The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-04-11

" DAWN, perhaps -FOUR or five o'clock
a. M, single gun in Fol. Fisher
doomed forth. the signal to 60 for
ward, and without firing shot in re-
ply to the enemy's storm of shot and
shell our forces never halted or wav-
cred until we had gained footing In
side their Notifications, and as soon
as it was possible to restore order
and reform the different commands,
sweeping charge was made against
their right wing, and by 10 o'clock
that portion of their army was either
prisoners or in flight.
K sWe faced about and returned to
their left. which had held out an
morning. A close conflict lasted the
rest of the day. and at nightfall ev-
cry disposition was made for the final
stroke on the following morning, but
when daylight broke the enemy had
fled. apparently moving In the di-
rection Of Johnston's army, still con.
fronting Sherman In North e. Carolina
Then began the running fight Sheri-
dan with the cavalry persistently
throwing command across their front,
and the infantry and artillery march
ing day and night. through cold, rain
and mud, battering away at the en-
emy's flank in an effort to change
the direction Of their retreat and
force them farther northward in the
direction of Lynchburg.
"On the afternoon Of the sixth of
April our column was confronted by
a heavy force of the enemy posted
on a high timbered bluff on the south
side Of Saylor's Creek. An imnle-
date attack was ordered, and as soon
as our. batteries finished their pre-
liminary work the infantry went for
ward, through the little valley north
of the creek. and wading nearly waist
deep through the stream, charged and
carried their line, capturing a large
number of prisoners including Gen.
erals Ewell, Kershaw and GUSTS Lee,
son of General R. E. Lee. This was
the last hard fight saw, only light
brush on the eighth at Farmville
where the enemy had destroyed the
bridge over the Appomattax river
and contested our crossing. The usual
desultory firing by our flankers, and
the constant roar of sheridan's guns
in the front, continued until the fol-
lowing day-the memorable ninth
day Of April, 1865.
About noon, or little later, halt
was made and firing almost ceased.
AS we stood waiting in suspense,
staff officer from corps headquarters
rode up to division headquarters and
announced, "Lee has surrendered, let
loose the guns" = Hardly had he dis
appeared when second staff officer
came with the order, mo salute will
be fired.''
That was an afternoon and night
never to be forgotten by the surviv-
ors of that grand army Of the Poto-
mac. Men wept, shouted, and gave
way to every expression of Joy, not
in spirit Of exultation over our con-
quered foe, but in the glorious
thought that the end of the civil war
was at hand. The ever present dan
ger from shot and shell and disease
as well would be known no more. We
could almost hear the welcome of
friends SO dear to us awaiting at our
homes. The following day, while the
terms of surrender were being car
ried out, We mingled freely with our
late foes, all now friendly and glad
the strife was over. They were hun
cry, we had plenty, and many feast
they enjoyed that day from our store
of hard tack. fat pork and coffee.w
"Our army then counter-marched
to Murkvi1le, and while here received
the sad news of President Lincoln's
death. The Sixth corps and: Sheri-
dams cavalry were ordered tosNorth
Carolina to assist in the capture of
Johnston's army. We marched near
ly one hundred miles. arriving at
Danville, Va, on the North Carolina
lines where we received the news or
Johnston's surrender. Then began
the march back to Richmond and !
Washington. The army Of the Potomac |
except the Sixth corps, with Sher- |
mans army arrived at Washington |,
and held that grand review on May
%, 1865. The Sixth corps arrived /
later, and with other detachments, |
was reviewed by President johnson |
and Generals Grant, Sherman and |
Meade, June 8, 1865, and with glad |
hearts we FASTENED to our homes in
the northland, welcomed by friends
and kindred with a joy beyond express
sion, but not without tear for those |
who came not. ~ ~NtEIs fs |
The audience then Joined in the1
singing of America, which closed the
evenings program. The meeting was I
considered a most successful one and |
was greatly enjoyed by the large
crowd present. The celebration was
held at the suggestion of Colonel !
David ]. Palmer, commander In chief |
of the G. a. R., who requested that the |
al pvoy. tho rOt,pfY1, x.ox,,o |