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rear。 To； meet it； he placed Kershaw to the right and Custis Lee to
the left of the Rice's Station road； facing them north toward and
some little distance from Sailor's Creek； supporting Kershaw with
Commander Tucker's Marine brigade。 Ewell's skirmishers held the line
of Sailor's Creek； which runs through a gentle valley； the north
slope of which was cleared ground。
By General Grant's directions the Sixth Corps had been following my
route of march since the discovery； about 9 o'clock in the morning；
that Lee had decamped from Amelia Court House。 Grant had promptly
informed me of this in a note； saying； 〃The Sixth Corps will go in
with a vim any place you may dictate；〃 so when I sent word to Wright
of the enemy's isolation； and asked him to hurry on with all speed；
his gallant corps came as fast as legs could carry them； he sending
to me successively Major McClellan and Colonel Franklin； of his
staff； to report his approach。
I was well advised as to the position of the enemy through
information brought me by an intelligent young soldier； William A。
Richardson； Company 〃A；〃 Second Ohio； who； in one of the cavalry
charges on Anderson； had cleared the barricades and made his way back
to my front through Ewell's line。 Richardson had told me just how
the main body of the enemy was posted； so as Seymour's division
arrived I directed General Wright to put it on the right of the road；
while Wheaton's men； coming up all hot and out of breath； promptly
formed on Seymour's left。 Both divisions thus aligned faced
southwest toward Sailor's Creek； and the artillery of the corps being
massed to the left and front of the Hibbon house； without waiting for
Getty's divisionfor I feared that if we delayed longer the enemy
might effect his escape toward Farmvillethe general attack was
begun。 Seymour and Wheaton； moving forward together； assailed the
enemy's front and left； and Stagg's brigade； too； which in the mean
time had been placed between Wheaton's left and Devin's right； went
at him along with them； Merritt and Crook resuming the fight from
their positions in front of Anderson。 The enemy； seeing little
chance of escape； fought like a tiger at bay； but both Seymour and
Wheaton pressed him vigorously； gaining ground at all points except
just to the right of the road； where Seymour's left was checked。
Here the Confederates burst back on us in a counter…charge； surging
down almost to the creek； but the artillery； supported by Getty； who
in the mean time had come on the ground； opened on them so terribly
that this audacious and furious onset was completely broken； though
the gallant fellows fell back to their original line doggedly； and
not until after they had almost gained the creek。 Ewell was now
hemmed in on every side； and all those under his immediate command
were captured。 Merritt and Crook had also broken up Anderson by this
time； but he himself； and about two thousand disorganized men escaped
by making their way through the woods toward the Appomattox River
before they could be entirely enveloped。 Night had fallen when the
fight was entirely over； but Devin was pushed on in pursuit for about
two miles； part of the Sixth Corps following to clinch a victory
which not only led to the annihilation of one corps of Lee's
retreating army； but obliged Longstreet to move up to Farmville； so
as to take a road north of the Appomattox River toward Lynchburg
instead of continuing toward Danville。
At the close of the battle I sent one of my staffColonel Redwood
Priceto General Grant to report what had been done； that we had
taken six generals and from nine to ten thousand prisoners。 On his
way Price stopped at the headquarters of General Meade； where he
learned that not the slightest intelligence of the occurrence on my
line had been received； for I not being under Meade's command； he had
paid no attention to my movements。 Price gave the story of the
battle； and General Meade； realizing its importance； sent directions
immediately to General Wright to make his report of the engagement to
the headquarters of the Army of the Potomac； assuming that Wright was
operating independently of me in the face of Grant's despatch Of
2 o'clock； which said that Wright was following the cavalry and would
〃go in with a vim〃 wherever I dictated。 Wright could not do else
than comply with Meade's orders in the case； and I； being then in
ignorance of Meade's reasons for the assumption； could say nothing。
But General Grant plainly intending； and even directing； that the
corps should be under my command； remedied this phase of the matter；
when informed of what had taken place； by requiring Wright to send a
report of the battle through me。 What he then did； and what his
intentions and orders were； are further confirmed by a reference to
the episode in his 〃Memoirs；〃 where he gives his reasons for ordering
the Sixth Corps to abandon the move on Amelia Court House and pass to
the left of the army。 On the same page he also says； referring to
the 6th of April： 〃The Sixth Corps now remained with the cavalry
under Sheridan's direct command until after the surrender。〃 He
unquestionably intended all of this； but his purpose was partly
frustrated by General Meade's action next morning in assuming
direction of the movements of the corps； and before General Grant
became aware of the actual conditions the surrender was at hand。
CHAPTER VIII。
LINCOLN'S LACONIC DESPATCHCAPTURING LEE'S SUPPLIESDELIGHTED
ENGINEERSTHE CONFEDERATES' LAST EFFORTA FLAG OF TRUCEGENERAL
GEARY'S 〃LAST DITCH〃 ABSURDITYMEETING OF GRANT AND LEETHE
SURRENDERESTIMATE OF GENERAL GRANT。
The first report of the battle of Sailor's Creek that General Grant
received was； as already stated； an oral message carried by Colonel
Price； of my staff。 Near midnight I sent a despatch giving the names
of the generals captured。 These were Ewell； Kershaw； Barton； Corse；
Dubose； and Custis Lee。 In the same despatch I wrote： 〃If the thing
is pressed； I think that Lee will surrender。〃 When Mr。 Lincoln； at
City Point； received this word from General Grant； who was
transmitting every item of news to the President； he telegraphed
Grant the laconic message： 〃Let the thing be pressed。〃 The morning of
the 7th we moved out at a very early hour； Crook's division marching
toward Farmville in direct pursuit； while Merritt and Mackenzie were
ordered to Prince Edward's Court House to anticipate any effort Lee
might make to escape through that place toward Danville since it had
been discovered that Longstreet had slipped away already from the
front of General Ord's troops at Rice's Station。 Crook overtook the
main body of the Confederates at Farmville； and promptly attacked
their trains on the north side of the Appomattox with Gregg's
brigade； which was fiercely turned upon and forced to re…cross the
river with the loss of a number of prisoner's； among them Gregg
himself。 When Crook sent word of this fight； it was clear that Lee
had abandoned all effort to escape to the southwest by way of
Danville。 Lynchburg was undoubtedly his objective point now； so；
resolving to throw my cavalry again across his path； and hold him
till the infantry could overtake him； I directed everything on
Appomattox depot； recalling Crook the night of the 7th to Prospect
Station； while Merritt camped at Buffalo Creek； and Mackenzie made a
reconnoissance along the Lynchburg railroad。
At break of day； April 8； Merritt and Mackenzie united with Crook at
Prospect Station； and the cavalry all moved then toward Appomattox
depot。 Hardly had it started when one of the scoutsSergeant White…
…informed me that there were four trains of cars at the depot loaded
with supplies for Lee's army； these had been sent from Lynchburg； in
compliance with the telegram of Lee's commissary…general； which
message； it will be remembered； was captured and transmitted to
Lynchburg by two of Young's scouts on the 4th。 Sergeant White； who
had been on the lookout for the trains ever since sending the
despatch； found them several miles west of Appomattox depot feeling
their way along； in ignorance of Lee's exact position。 As he had the
original despatch with him； and took pains to dwell upon the pitiable
condition of Lee's army； he had little difficulty in persuading the
men in charge of the trains to bring them east of Appomattox Station；
but fearing that the true state of affairs would be learned before
long； and the trains be returned to Lynchburg； he was painfully
anxious to have them cut off by breaking the track west of the
station。
The intelligence as to the trains was immediately despatched to
Crook； and I pushed on to join him with Merritt's command。 Custer
having the advance； moved rapidly； and on nearing the station
detailed two regiments to make a detour southward to strike the
railroad some distance beyond and break the track。 These regi