Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-07-29
Sailors CREEK BATTLE
MEMORABLE CONFLICT
One Of Wars Severcst Engagements
Fought Three Days Before Sur
render at Appomattox.
LAST GREAT ACTION OF LEE
Following This Historic Clash, His
Army Passes Into History-One OF
~ Closing Scenes in Tragedy Takes
Place in Amelia.
Continued From Last Sunday.)
BIZ WALTER A. WATSON.

Continued From Last Sunday)
BIZ WALTER A. WATSON.
Accurate figures q. the casualties on
the Confederate side are very difficult
TO obtain. Early next morning the
prisoners were hurried away on the
march for City Point and thence to
prison. and the victors pressed on in
pursuit OF Zee. The dead remained
upon the field unsolicited and unbur-
ted.
Among them was the gallant Colonel
Staplcton Crutchficld. commanding a
brigade in GUSTS Lees division. who
was Jackson's chief of artillery. and
who had lost leg at Charlottesville.
He was the son OF the old Speaker OF
the House of Delegates of Virginia.
born in Spotsylvania, and graduate
of the Virginia Military Institute.
General Warren Kcifer. of Ohio. on
his return from AppomattoN via Sailors
Creek. wrote
"one week after the battle I visited
the field and could then have walked
on Confederate dead for many succeed
ing rods along the face OF the heights
held by the enemy when the battle
opened
s The warm weather of the spring time
returning, the atmosphere of the local
fity became infected by the unburicd
dead, and the citizens of the commun-
,ity turned out TO collect the corpses
and give them such interment on the
field was practicable under circum-
stances SO trying.
The wounded were cared for in hos
pitfalls improvised upon the ground. or
in such dwelling and outbuildings as
were near. Those OF the enemy able
ri cd hn-
,lanccs to Burkeville next day, where
extensive hospitals were established.
To that point were carried all the
Federal wounded from Amelia Springs.
jetersville. Sailors Creek, High Bridge
and Farmville. and the report OF Sur
Eeon DR.. Lidell, medical director of the
Army OF the Potomac. shows that some
1000 wounded were received and
treated at Burkcvllle.
This report shows that at Sailors
Creek the hospital for the Sixth Corps
CWriShts) was established on the
Harper farm, and that the wounded
collected there numbered 4Sl, Of whom
16l. were Confederates. General Wright
reported his killed and wounded at
Sailors Creek at 4i2. General Hum
phrey, OF the Second Corps, reported
his killed and wounded on Thursday
9Th Of April, at 331. but his comprised
all his casualties from Amelia Springs
to his last attack upon Gordon at the
Double Bridges on Sailors Creek below
Lockett's Mill
General Sheridan reported the killed
and wounded in his cavalry corps from
March 90 to April at l,472; but the
figures for Sailors Creek are not sep
arated An article from Captain How
ard. of GUSTS Lees staff, in the Trans
action OF the Southern Historical So
ciety" 1874 (Nol. l. page 6D states that
the night after Sailors Creek. Sheridan
and Custer conversinG with captive
Confederate officers, said their killed
and wounded that day were about 600
In the absence of statistics. as before
said, We are left 10 inference as TO the
killed and wounded on the Confederate
side AS his report discloses. Ewell
did not think his casualties on this
score very large. But kershaws re-
port says they must have been consid-
cradle. AS an example of the loss in
some of the individual Confederate com
mands. there is an interesting account
of The Guards, Of Savannah. Ga. in
the battle. published in the Southern
historical Society Papers Vol NXIV,
page 800.
II shows that out of eighty-Gvc men
c. that organization who went into the
light. thirty were killed outright and
twenty-five wounded-over 90 per cent
The year after the war eighteen Of
ere-e oeau were louno and taken back
TO Savannah where they were rein,erred
with Imposing ceremonies.
After the batia. neId hospitals were
maintained for some time. and nearby
nj mes were devoted 10 the same use
The Hillsman house was used for this
purpose, and the late DR.. j. W. Southau
is authority for the statement that sev.
enty-two wounded were cared for az
Selma this mothers home). and
number at Mrs. Crump's (Wiley's)
These incidents go to sh.w how
stern and real must have been the lives
81 our people in that sad period Of their
history; how the realities OF a whole
Aict'me could he crowded into "A few
snort hours. To-day families and
friends assemble D. FACE around the
hospitabie firesidSc of quiet country
homes 10 morrow grim visagsd war
comes @-ddenly upon the scene a great
pattie ftld is spread GU, In their mids,
the wounded and the dying become their
guests. women become men in the SER
ylce or human Kind. and children grow
OLD In the presence of life's great ira
Eedies
But II is all gone now. Fif,y wear,
have passed since the sound Of the
guns OF Sailors Creek died away on the
sehtle breeze OF that April day long
ago. hindiF nature has healed UP the
scars of the battle field: when m.
spring comes again. green grass and
sweet Mowers Will wave over tho las,
resting place of the unreturniur br.vs
OF hoth armies, who there awal, ,lka
the judgment day. but whose suirits
have long since made peace on ths
camping ground OF the brave and Inc
just. ''e
DDITICI nrHoII,rttio