The National tribune., 1906-02-01

suddenly ceased: Custer, having dis
covered that the force opposing him
was simply an escort to some wagons
and reserve artillery, which had been
pushed on in advance Of Lees army.
settling the matter by charging with
his usual impetuosity, capturing guns,
trains and escort. Meanwhile the news
which had passed around, that Clusters
advance had surprised and captured a
number of trains of cars loaded with
supplies for the Confederates, was con-
firmed by ear-splitting screeches from
the captured locomotives with which
the wolverines" were amusing them
selves on the railroad.
A line was now formed, and pushing
the enemy's skirmishers before US, we
soon reached the vicinity of the Court
House. The three cavalry divisions
passed the night on the skirmish line.
Not very comfortable or restful night;
but every trooper knew that our line
was squarely across the path of the re-
treating army, which was being vigor-
ously pressed by the Army Of the Po-
tomac, and was prepared to keep his
place at any sacrifice. The long night
wore sleepily away, except that every
one would be aroused to momentary
vigilance by occasional sudden out
bursts of carbine fire when enterprising
scouts of the enemy would venture TOO
close to our lines.
Daybreak mt AppomattOx.
AT last the gray dawn appears, and
daylight creeps along; dusky, misty
morning, giving no promise of that
glorious event which was thencefOrtn
20 make the day SO memorable in the
Nations calendar. An Ominous silence
broods: not a shot is heard. There is
an anxious waiting for the attack which
we know must be expected, and for the
infantry which we are sure is hasten
ing forward to our assistance. The men
are trying to make their coffee at little
fires started in the rear of the line,
when suddenly the noise of conflict is
heard away over to the left, in Crooks
front. 1t surges along the line in our
direction, and the troopers are settling
themselves behind their slight barri
cades for the expected attack, the ia
miliar zip" Zip" of the flying bullets
begins to be heard, when an order
comes to fall back and mount. As we
go to the rear to- seek our horses We
meet the advancing lines Of the longed-
for infantry, our old friends Of the Fifth
Corps. The Armyiof the James is also
close at hand. and although they have
been marching almost continuously for
the past 4S hours, and the men show
their WEAKNESS in every movement, We
know that they are conscious Of the
gravity Of the situation, and can be de-
pended upon to hold the position
against any possible assault of the Con-
federate army
The End of the War.
Again in the saddle, the cavalry
stretches away in long column to the
right and front, and Clusters troopers,
following headquarters, with it's forest
of captured battlefiags, go galloping
past, eliciting growls and smothered i'm
precautions from the men of the First
Division. who feel that they are en-
titled to the advance in their turn.
Away off to the left, across an expanse
of open ground, can be seen confused
mass Of wagons, guns and troops, at
sight Of which our men begin to cheer,
not doubling that they will soon be
amongst them. But there is a sudden
halt; the cheering up in front grows
louder; knot of horsemen can be seen
off to the left, surrounding something
which looks like a white flag, and the
word is passed back from the front
Lee has surrendered. The fact that a
flag Of truce has been sent in, and that
negotiations for the surrender of the
Army Of Northern Virginia are in prog
gress is soon made known; and we real
ize that the long chase is ended, that
the great rebellion has received its death
blow, and that our work Is finished.
LessOnA Of the War.
The military lessons Of our civil war
appear to have had but slight signifi-
canoe for other nations. Some of the
conditions under which the operations
of our armies were conducted being
dissimilar to those which prevail on the
Continent of Europe, 1t was apparently
concluded that no useful lessons could
be learned, and our four years struggle
was regarded with little more interest
than might have been bestowed upon a
war between savage tribes. The in
creased independence and efficiency of
the cavalry arm. due to the improve
ment in flre-weapons, was displayed as
an object-lesson which should not have
been difficult of comprehension; and
yet, because the methods employed by
our cavalry were opposed to old-world
traditions, it has been stigmatized as
mounted infantry. and the fact that 1t
repeatedly charged infantry lines, sue
cessfully, with the saber, studiously ig-
nored.
A Splendid Example Of Cavalry Eff
cheney.
1t is doubtful whether history affords
a better example of cavalry efficiency
than that displayed by Sheridan's Cav
airy In the IL days operations from
March 20 to April 8, 1865. By its de-
termined fighting on the 31st of March,
at Dinwiddie Court House, against vast
ly superior forces OIL cavalry anu lHIdH-
try combined, 1t thwarted the efforts Of
the Confederate forces to occupy that
important strategic point, and prepared
the way for the brilliant and decisive
victory won by its Incompatible leader
at Five Forks on the following day.
Refusing to be delayed by the rear
guard of the retreating army, by vigor-
GUS marching it placed itself on the
path of the enemy's retreat at Jeters-
Vile on the 4th of April. Our Generals
having declined to force a general en-
gagement at Amelia Court House the
cavalry, two days later dashed into the
retreating columns Of the enemy at
Sailors Creek, delaying his march, in
surfing the capture Of an important por-
ton of his force, and, by forcing the
beaten army off from the Danville Rail-
road, destroying the possibility Of its
retreat In that direction. Finally, by
persistent marching. when the powers
Of men and horses had been taxed to
almost the last limit Of endurance, the
cavalry reached Appomattox Station on
the evening OF April 8, capturing the
supplies which had been sent to the re-
lief Of the exhausted army; then forcing
the enemy's advance back to Appomat-
tox Court House, 1t took position across
his only remaining line of retreat. hold
ing 1t with tenacity until the arrival of