ital of the Southern Confederacy, is ours. Truly, we have cause to rejoice, for that we have suffered so much to get for the last four years, at last is ours. In the charging of Saturday night the enemy lost a good many of their best officers, among whom was the famous General Hill, and it was told to us by some rebel prisoners that the gallant General Lee had some narrow escapes, for it was with difficulty he could be made to fall back when all was lost. Now we are ready to follow up the retreating army and will use another chapter for the chase. CHAPTER LĮ. JEFF. DAVIS-FOLLOWING UP THE RETREATING ARMY REBEL PRISONERS-STRAGGLERS THE REBEL ARMY DEMORALIZED-A RUNNING FIGHT-CAPTURE OF A WAGON TRAIN A MOTLY CROWDA NEEDED REST. It was hoped that Jeff. Davis would be captured, but he made a hasty retreat, and vamoosed the camp. Everyone is sorry he was not captured and hanged to the first "sour apple tree," as has been sung so often for the last four years. But he will have to keep his eye open pretty sharp to get away, for his race is run, and the day of retribution is at hand. Lee's destination seems to be to join Johnston's army in North Carolina, for they have left in that direction, and if they can join both armies together, probably will fight and die in the last ditch. But the question is, can Lee's army We shall see. About eight o'clock get away from us. . Monday morning, our corps, the Second, strike off on the river road on a forced march. On the road, as we pass by, can be seen all kinds of munitions of war thrown in every conceivable way by the retreating army to lighten their progress. The Fifth Corps and Sheridan's cavalry are in advance to cut off their supplies on the South Side Railroad, at Burkesville Station. We receive the news that they have captured the place, with a great quantity of supplies, which will leave the retreating army very short of provisions. We make a march of about seventeen miles. and bivouac for the night. Every man feels jubilant, and is anxious for the morrow, to renew the chase. On Tuesday we make an easy march of about nine miles, and bivouac for the night. The gallant Phil. Sheridan's cavalry are having lively times with Lee's army. Wednesday we make the Danville Railroad and pass the Fifth Corps, who are in strong works, and march to the extreme left, where we bivouac for the night, after a fifteen miles march. On this day's march we pass by thousands of rebel stragglers who are played out. They say that the main army is demoralized. Thursday morning we start on our march at eight o'clock, and strike the enemy at ten. They make a stubborn resistance for about ten minutes, but we at them with a cheer and drive them from their position. In this fight we lose a great many good men in killed and wounded. But we pass over the bodies of a great number of the enemy, who have fought their last battle for the "lost cause.' We have got the enemy now on the run, and go for them on the double-quick. Our gallant Colonel Pulford is on horseback, and it would seem as though he would be pierced with a bullet every moment. We try to have him dis mount, but he knows no fear, and leads his gallant Fifth on his noble charger. Lieutenant-Colonel Root is along, too, cheering his men. No braver soldier ever drew a sword than he. He is the beloved of those who have the good fortune to be in his command. In camp, mild but firm; in battle as brave as the bravest. Always at his post, he never lost a battle, from the first Bull Run to the present time. He will always be remembered with the greatest pleasure by those who have shared the numerous. campaigns with him in the Army of the Potomac. General Byron R. Pierce commands our old brigade. He is as cool under fire as on parade, and, nothing daunted, he leads his men in the midst of the battle, and all are proud of our gallant General. We have not space in this volume to record the bravery of every man. Suffice to say, that all have done their duty, with a few exceptions, that will not be mentioned in these pages. The enemy now have fallen back, and taken up a position near a brick house, where they fight very wickedly, as they are trying to get a large wagon train away from our reach, which is in their rear. The rebels are posted at every window in the house, and keep up a vigorous fire on us. On the crest of a hill beyond, they have a very wicked battery, which they use right lively. Now we are exposed too much for nothing and would much rather ours. charge on them than stand their fire. So the order is given to forward, and inside of two minutes the brick house is The Johnnies who fired at us are pulled out of the windows and taken prisoners. The enemy's battery still holds its position, and pour in shell quick and fast, but we have good shelter now, and wait for the rest of our lines to come up, which they do in a few minutes. All is ready now to go for the train, and the order "forward" is given once more; the rebel battery makes a hasty retreat, leaving about two hundred and fifty wagons in our hands. We have had a running fight all day of about fifteen miles, and are satisfied to bivouac. The boys are tired after their days' work, but they must go for the wagons. We find all kinds of rebel clothing and dry goods, from a private's uniform to a Major-Generals. We have plenty of rebel Major-Generals and officers of every grade in our camp, for the boys don the grey uniforms of the rebels for a change. The enthusiasm of the troops is unbounded, and all feel that the rebellion in Virginia is on its last legs. A motley crowd is in camp to-night, and feeling happy. After a talk and a smoke we lie down to get some needed rest, and sleep the sleep of the wearied soldier. CHAPTER LII. FOLLOWING UP THE ENEMY-THEY ARE BROUGHT TO BAY OF LEE AND THE REBEL, ARMY-RE- On the morning of Friday we renew our chase, and at noon overtake the enemy, who are entrenched behind some works thrown up by them the night before. They make a stubborn resistance, but all in vain, as nothing can stand now before their old adversaries, the Army of the Potomac. It is not necessary now to sacrifice many lives by charging on them, for we have men enough to surround the rem nants of Lee's army. After a sharp fight we lie down in our position, well satisfied that the enemy will be gone from our front in the morning, and such we find is the fact for on Saturday morning our skirmishers advance, and soon find out that the rebel army had left their position of the previous night. We pack up and start on the chase once more. Coming up to the high bridge on the Danville railroad, which spans the Appomattox River, we find it one vast sheet of flame. In a moment our brave pioneers jump on the bridge to save the useless destruction of that fine structure, which the enemy had set on fire in their madness. But we think they have only spited themselves, for they will have to re-build it again if they travel from Virginia to North Carolina by the modern way of travel. We still keep on our march, and leave the beautiful village of Farmville on our left. We hear cannonading a a long ways off, and think the gallant Phil. Sheridan and his famous cavalry are heading them off. At Farmville, Gen. Grant sends word to Lee to surrender and stop the unnecessary shedding of any more blood, but the rebel chief means to fight it out to the bitter end. By not surrendering at this time Gen. Lee has lost all the respect that the old Army of the Potomac ever had for him, for we know that a few days longer at the farthest, is as long as he can hold out. But in every skirmish some poor fellow must loose his life. After a march of fifteen miles we halt for the night, thinking the end of our chase is not far off. On the ever to be remembered Sunday morning, the 9th of April, 1865, we resume our chase at 8 o'clock. We hear the firing of artillery in the rear of the enemy, and can see that they are completely surrounded. All expect that they will try to make a break through our lines somewhere, but we are ready for them. Up to about |