patriarchal times once more! Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, Isaac, and Ishmael, all in one boat." General Sherman laughed heartily, and General Grant's countenance was illuminated by a smile. The President added, "I reckon they will accept the situation now they can sell their cotton at a price never dreamed of before the war." (") All present turned to a map lying on a table. "We are in a position to catch Lee between our thumb and finger," said Sherman, pointing to Grant's position at Petersburg, and his own at Goldsboro'. In the cabin of the River Queen the next advance of the armies was discussed by the President, Grant, and Sherman. The last named thus narrates the conversation: "Mr. Lincoln made many inquiries about the events which attended the march from Savannah to Goldsboro', and seemed to enjoy the humorous stories about our bummers which he had heard. When in lively conversation his face brightened wonderfully, but if the conversation flagged it assumed a sad and sorrowful expression. General Grant and I explained to him that my next move would bring my army of 80,000 men in close communication with Grant's army, and that unless Lee could escape, and make junction with Johnston in North Carolina, he would soon be shut up in Richmond, with no possibility of supplies, and would have to surrender. Mr. Lincoln seemed unusually impressed with this. General Grant said that Sheridan was passing his cavalry across James River, and he would extend his left to the south side road. If Lee let go his fortified lines he (Grant) would follow him so close that Lee could not possibly fall on me alone in North Carolina. I expressed the fullest confidence that my army was willing to cope with Lee and Johnston combined till Grant could come up. We both agreed that one more bloody battle probably would be fought before the close of the war. .. More than once he exclaimed, Must more blood be shed? Cannot this last bloody battle be avoided?' We explained that we had to presume Lee must see that Johnston alone was no barrier to my progress, and if my army should reach Burksville he was lost in Richmond. We were forced to believe he would not await that inevitable conclusion, but make one more desperate effort. . . . We talked generally about what was to be done when Lee's and Johnston's armies were beaten and dispersed. On this point Mr. Lincoln was very full. He said he had long thought of it, and he hoped this end could be reached without more bloodshed, but in any event he wanted us to get the deluded men of the rebel armies disbanded and back to their homes. He contemplated no revenge, no harsh measures, but quite the contrary. Their sufferings and hardships during the war would make them submissive to law." () General Grant was not disposed to wait till Sherman should reach Burksville. He desired to compel Lee to meet him in the open field. If he were to wait, the soldiers from the Western States might become unduly elated by a feeling of superior prowess over those from the Eastern States. He determined the Army of the Potomac should have an opportunity of finishing the work it had thus far maintained against the strongest of the Confederate armies. He made the Fifth Corps and the cavalry a movable force to operate on his left, and changed his headquarters to be near the scene of action. "I feel like ending the matter, if possible, before going back," he said to Sheridan. The cavalry of General Lee and three brigades of Pickett's division of infantry confronted Sheridan at Dinwiddie Court-house. The battle ended in the retirement of the Confederates to Five Forks, towards which the Fifth Corps and the cavalry advanced. Mar. 31. April 1. It was nearly four o'clock in the afternoon when I reached General Sheridan's headquarters. Ayer's division of infantry was advancing through the woods. The cavalry had dismounted, and were fighting as infantry. The movement of the Fifth Corps threatened to separate Pickett from the main body of Lee's army. The Confederate soldiers lost heart at the moment when they needed the most courage. The troops under Sheridan swept over the Confederate intrenchments and captured 6000 prisoners, six cannon, and thirteen battle-flags. General Grant was at Dabney's Mill, six miles away. He had listened to the cannonade and the volleys of musketry, which suddenly ceased. What its meaning? The battle was over, but which side was victorious? Horace Porter, of his own staff, brought the news. Grant stepped into his tent and wrote an order to Meade: "Assault along the whole line!" He sent a second telegram to President Lincoln at City Point: “I have ordered everything to advance, to prevent concentration against Sheridan." He telegraphed to Meade: "I believe that with a bombardment beforehand the enemy will abandon his works." The time had arrived when the whole army was to take part. In the evening at ten o'clock the cannonade began. It was continued through the night, from James River to the extreme left of the Union He compre line. President Lincoln heard the deep reverberations. hended that the decisive hour was near, and was turning over the profound questions that presented themselves to his mind. On what basis ought the conquered States to be restored to the Union? What clemency ought he to show the men who had led the Southern States into the Rebellion? What should be done with Jefferson Davis? Would it not be well for the country if the leaders were to escape to some foreign land? Congress would not be in session before December. Such questions as were likely to arise must not be left to the military authorities for settlement. He alone must deal with them. NOTES TO CHAPTER XXVI. (1) Weed's "Memoirs,” vol. ii., p. 449. (2) Horace Porter, "Century Magazine," October, 1885. (3) Ibid. (4) Ibid. (5) Jay Cooke to Author. (*) Author's Note-book, 1865. (7) Sherman to I. N. Arnold, Arnold's “Life of Abraham Lincoln,” p. 421. THE CHAPTER XXVII. IN RICHMOND, HE stars were shining from a cloudless sky and day was dawning when the troops of the Ninth Army Corps rushed upon the Confederate intrenchments east of Petersburg, captured twelve cannon and 800 prisoners. The Sixth and Second corps were in motion. Sunday, President Lincoln knew Grant had determined to make the most April 2, 1865. of the advantage gained at Five Forks. A little later came the information that the Second and Sixth corps were engaged. I watched the varied movements, saw the white battle-clouds above the contending forces, beheld the last charge-compact lines rising like an ocean billow over the fortifications and then the flag of the Union waving in triumph. Very gratifying the telegram from Grant to the President: "The whole captures are not less than twelve thousand, and probably fifty pieces of artillery." To the Union armies it was a day of victories. The people of Richmond in the early morning heard the church bells summoning the corps of citizen soldiers to the rendezvous. Many times during the siege had the tocsin sounded-so often that the clanging created no alarm. The corps was organized for guard duty, or to hold some unimportant point, that Lee might have the entire army in an emergency. No information had been received of the battle at Five Forks. During the night Longstreet's corps had been passing through the city to attack Sheridan. Before Lee could execute the plan his Again the church bells-not clanging, whole line was being assailed. "What news have you?" asked a lady of an officer, as they walked to Rev. Mr. Hoge's church. "All quiet. The croakers are peaceful," the reply. "Do you think Richmond safe?" "Never safer. We had a narrow escape from being starved out a few weeks ago. It frightened people into crowding provisions into the city. I am assured this morning that we have not been so safe for many months."(1) Secretary Breckinridge was sitting in his office when this startling despatch came to him from General Lee: “My lines are broken. Richmond must be evacuated to-night." The worshippers in St. Paul's Church had finished the devotional service and the rector was preaching, when an officer walked up the aisle and handed a slip of paper to Jefferson Davis. The people saw he was much agitated as he hastily left the church. The service closed abruptly. The news that the city was to be evacuated quickly spread. There was hurrying to and fro, and activity everywhere. A Southern historian has thus pictured the scene: "The disorder increased every hour, the streets were thronged. Pale women and little shoeless children struggled in the crowd. Oaths and blasphemous shouts smote the ear. Wagons were being hastily loaded at the departments with boxes and trunks, which were taken to the Danville depot. All the departments were in confusion. There was Important officers were invisible, and every one felt no system, no answer to inquiries. like taking care of himself." (2) The mayor of the city was informed by General Ewell that the tobacco warehouses were to be set on fire; it would endanger the entire city, but he must obey orders. The mayor and a deputation of citizens called upon President Davis, and protested against the execution of the order. "Your statement," said Davis, "that the burning of the warehouses will endanger the city is only a cowardly pretext to save your property from the Yankees." () General Ewell endeavored to impress upon the authorities the necessity of providing protection against the mob after the withdrawal of the troops. A half-dozen members of the council hastily assembled, and decided that the liquor in the city should be destroyed. The railroad to Danville and the James River Canal were the only avenues by which the Confederate Government could leave. Coaches, wagons, carts, vehicles of every description, were brought into use to convey to the railroad station chests and boxes packed with public documents and the personal baggage of Jefferson Davis and his CabiAn excited crowd gathered. Women gave way to lamentations, men cursed and blasphemed, as soldiers with fixed bayonets pushed net. |