow's ap-
proach it abandoned the place, destroying
1870 wagons, and rejoined the main body
Of Lees army.
This Humphreys found intrenched in
strong position four or FIVE miles north of
Farmville. covering the stage and plank
roads to Lynchburg. 1t proved to be too
| formidable for n front attack-tha ground