friends who still hoped to join the fugitives; anxious even for the entrance of the national troops to put an end to the terrors of this awful night. One colonel in the rebel army made his way into Richmond after dark and was married, and then rejoined his command.

And thus amid acres of burning stores, and dwellings, and manufactories, and mills, and arsenals, and bridges, and vessels even; amid crowds of pillagers and fugitives, of slaves and soldiers, black and white; amid the crash of falling houses and exploding shells, under curtains of smoke that half obscured the blaze of the conflagration; amid rapine and riot and viler crimes the city of Richmond fell.*

Weitzel, meanwhile, had been on the alert all night, prepared to attack in the morning; but, about three A. M. on the 3rd, it became evident that the rebels were abandoning their lines. He immediately directed the troops to be wakened, and gave orders for a movement at daybreak, the pickets to advance at once and feel the enemy's position. Major General Devens,† commanding the Third division of the Twenty-fourth corps, was the first to report, at five o'clock, that his picket line had possession of the enemy's works. Upon this Weitzel sent two of his staff officers with a squadron of cavalry into Richmond, to preserve order until a larger force could arrive; while two divisions of infantry and all the

* Every incident and almost every word in this account of the condition of Richmond on the 2nd and 3rd of April is taken from rebel narratives. It has been my aim, throughout this entire history, to employ as far as possible the language of eye-witnesses or participants.

† Afterwards Attorney-General of the United States, under President Hayes.

cavalry advanced by different roads, with directions to halt at the outskirts for further orders.

The sun was an hour up, when suddenly there rose in the streets the cry of "Yankees! Yankees!" and the mass of plunderers and rioters, cursing, screaming, trampling on each other, alarmed by an enemy not yet in sight, madly strove to extricate themselves and make an opening for the troops. Soon about forty men of the Fourth Massachusetts cavalry rode into the crowd, and, trotting straight to the public square, planted their guidons on the Capitol. Lieutenant de Peyster, of Weitzel's staff, a New York stripling, eighteen years of age, was the first to raise the national colors, and then, in the morning light of the 3rd of April, the flag of the United States once more floated over Richmond.

The command of Weitzel followed not far behind, a long blue line, with gun-barrels gleaming, and bands playing " Hail Columbia," and "John Brown's soul goes marching on." One regiment was black.

The magistrates formally surrendered the city to Weitzel at the Capitol, which stands on a hill in the centre of the town, and overlooks the whole country for miles. The national commander at once set about restoring order and extinguishing the flames. Guards were established, plundering was stopped, the negroes were organized into a fire corps, and by night the force of the conflagration was subdued, the rioting was at an end, and the conquered city was rescued by the efforts of its captors from the evils which its own authorities had allowed and its own population had perpetrated.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

Flight of Lee from Petersburg-Expectation of joining Johnston-Grant moves to intercept Lee-Demoralization of enemy-Orders to ShermanParallel advance of Sheridan, Ord, and Meade-Sheridan intercepts Lee at Jetersville-Unselfishness of Meade-Army of Potomac moves by night without rations-Jefferson Davis at Burksville-Further instructions to Sherman-"Rebel armies only strategic points to strike at "-Meade arrives at Jetersville-Difference of opinion between Meade and SheridanSheridan's dispatch to Grant-"I wish you were here yourself "-Grant's night ride to Jetersville-Grant reverses arrangements of Meade-Retreat of Lee from Jetersville-Strategical dispositions of Grant-Sufferings of enemy-Ord arrives at Burksville-Read's gallant fight at High bridge— Advance of army of Potomac-Urgency of Grant-Enemy encompassed on every side-Battle of Sailor's creek-Dispositions of Sheridan-Arrival of Sixth corps-Movements of Humphreys-Success of Sheridan's manœuvres-Simultaneous attack of Wright and Merritt-Capture of Ewell's command-Flight of Lee to Farmville-Sheridan moves to Prince Edward-Advance of Ord to Farmville-Retreat of Lee across Appomattox-Humphreys crosses in pursuit-Fighting on northern bankComplicated situation at Farmville-Arrival of Grant-Disentanglement of corps-Ord, Griffin, and Crook sent to Prince Edward-Grant demands surrender of Lee-Lee refuses to surrender-Advance of both wings of national command-Sheridan arrives at Appomattox-Intercepts Lee -Arrival of Ord and Griffin-Lee attempts to break through national lines-Fails-Rebel army completely surrounded-Lee offers to surrender -Interview at Appomattox-Terms granted to Lee-Rations sent to rebel army-Second interview at Appomattox-Gratitude of rebel officersGrant returns to Washington-Army of Northern Virginia lays down its arms-Lee a prisoner in Richmond-Summary of campaign-Foresight of Grant-Contest between genius of two commanders-Designs of LeeCombinations and energy of Grant-Annihilation of rebel army-Seventyfour thousand prisoners.

On the morning of the 3rd of April, the scattered portions of Lee's command were all in flight by dif ferent roads in the valley of the Appomattox. The garrison of Richmond and the troops from Bermuda Hundred neck were crowding down from the north,

and those that had held the inner lines of Petersburg were retreating westward, while the forces cut off by the battle of Five Forks and the subsequent assaults hastened, north or south of the river, as they could, to meet their chief at Amelia court-house, which he had appointed for a rendezvous. When these all should come together, Lee would still have more than fifty thousand soldiers, and he is said to have regained his spirits when daylight dawned, and he found himself, as he hoped, on the road to join Johnston's command. "I have got my army safely out of its breastworks," he said, "and, in order to follow me, my enemy must abandon his lines, and can derive no further benefit from his railroads or the James river."

Lee evidently supposed that Grant would attempt to follow the retreating army; and his own design must have been to fall in detail upon the national command, which would necessarily break up into corps and march over different roads. Turning with a concentrated force upon these divided columns, beating them back here and there, he might himself be able to avoid any formidable blow, and effect his junction with Johnston's army. Then, possibly, a long campaign, with the national forces far from a base and supplies, might still protract the war.

But Lee had yet no experience of the remorseless energy with which Grant pursued a routed enemy. He had not served at the West, and had, therefore, no recollection of the baffled plans, the intercepted supplies, the interrupted marches of the Vicksburg campaign; and no conception whatever of the battles which came fast upon flight, the rain of blows that accompanied demands for surrender, the infantry that out-marched cavalry, the incessant attacks

and manœuvres and flanking movements with which his antagonist was wont to harass and overtake and destroy a flying foe.

Instead of moving, as Lee must have expected, if he made the remark attributed to him, behind and after the rebel army, Grant's idea from the first was to head and intercept his adversary. His plan was to move on the south side of the Appomattox and reach Burksville in advance of the enemy; and, instead of abandoning the railroads, Grant intended to put them in order as he marched. He knew already that the rebels must strike for Amelia courthouse, and they had hardly started when he directed Sheridan to cross their path. His dispatches and orders were full of these designs. On the 3rd of April, he said to Ord: "Efforts will be made to intercept the enemy, who are evidently pushing for Danville. Push south-west with your command." To Sheridan: "It is understood that the enemy will make a stand at Amelia court-house. . . . The first object of present movement will be to intercept Lee's army, the second to secure Burksville. I have ordered the railroad to be put in order up to the latter place." To Sherman: "It is my intention to take Burksville. The railroad from Petersburg can soon be put in order." To the President: "I want to cut off as much of the enemy as possible."

The columns moved according to orders, Sheridan in advance, on the River and Namozine roads, followed by Griffin, and then Meade with Humphreys and Wright; the Ninth corps stretching along behind, while Ord marched direct for Burksville, on the line of the Southside railroad. The Second corps had now been restored to Meade's command.