personal memoirs-2-第21章

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Merritt's　withdrawal　inspired　the　Confederates；　who　forthwith　began

to　press　Crook；　their　line　of　battle　advancing　with　confidence　till

it　reached　the　crest　whence　I　had　reconnoitred　them。　　From　this

ground　they　could　see　Ord's　men　emerging　from　the　woods；　and　the

hopelessness　of　a　further　attack　being　plain；　the　gray　lines

instinctively　halted；　and　then　began　to　retire　toward　a　ridge

immediately　fronting　Appomattox　Court　House；　while　Ord；　joined　on　his

right　by　the　Fifth　Corps；　advanced　on　them　over　the　ground　that

Merritt　had　abandoned。



I　now　directed　my　steps　toward　Merritt；　who；　having　mounted　his

troopers；　had　moved　them　off　to　the　right；　and　by　the　time　I　reached

his　headquarters　flag　he　was　ready　for　work；　so　a　move　on　the　enemy's

left　was　ordered；　and　every　guidon　was　bent　to　the　front。　　As　the

cavalry　marched　along　parallel　with　the　Confederate　line；　and　in

toward　its　left；　a　heavy　fire　of　artillery　opened　on　us；　but　this

could　not　check　us　at　such　a　time；　and　we　soon　reached　some　high

ground　about　half　a　mile　from　the　Court　House；　and　from　here　I　could

see　in　the　low　valley　beyond　the　village　the　bivouac　undoubtedly　of

Lee's　army。　　The　troops　did　not　seem　to　be　disposed　in　battle　order；

but　on　the　other　side　of　the　bivouac　was　a　line　of　battlea　heavy

rear…guardconfronting；　presumably；　General　Meade。



I　decided　to　attack　at　once；　and　formations　were　ordered　at　a　trot

for　a　charge　by　Custer's　and　Devin's　divisions　down　the　slope　leading

to　the　camps。　　Custer　was　soon　ready；　but　Devin's　division　being　in

rear　its　formation　took　longer；　since　he　had　to　shift　further　to　the

right；　Devin's　preparations　were；　therefore；　but　partially　completed

when　an　aide…decamp　galloped　up　to　with　the　word　from　Custer；　〃Lee

has　surrendered；　do　not　charge；　the　white　flag　is　up。〃　　The　enemy

perceiving　that　Custer　was　forming　for　attack；　had　sent　the　flag　out

to　his　front　and　stopped　the　charge　just　in　time。　　I　at　once　sent

word　of　the　truce　to　General　Ord；　and　hearing　nothing　more　from

Custer　himself；　I　supposed　that　he　had　gone　down　to　the　Court　House

to　join　a　mounted　group　of　Confederates　that　I　could　see　near　there；

so　I；　too；　went　toward　them；　galloping　down　a　narrow　ridge；　staff　and

orderlies　following；　but　we　had　not　got　half　way　to　the　Court　House

when；　from　a　skirt　of　timber　to　our　right；　not　more　than　three

hundred　yards　distant；　a　musketry　fire　was　opened　on　us。　　This　halted

us；　when；　waving　my　hat；　I　called　out　to　the　firing　party　that　we

were　under　a　truce；　and　they　were　violating　it。　　This　did　not　stop

them；　however；　so　we　hastily　took　shelter　in　a　ravine　so　situated　as

to　throw　a　ridge　between　us　and　the　danger。



We　traveled　in　safety　down　this　depression　to　its　mouth；　and　thence

by　a　gentle　ascent　approached　the　Court　House。　　I　was　in　advance；

followed　by　a　sergeant　carrying　my　battleflag。　　When　I　got　within

about　a　hundred　and　fifty　yards　of　the　enemy's　line；　which　was

immediately　in　front　of　the　Court　House；　some　of　the　Confederates

leveled　their　pieces　at　us；　and　I　again　halted。　　Their　officers　kept

their　men　from　firing；　however；　but　meanwhile　a　single…handed　contest

had　begun　behind　me；　for　on　looking　back　I　heard　a　Confederate

soldier　demanding　my　battle…flag　from　the　color…bearer；　thinking；　no

doubt；　that　we　were　coming　in　as　prisoners。　　The　sergeant　had　drawn

his　sabre　and　was　about　to　cut　the　man　down；　but　at　a　word　from　me　he

desisted　and　carried　the　flag　back　to　my　staff；　his　assailant　quickly

realizing　that　the　boot　was　on　the　other　leg。



These　incidents　determined　me　to　remain　where　I　was　till　the　return

of　a　staff…officer　whom　I　had　sent　over　to　demand　an　explanation　from

the　group　of　Confederates　for　which　I　had　been　heading。　　He　came　back

in　a　few　minutes　with　apologies　for　what　had　occurred；　and　informed

me　that　General　Gordon　and　General　Wilcox　were　the　superior　officers

in　the　group。　　As　they　wished　me　to　join　them　I　rode　up　with　my

staff；　but　we　had　hardly　met　when　in　front　of　Merritt　firing　began。

At　the　sound　I　turned　to　General　Gordon；　who　seemed　embarrassed　by

the　occurrence；　and　remarked：　〃General；　your　men　fired　on　me　as　I　was

coming　over　here；　and　undoubtedly　they　are　treating　Merritt　and

Custer　the　same　way。　　We　might　as　well　let　them　fight　it　out。〃　　He

replied；　〃There　must　be　some　mistake。〃　　I　then　asked；　〃Why　not　send　a

staff…officer　and　have　your　people　cease　firing；　they　are　violating

the　flag。〃　He　answered；　〃I　have　no　staff…officer　to　send。〃　　Whereupon

I　said　that　I　would　let　him　have　one　of　mine；　and　calling　for

Lieutenant　Vanderbilt　Allen；　I　directed　him　to　carry　General　Gordon's

orders　to　General　Geary；　commanding　a　small　brigade　of　South　Carolina

cavalry；　to　discontinue　firing。　　Allen　dashed　off　with　the　message

and　soon　delivered　it；　but　was　made　a　prisoner；　Geary　saying；　〃I　do

not　care　for　white　flags：　South　Carolinians　never　surrender。。。。〃　　By

this　time　Merritt's　patience　being　exhausted；　he　ordered　an　attack；

and　this　in　short　order　put　an　end　to　General　Geary's　〃last　ditch〃

absurdity；　and　extricated　Allen　from　his　predicament。



When　quiet　was　restored　Gordon　remarked：　〃General　Lee　asks　for　a

suspension　of　hostilities　pending　the　negotiations　which　he　is　having

with　General　Grant。〃　　I　rejoined：　〃I　have　been　constantly　informed　of

the　progress　of　the　negotiations；　and　think　it　singular　that　while

such　discussions　are　going　on；　General　Lee　should　have　continued　his

march　and　attempted　to　break　through　my　lines　this　morning。　　I　will

entertain　no　terms　except　that　General　Lee　shall　surrender　to　General

Grant　on　his　arrival　here。　　If　these　terms　are　not　accepted　we　will

renew　hostilities。〃　　Gordon　replied：　〃General　Lee's　army　is

exhausted。　　There　is　no　doubt　of　his　surrender　to　General　Grant。〃



It　was　then　that　General　Ord　joined　us；　and　after　shaking　hands　all

around；　I　related　the　situation　to　him；　and　Gordon　went　away　agreeing

to　meet　us　again　in　half　an　hour。　　When　the　time　was　up　he　came　back

accompanied　by　General　Longstreet；　who　brought　with　him　a　despatch；

the　duplicate　of　one　that　had　been　sent　General　Grant　through　General

Meade's　lines　back　on　the　road　over　which　Lee　had　been　retreating。



General　Longstreet　renewed　the　assurances　that　already　had　been　given

by　Gordon；　and　I　sent　Colonel　Newhall　with　the　despatch　to　find

General　Grant　and　bring　him　to　the　front。　　When　Newhall　started；

everything　on　our　side　of　the　Appomattox　Court　House　was　quiet；　for

inevitable　surrender　was　at　hand；　but　Longstreet　feared　that　Meade；

in　ignorance　of　the　new　conditions　on　my　front　might　attack　the

Confederate　rearguard。　　To　prevent　this　I　offered　to　send　Colonel　J。

W。　Forsyth　through　the　enemy's　lines　to　let　Meade　know　of　my

agreement；　for　he　too　was　suspicious　that　by　a　renewed　correspondence

Lee　was　endeavoring　to　gain　time　for　escape。　　My　offer　being

accepted；　Forsyth　set　out　accompanied　by　Colonel　Fairfax；　of

Longstreet's　staff；　and　had　no　difficulty　in　accomplishing　his

mission。



About　five　or　six　miles　from　Appomattox；　on　the　road　toward　Prospect

Station　near　its　intersection　with　the　Walker's　Church　road；　my

adjutant…general；　Colonel　Newhall；　met　General　Grant；　he　having

started　from　north　of　the　Appomattox　River　for　my　front　the　morning

of　April　9；　in　consequence　of　the　following　despatches　which　had　been

sent　him　the　night　before；　after　we　had　captured　Appomattox　Station

and　established　a　line　intercepting　Lee：



〃CAVALRY　HEADQUARTERS；　April　8；　18659：20　P。　M。



〃LIEUTENANT…GENERAL　U。　S。　GRANT；

〃Commanding　Armies　of　the　U。　　S。



〃General：　I　marched　early　this　morning　from　Buffalo　Creek　and

Prospect　Station　on　Appomattox　Station；　where　my　scouts　had　reported

trains　of　cars　with　supplies　for　Lee's　army。　　A　short　time　before

dark　General　Custer；　who　had　the　advance；　made　a　dash　at　the　station；

capturing　four　trains　of　supplies　with　locomotives。　　One　of　the

trains　was　burned　and　the　others　were　run　back　toward　Farmville　for

security。　　Custer　then　pushed　on　toward　Appomattox　Court　House；

driving　the　enemywho　kept　up　a　heavy　fire　of　artillerycharging

them　repeatedly　and　capturing；　as　far　as　reported；　twenty…five　pieces

of　artillery　and　a　number　of　prisoners　and　wagons。　　The　First　Cavalry

Division　supported　him　on　the　right。　　A　reconnoissance　sent　across

the　Appomattox　reports　the　enemy　moving　on　the　Cumberland　road　to

Appomattox　Station；　where　they　expect　to　get　supplies。　　Custer　is

still　pushing　on。　　If　General　Gibbon　and　the　Fifth　Corps　can　get　up

to…night；　we　will　perhaps　finish　the　job　in　the　morning。　　I　do　not

think　Lee　means　to　surrender　until　compelled　to　do　so。



〃P。　H。　SHERIDAN；　Major…General。〃







〃HEADQUARTERS　CAVALRY；　April　8；　18659：40　p。m。



〃LIEUTENANT…GENERAL　U。　S。　GRANT。

〃Commanding　Armies　U。　S。



〃GENERAL：　Since　writing　tne　accompanying　despatch；　General　Custer

reports　that　his　command　has　captured　in　all　thirty…five　pieces　of

artillery；　one　thousand　prisonersincluding　one　general　officerand

from　one　hundred　and　fifty　to　two　hundred　wagons。



〃P。　H。　SHERIDAN；　Major…General。〃





In　attempting　to　conduct　the　lieutenant…general　and　staff　back　by　a

short　route；　Newhall　lost　his　bearings　for　a　time；　inclining　in

toward　the　enemy's　lines　too　far；　but　regained　the　proper　direction

without　serious　loss　of　time。　　General　Grant　arrived　about　1　o'clock

in　the　afternoon；　Ord　and　I；　dismounted；　meeting　him　at　the　edge　of

the　town；　or　crossroads；　for　it　was　little　more。　　He　remaining

mounted；　spoke　first　to　me；　saying　simply；



〃How　are　you；　Sheridan？〃　　I　assured　him　with　thanks　that　I　was

〃first…rate；〃　when；　pointing　toward　the　village；　he　asked；　〃Is

General　Lee　up　there？〃　and　I　replied：　There　is　his　army　down　in　that

valley；　and　he　himself　is　over　in　that　house　（designating　McLean's

house）　waiting　to　surrender　to　you。〃　　The　General　then　said；　〃Come；

let　us　go　over；〃　this　last　remark　being　addressed　to　both　Ord　and　me。

We　two　then　mounted　and　joined　him；　while　our　staff…officers

followed；　intermingling　with　those　of　the　general…in…chief　as　the

cavalcade　took　its　way　to　McLean's　house　near　by；　and　where　General

Lee　had　arrived　some　time　before；　in　consequence　of　a　message　from

General　Grant　consenting　to　the　interview　asked　for　by　Lee　through

Meade's　front　that　morningthe　consent　having　been　carried　by

Colonel　Babcock。



When　I　entered　McLean's　house　General　Lee　was　standing；　as　was　also

his　military　secretary；　Colonel　Marshall；　his　only　staff…officer

present。　　General　Lee　was　dressed　in　a　new　uniform　and　wore　a

handsome　sword。　　His　tall；　commanding　form　thus　set　off　contrasted

strongly　with　the　short　figure　of　General　Grant；　clothed　as　he　was　in

a　soiled　suit；　without　sword　or　other　insignia　of　his　position　except

a　pair　of　dingy　shoulder…straps。　　After　being　presented；　Ord　and　I；

and　nearly　all　of　General　Grant's　staff；　withdrew　to　await　the

agreement　as