Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

CH. XX.]

DAVIS'S LAST PROCLAMATION.

high as Haman such traitors as these
whose rebellion was now broken up, he
went on to say: "Humble as I am,
when you ask me what I would do, my
reply is, I would arrest them; I would
try them; I would convict them, and I
would hang them. As humble as I am
and have been, I have pursued but one
undeviating course.
life, limb, and property-have been put
at the disposal of the country in this
great struggle. I have been in camp,
I have been in the field, I have been
everywhere where this great rebellion
was; I have pursued it until I believe
I can now see its termination.

All that I have

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

533

a proclamation, April 5th, in which he tried to put the best face he could on matters in the "Confederacy." Among other things he said-it was his last chance-" we have now entered upon a new phase of the struggle. Relieved from the necessity of guarding partienlar points, our army will be free to move from point to point to strike the enemy in detail far from his base. Le us but will it and we are free. Animated by that confidence in spirit and fortitude which never yet failed me, I announce to you, fellow-countrymen, that it is my purpose to maintain your cause with my whole heart and soul; that I will never consent to abandon to the enemy one foot of the soil of any one of the states of the Confederacy; that

I am in favor of leniency; but in my opinion, evil doers should be punished. Treason is the highest crime known in the catalogue of crimes; and for him Virginia-noble state-whose ancient that is guilty of it-for him that is willing to lift his impious hand against the authority of the nation-I would say death is too easy a punishment. My notion is that treason must be made odious, that traitors must be punished and impoverished, their social power broken; that they must be made to feel the penalty of their crimes."

Jeff. Davis, with such escort as he could obtain, took his departure from Richmond at the earliest possible hour after receiving Lee's message, on that eventful Sunday morning, and purposing, if we may believe his foolish boasting, (p. 504) to set up the rebel government in some safer place. He also carried with him all the money that could be got out of the Richmond banks, and whatever else his hasty flight would permit.

renown has been eclipsed by her still more glorious recent history; whose bosom has been bared to receive the main shock of this war; whose sous and daughters have exhibited heroism so sublime as to render her illustrious. in all time to come; that Virginia, with the help of the people and by the blessing of Providence, shall be held and defended, and no peace ever be made with the infamous invaders of her territory. If, by the stress of numbers, we should ever be compelled to a temporary withdrawal from her limits, or those of any other border state, again and again will we return, until the baffled and exhausted enemy shall abandon in des pair his endless and impossible task of making slaves of a people resolved to be free."*

* The fugitive arch rebel, we may here mention, at

Davis, on reaching Danville, issued tempted to escape by way of the sea-coast. A reward

1865.

As for Gen. Lee, he seems to have thought that there was yet a chance of escape for him, and so there might have been had not Grant, fully master of the situation, displayed such activity and energy as to reduce him, in a few days, to the necessity of surrender. Grant knew that Lee must retreat, or yield, and was prepared for immediate pursuit in the former case. Sheridan pushed for the Danville Road, keeping near the Appomattox, followed by Meade, with the 2d and 6th corps; while ord moved for Burkesville, fiftyeight miles from Richmond, and the most important point for the enemy to secure, if he could, on the South Side or Lynchburg Road; the 9th corps stretched along that road behind him. On Tuesday, April 4th, Sheridan struck the Danville Road near Jettersville, where he learned that Lee had reached Amelia Court House, thirty-eight miles west of Richmond.* Sheridan entrenched himself, and awaited the arrival of Meade. Ord reached Burkesville on the evening of the 5th of April. On the same day, Grant sent word to Sher

[blocks in formation]

* A dire anguish, as Swinton terms it, here befell Lee. He had ordered, it seems, supplies to meet him and his army at Amelia Court House; but they had

been carried on to Richmond, and burned along with

the other stores in that city. One might call this a sort of deserved retribution; at any rate, Lee lost heart, and with good reason, at the prospect of protracting the contest with a hungry, half-starved army, against

the large and abundantly supplied force under Grant.

man that Lee would probably strive to reach Danville; he also said: “If you can possibly do so, push on from where you are, and let us see if we cannot finish the job with Lee's and Johnston's armies. Whether it will be better for you to strike for Greensborough, or nearer to Danville, you will be better able to judge when you receive this. Rebel armies now are the only strategic points to strike at."

On the morning of Thursday, April 6th, it was discovered that Lee had left Amelia Court House, and was moving west of Jettersville, in the direction of Danville. It was his only hope now to enter upon a race of thirty-five miles west to Farmville, where, if he reached it in time, he could cross the Appomattox once more, and then, by destroying the bridges after him, escape into the mountains beyond Lynchburg. Sheridan moved with his cavalry to strike Lee's flank, followed by the 6th corps, while the 2d and 5th corps pressed hard after, forcing him to abandon several hun dred wagons and several pieces of artillery. Ord advanced from Burkesville towards Farmville, sending two regiments of infantry, and a squadron of cavalry, under Gen. T. Read, to reach and destroy the bridges. This advance met the head of Lee's column near Farmville, and heroically attacked it in the effort to detain the rebel force until the main body should come up. Read lost his life on this occasion, and his command was. overpowered; but the end had in view was attained; the movements of the enemy were delayed; and Ord had time to arrive with the Army of the James. Whereupon the

CH. XX.]

UNAVAILING STRUGGLES OF LEE.

535

rebel troops immediately entrenched cavalry crossed at Farmville to its supthemselves.

Sheridan, with his cavalry, formed the van of the column that was marching on the southern parallel route. In the afternoon of this same day, April 6th, he struck the enemy just south of Sailor's Creek, a small tributary of the Appomattox, and destroyed 400 wagons and captured sixteen pieces of artillery. Sheridan ordered a charge upon Ewell's force behind the captured train, in order to detain it until the 6th corps could get up; which was success fully accomplished. A general attack of infantry and cavalry was then made, and though the rebels fought well, they were unable to resist the onset of our troops. Between 6,000 and 7,000 prisoners were captured, among whom were a large number of officers, including Gens. Ewell, Kershaw, Custis Lee, etc. The movements of the 2d corps and General Ord's command, according to Grant's statement, contributed greatly to the important success of the day.

1865.

On the morning of the 7th of April, the pursuit was renewed, the cavalry, except one division, and the 5th corps, moving by Prince Edward's Court House; the 6th corps, Gen. Ord's command, and one division of cavalry, on Farmville, and the 2d corps by the High Bridge road. It was soon found that Lee had crossed to the north side of the Appomattox, but so close was the pursuit, that the 2d corps got possession of the common bridge at High Bridge before the enemy could destroy it, and immediately crossed over. The 6th corps and a division of

port.*

The unavailing struggle was now near its end. Grant, fully persuaded that Lee's chance of escape was utterly hopeless, while he did not relax the pursuit, nevertheless addressed the rebel commander in the following terms, under date of April 7th, at Farmville :"GENERAL: The result of the last week must convince you of the hopelessness of further resistance on the part of the Army of Northern Virginia in this struggle. I feel that it is so, and regard it as my duty to shift from myself the responsibility of any further effusion of blood, by asking of you the surrender of that portion of the Confederate States army known as the Army of Northern Virginia."

Lee, though continuing his retreat, wrote a reply the same night, which reached Grant early the next morning: "GENERAL: I have received your note of this date. Though not entertaining the opinion you express on the hope

* Mr. Swinton, in speaking of this retreat and pursuit, says: "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 in the winter of 1812. The Confederates

began the retreat with but one ration, and when no

supplies were met at Amelia Court House, they were reduced to such scant store as could be collected from

the poor and almost exhausted region through which The misery of the famished

they passed.. troops during the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th of April, passes all experience of military anguish since the retreat from

the banks of the Beresina. Towards evening of the

[ocr errors][merged small]

1865.

lessness of further resistance on the part of the Army of Northern Virginia, I reciprocate your desire to avoid useless effusion of blood, and therefore, before considering your proposition, ask the terms you will offer, on condition of its surrender." To this Grant immediately replied: "GENERAL: Your note of last evening, in reply to mine of same date, asking the condition on which I will accept the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia, is just received. In reply I would say, that peace being my great desire, there is but one condition that I insist upon, namely: That the men and officers surrendered shall be disqualified for taking up arms again against the government of the United States until properly exchanged. I will meet you, or designate officers to meet any officers you may name for the same purpose, at any point agreeable to you, for the purpose of arranging definitely the terms upon which the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia will be received." As Lee had continued his retreat on the night of April 7th, Grant, early the next morning pushed forward after him. Meade advanced north of the Appomattox, and Sheridan, with all the cavalry, marched straight for Appomattox Station, followed by Ord's command and the 5th corps. During the day, there was considerable fighting with the rear guard of the enemy, but no general engagement. Late in the evening, Sheridan struck the railroad at Appomattox Station, drove the rebels from there, and captured twenty-five pieces of artillery, a hospital train, and four trains of cars loaded with supplies

for Lee's starving army. About midnight, on the 8th of April, Grant re ceived a communication from Lee, stating that he had not yet proposed to surrender, but that, as he was anxious for peace, he would like to meet Grant and see what could be done toward that important result. Grant, early the next morning, sent Lee word that he was not authorized to treat on the sub. ject of peace; but that, in his opinion, it could readily be secured by the rebels laying down their arms, etc.

One more effort Lee felt called on to make. He ordered an attack on Sheridan, and a desperate attempt was entered upon to break through our cavalry, on the morning of the 9th of April. The 5th corps and Ord's command soon after arrived, when, just as a deadly and sweeping charge was about to be made by our troops, a white flag was held aloft, and a messenger came forth with a letter from Lee, asking a suspension of hostilities looking to a surrender, and requesting an interview with Grant. The interview was held between two and three o'clock that same afternoon, and the result is set forth in the following correspondence, given in Grant's official report:

"Appomattox Court House, Va.,
April 9th, 1865.

"GENERAL: In accordance with the substance of my letter to you of the 8th inst., I propose to receive the sur render of the Army of Northern Virginia on the following terms, to wit: Rolls of the officers and men to be made in duplicate, one copy to be given to an officer to be designated by me, the other to be retained by such officer

CHI. XX.]

LEE'S SURRENDER REBELLION CRUSHED.

537

or officers as you may designate. The comforts, and the terrible race for life, officers to give their individual paroles and the anguishing pains and distresses not to take up arms against the govern- through which they had gone for the ment of the United States until prop- last two weeks were brought to an end erly exchanged; and each company or forever. Three days after the surrender, regimental commander sign a like parole the troops marched by divisions to a for the men of their commands. The designated spot near Appomattox Court arms, artillery, and public property to House, and there stacked their arms be packed and stacked, and turned over and deposited their accoutrements. to the officers appointed by me to re- Hardly 8,000 presented themselves ceive them. This will not embrace the with muskets in their hands; but with side-arms of the officers, nor their pri- these were included about 18,000 unvate horses or baggage. This done, armed, making in all over 27,000. each officer and man will be allowed to Paroles were then distributed to the return to their homes, not to be dis- men, and they were allowed to go their turbed by United States authority so way and seek again for a home. long as they observe their paroles and the laws in force where they may reside. "U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. "General R. LEE."

[blocks in formation]

The succeeding events of a military kind, consequent upon this crowning victory, may be briefly summed up. With the surrender of Lee, the "Confederacy" fell into utter and immediate ruin, and though Jeff. Davis and others like him (see p. 533), might talk of continuing opposition for a longer period, it was felt and acknowledged on all hands, that further resistance was equally mad and foolish. The insurgent states were powerless in this respect, and whether looked on as conquered, or subjugated, or in any other light, they were no longer capable of maintaining a hostile array, or of fighting against the supremacy of the Constitution and laws of the land. Lee's example and judgment necessi tated a course of action, similar to that which he adopted, on the part of those who were still in arms against the authority of the United States.

Gen.

In accordance with the terms here agreed upon, terms which were thankfully accepted, as liberal and generous, and redounding greatly to Gen. Grant's credit, the necessary details for carrying them into effect were at once entered Gen. Sherman, to whom Grant wrote upon. The weary and hungry troops on the 5th of April (p. 534), moved of Lee were supplied with food and directly against the rebel Gen. Joe

VOL. IV. 68.

« AnteriorContinuar »