The Washington herald., 1915-04-04
GRANT PREPARES FOR END
OF CONFLICT.
March 29,

Fifty years ago today Gen. u. S. Grant
put a large part Of his army in motion
and established his headquarters in the
field south OF Petersburg, thus beginning
operations that were to result in the cap
ture of Gen. Lees forces and the ending
of the war.
Grant had besieged Lee at Petersburg
for nine months. He had made several
vain attempts to break through his op-
ponent's defenses, or to cut him off from
his sources of supplies. None of these
had been successful; yet the process of
wearing down the enemy by mere at
triton" which Grant had inaugurated
in the preceding summer, had been fully
effective as the Federal leader had
wished.
Lee was now weakened to a point that
prompted desperate measures to save his
army from starvation. He had planned
on quitting Petersburg as soon as the
roads would permit, in an effort to with
draw to the interior of Virginia, and
establish a base at Lynchburg or DAN
Vile, with the hope of joining his forces
to those under Gen. Joseph E. Johnston
in North Carolina, and continuing the
struggle through another summer at
least
Grant OWNED his plan, and his object
now was to prevent Lee from escaping
without fighting. Grant believed that If
he could strike Lee outside his fortifica-
tons, he could quickly give him the final
stroke.
This belief rested on a sound military
premise. Grant had nearly three times
as many men as Lee. His effective forces
numbered not less than 124.7O0 effective
men, who were well fed, we'll clothed and
in good health. He had two armies-the
Army of the Potomac, numbering $500
infantry and 5000 artillery with 243 guns
and the Army of the James, numbering
s., 600 infantry, 5000 artillery and LOO cav
slry-and superb independent cavalry
force of 1900 men. under Gen. p. H.
Sheridan.
The arrival of Sheridan, on March o.
with 10000 cavalry from the Shenandoah
Valley. had determined the date for OPEN
ing the final operations. Sheridan was
given additional cavalry from the Army
of the Potomac. and was sent to the eX-
treme left of the army, TO get around
the right end of Lees position, and if
practicable to cut his remaining railroad
connections.
Farewells at City Point.
To meet this formidable effort to dis
lodge and strike him. Gen. Lee had
force of about $500 half-starved and
ragged men. OF these the returns of
March / Cthe last made in his army
showed 43.o52 infantry and cavalry .'ef-
fective for field and 5000 artillery. The
cavalry force numbered about 500 men.
whose mounts had suffered for want Of
forage.
With the opposing forces standing thus.
in numbers and conditions. the problem
before Grant was merely one of drawing
Lee out of his works before he could
gain a start for his final dash. and of
striking him as he came into the open.
Grant had worked out a plan to ac-
complish this before he started for the
front
Throughout the siege he had gone to
The front only occasionally. when some
movement was in progress. being con-
tent TO leave the details of the siege
to Gen. George G. Meade. commander of
the Army of the Potomac. whose head
quarters were in the field. behind the
renter of the lines. Meade Rad proven
loyal and efficient and much of tho
credit for the fine condition of the army
On the return of spring WAS due to him.
As Grant stood ready to leave the
pleasant bluff on the James at City
Point. where he had made his head
quarters for nine months, his wife said
Soodby to him at the door of the rude
log cabin that had been their winter
home. The members of the generals
staff noted that he kissed her again and
again. with great tenderness.
The President of the United States
was there also to say farewell TO Grant
and wish him Godspeed. He rode with
Grant and his staff to the station on
the military railroad where a train was
waiting for the general.
AS Grant said good-by to Lincoln the
members of the staff raised their hats.
Lincoln acknowledged the salute in kind,
and said: "Good-by, gentlemen; remem-
Der your success is my success"
With that, writes Gen. Horace Porter
in his memories. the signal was given
to start: the train was off, Grants last
had begun"
AS the train jolted along the rough |
track that had been laid on the natural
grade of the ground, Grant puffed stead |
lily at cigar. When he spoke he said: |
The President is one of the few visitors |
have had who has not attempted to |
extract from ME a knowledge of my |
sheridan ON the March. !
Grant had taken no one into his
but the placing OF his army /
corps in new arrangement. like |
pieces moved for the final positions in |
A game of chess, was then in prog
ress. revealing TO his generals his plan
Of action.
He was moving a large part of his |
orceS toward the left to strike the
enemy in the weakest part of his line,
mis- right, TO the west of Petersburg.
Sheridan's troopers. who had camped
since their arrival on the 21th behind
he center of the line, were already
moving. in a long column. by a narrow
-oad through thick pine woods far
south Of the lines, toward Dinwiddie
'ourt House. This point was fourteen
niles southwesterly of Petersburg. far
,eyond the end of Lees intrenchments
70 reach il Sheridan's forces marched
through Reams Station to Malones
Sridgc across Rowanty Creek, twelve
niles south of Petersburg, before turn
ng westward into a direct road to
heir objective.
Sheridan's first orders had directed
him, in case the enemy did not come
,ut of his works. to ride against the /
;outhside Railroad. Lees only line ont Ic
II Petersburg, and the Danville road.
he only line out of Richmond, and
estroy them. "a
While his column was in motion on II
iarch 20 he received other orders. for "
;rant had learned that Zee was al a
eady moving troops out of his worka r
nd directed Sheridan to strike when +
e could. IL
ORDER RAISING OF OLD FLAG