nessee and the whole tier of Southern States, to appear on the Atlantic and join his commander and friend in accepting the surrender of all that remains of the Confederacy.

Among all the cavalry raids of the war, of which there were so many, of such a large force, such a peculiar organization, with such a broad arena, and which developed such able commanders on both sides, Sheridan's raid around Lee's army in the Wilderness campaign, and the help it was to Grant, was the most important as well as the most brilliant of any. The object of it was, as stated by General Grant: "If successfully executed-and it was-he would annoy the enemy by cutting his lines of supplies and telegraphic communications, and destroy or get for his own use supplies in store or coming up; would draw the enemy's cavalry after him, and thus better protect our flanks, rear and trains, than by remaining with the army; and his absence would save the trains drawing his forage and other supplies from Fredericksburg, which had now become our base. He started at daylight on the morning of the 9th of May, just after the battle of the Wilderness, and accomplished more than was expected. It was sixteen days before he got back to the Army of the Potomac.". ["War Book," Vol. IV, p. 116.

"The fifteen thousand' paper strength of the corps," says General Rodenbrough, who was engaged in these operations, "was sifted to 12,424 effectives. There were three divisions, subdivided into seven brigades. To each division were attached two batteries of horse artillery, with the same number as a reserve. The command was stripped of all impediments, such as unserviceable animals, wagons and tents. The necessary ammunition train, two ambulances to a division, a few pack mules for baggage, three-days' rations, and a halfday's forage carried on the saddle composed the outfit. On the 9th day of May, 1864, at 6 A. M., this magnificent body of 10,000 horsemen moved out on the Telegraph road leading from Fredericksburg to Richmond. According to a Southern authority it took four hours at a brisk pace to pass a given point; to those who viewed it from behind barred windows and doors, it was like the rush of a mighty torrent."-["War Book," Vol. IV, p. 189.

Passing around the Confederate army by the southwest, late in the afternoon they struck the Virginia Central railroad, and at an opportune moment, for there were two

of Winchester, October 19, which has become as graphic in picture and song-so familiar as "Sheridan's Ride "-as it proved important to the success of the war, in shutting off inroads from that quarter, and in shutting out the Confederacy from that storehouse of its supplies.

trains of cars carrying wounded and prisoners from Spottsylvania, just ready to start for Richmond. In a moment 378 Union captives rent the air with cheers for their deliverance, while the troops, after reserving what they needed, set fire to the trains and buildings with a million and a half of rations and supplies for Lee's army. The railroad track and telegraph were destroyed through the night for some distance, when by morning Stewart with his cavalry force was upon them, skirmishing with them briskly and attacking them with vigor, and our troops pushed on across the South Anna, defeating the enemy's cavalry after a severe encounter, and destroying culverts, trestle bridges and six miles of track. On the fourth day they encountered Stuart with his main body of cavalry, where a "determined stand was made for the right of way to the Confederate capital, distant only six miles." Here is where General Stuart fell, who had been to General Lee thus far in his most important operations, what Sheridan was becoming to General Grant, and was greatly bemourned, not only for the loss of his military ability, but also for his personal worth. General Rodenbrough, who was one of Sherman's officers and engaged in this expedition with the magnanimity of a true soldier, pays this generous tribute to his opponent: "Deep in the hearts of all true cavalrymen, North and South, will ever burn a sentiment of admiration mingled with regret for this knightly soldier and generous man."

From this point the expedition pressed on with the utmost vigor until it was within the outer defenses of the city. Here it was betrayed into an ambush from which it escaped with difficulty. Then it took the wrong road, from which it had to be recalled. Next they had a struggle for a bridge as their only escape, and with an unknown force. "This," as they said, "was the tightest place we ever got into." Just then Sheridan, with his quick invention and inspiring presence, appeared on the scene. "Pushed hard, are ye! What

do you suppose we have in front of us? A lot of department clerks from Richmond, who have been forced into the ranks. I could capture Richmond, if I wanted, but I can't hold it, and the prisoners tell me that every house in the suburbs is loopholed and the streets barricaded. It isn't worth the men it would cost, but I'll stay all day to show these fellows how much I care for them, and go when I get ready. Send for your caissons and take it easy." The enemy had torn up the bridge, and were in same force on the opposite bank. Merritt dismounted all but three regiments to repair the bridge. Custer charged his men over the railroad bridge to cover the reconstruction. As soon as the flooring was down, the mounted force under Colonel Gibbs crossed. Gregg and Wilson covered the crossing of the ammunition and ambulance trains, and after a brisk affair with a brigade of infantry and cavalry, the raiders were well out of their net, and on their way to our army under Butler, whence after the briefest rest and muchneeded supplies were procured, they set off to find Grant. After a forty-hours' night march they found him on the morning of the 25th, having successfully performed their allotted task. "They had deprived Lee's army for the time being of its eyes and ears'-or means of obtaining information of the enemy-damaged his communications, destroyed an immense quantity of supplies, deprived them of their great cavalry leader, secured our great army train of 4,000 wagons from annoyance, saved our government the subsistence of 10,000 horses and men for three weeks, perfected the morale of the cavalry corps, and produced a moral effect of incalculable value to the Union cause. Sheridan's casualties on the raid were 625 men killed or wounded, and 300 horses."

Whatever it gained, this Wilderness campaign plunged the whole nation, South as well as North, into anguish such as it never knew before or since. The loss of 50,000

men on one side by death, wounds and imprisonment, and of two-thirds as many on the other, reaching as far as a military draft could reach or patriotism extend, was sure to spread universal and the deepest sorrow. It was like that scene described in vision by the Prophet Jeremiah, where he saw his people carried away into their Babylonian captivity, and beheld their old ancestress standing by the roadside as they passed, and wringing her hands in hopeless despair: "A voice was heard in Rama, lamentation and bitter weeping; Rachael weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not."

That was a heavy price paid for the reformation and recovery of God's people. And while ours seemed at the time too heavy a cost for almost any blessings, we are fast coming to think differently of it, and to regard the restoration of our Union, the reorganization of our Republic, the recovery of equal rights for all men, and the re-establishment of successful self-government in both Church and State, for the imitation of mankind in all future time, as worth it all, as so many martyrs have done; for the glory of God, and the welfare of our fellow-men.

CHAPTER XX.

SHERMAN'S CAMPAIGN IN GEORGIA.

The Capture of Atlanta and Removal of the Inhabitants-Preparing for the March to the Sea-Capture of Savannah.

When General Grant, now lieutenant general of all the armies, set out for Richmond early in May, 1864, General Sherman started the same day on his march through Georgia. Both expeditions were parts of the same plan. Never were commanders more fully possessed of each other's confidence, or more generous toward each other's fame, than these. Instead of the jealousies and bickerings which had existed in the Army of the Potomac, and the want of harmony between the commander-in-chief and the War Department, and the disposition of the government to carry on a campaign in its details a thousand miles away from the war office, there was now to be confidence and co-operation, and a generous regard for each others fame, as well as superb military ability and the noblest patriotism. General Grant says:

In my first interview with Mr. Lincoln alone, he stated to me that he had never professed to be a military man, or to know how campaigns should be conducted, and never wanted to interfere in them; but that procrastination on the part of commanders, and the pressure from the people at the North and from Congress, which was always with him, forced him into issuing his “Military Orders." He did not know that they were not all wrong, and did know that some of them were. All he wanted, or had ever wanted, was some one who would take the responsibility and act, and call on him for assistance needed; he would pledge himself to use all the power of the government in rendering such assistance. Assuring him that I would do the best I