"'Now, let us see what we can do with the enemy.'
"This portion of the country was covered with forests and swampy streams. During the night the rain fell in torrents, and by the next morning it seemed impossible for man or beast to move without sticking in the quicksands. The rain continued, and a deep gloom seemed to settle over our army. Some who were in Silent's confidence suggested a return to our former lines, but Silent could not see how we could go back if not forward.
"Just at this moment Sherlin came riding up, through rain and mud, and suggested that an advance was sure of success. Silent at once gave him orders to return and take possession of Five Forks. The enemy was now confronted by our army at every point.
"Sherlin, on his return, at once sent one of his divisions forward.
The conditions of the roads prevented any serious assault with cavalry.
Warner was now advanced, extending his left across the Boydton road, He fortified his position, but did not attack; the enemy were too strong in his front. Hume, meanwhile, attacked the enemy and drove him from his advanced position. On account of mud and bad roads no further movement was made during that day.
"On the next day, however, as Silent had suggested to Meador, the enemy made a heavy assault on Warner's left, and pressed his whole corps back some distance. Hume sent Milo with his division to Warner's support. The rebels were now checked. The Second Corps was sent to Milo and the enemy were attacked in flank in front of Warner, and were driven back to their original line. Warner now moved up, supported by Milo, and gained a lodgment on the White Oak road. Sherlin was attacked near Dinwiddie and a severe battle ensued, which continued until dark, Sherlin holding his ground.
"Both parties lay upon their arms that night within a stone's throw of each other. During the night the Fifth Corps was ordered to the support of Sherlin. The enemy, discovering this movement, retreated early in the morning, Sherlin following and assaulting them at every opportunity.
Laws had instructed his infantry and cavalry that Five Forks must be held. Sherlin well knew the importance of this position; Petersville must fall with this in our possession. He ordered Mullet to assault in front with his cavalry, while the Fifth Corps, and McKenon, with his cavalry, were to hold the White Oak road and to drive the enemy back toward Petersville. At five o'clock the assault was made. The cavalry dismounted and fought on foot. The division of the Fifth Corps under Griffith and one brigade under Ames charged the rebel ranks, and under the inspiration of the bands playing and the lead of the intrepid Sherlin, the works were stormed by our men and the rebels routed, leaving 6,000 prisoners in our hands. Five Forks was ours, and a noble day's work had been accomplished. This was the first great battle fought in the last campaign against the rebel Capital.
"Gen. Silent now ordered the enemy's works assaulted at three points at four o'clock the next morning, April 2. Promptly on time Wight and Parker moved against the strong works of the enemy in their front. They broke over the enemy's picket-line with ease; but now in their front frowned heavy earthworks and forts. They moved under a galling and deadly fire, tearing away abatis and all kinds of obstructions until they came to the main works. Here the contest was severe and bloody.
Bayonets clashed and musketry rattled; but our troops seemed to know that the end was near, and nothing could stay or resist them. They climbed and leaped over parapet and wall and into the enemy's trenches, capturing men and guns. The advance of our men could not be stopped.
They pressed forward to the railroad, tore up the track, and turned and swept right and left down the enemies' lines. Soon the whole line, from the point of attack to Hatcher's Run, and all the artillery and forts were in our possession.
"Parker made his assault near the Jerusalem road. His column stormed and carried the works in his front, capturing twelve pieces of artillery and about 1,000 prisoners.
"Orden now assaulted, Gen. Anderson's division leading. The fighting was severe, the rebels saw that this kind of fighting meant the capture of Richmond. Anderson led his men in person, and was one of the first to scale the enemy's works. The enemy retreated in great haste. Anderson again recognized Joseph Whitthorne leading one of the brigades in retreat.
"'My God?' he exclaimed, 'am I always to meet this man in battle!'
"Orden turned his command to the right and joined on with Wight, and they now made their lines strong in order to resist the enemy, as they expected him to attempt a recapture. It had now become one continuous battlefield, from Petersville to and beyond Five Forks. Silent now determined to face Meador's entire command, as well as Orden's, in toward Petersville, and take it if possible. The entire rebel army was rushing to the defense of Petersville. Sherlin was moving on the White Oak road toward the city. Laws was exerting himself to stay the tide.
Gadden was ordered to drive Parker back from his Une. Hiller and Mahoney were gathering all the fragments of commands that they could find and reorganizing them. Longpath, who had not been engaged, was ordered to cross the James River to the south side, for the defense of this portion of the line. Laws telegraphed his chief, the President of the Confederacy, of the imminent danger to his army.
"The enemy now assailed Parker's line, which was on both sides of the Jerusalem road, and several desperate efforts were made to dislodge him, but being re-enforced he held his position. His line included several forts, and also commanded the main bridge across the Appomattox, almost the only exit then left to the enemy. The rebels were now concentrating their forces within an interior line of very heavy works immediately surrounding the city. There were, however, two strong forts outside of this line not yet captured by our forces--Forts Gregg and Baldwin. Orden was directed to take Fort Gregg, and two of his brigades, commanded by Turnlee and Forest, made the assault. After one or two repulses they succeeded in storming and capturing the entire garrison. Both sides fought gallantly. It was finally taken at the point of the bayonet.
"Milo was now attacking the enemy near the intersection of the White Oak and Claiborne roads, but finding him too well intrenched, had to fall back some distance.
"Late in the afternoon Sherlin, with the Fifth Corps and a portion of his cavalry, struck the enemy who had repulsed Milo in their works that day, taking them in flank. He routed them, capturing nearly 1,000 prisoners.
He pursued, and struck them every opportunity, until finally they threw away their arms and took shelter in the woods. Night covering their retreat the darkness saved them. The day's work left about fifty pieces of artillery and 12,000 prisoners in our hands.
"All west of the center of Laws's army had been driven by Sherlin across the Appomattox, and the rest had been forced inside the interior lines around Petersville, from which there was no escape save by bad roads--country highways. Laws was now struggling to get his army out and escape, so as to join Jones, and get the best terms he could after one more short campaign.
"Gen. Hiller, of the rebel army, fell that day. Laws had him buried that night, and after the last rites were paid, he rode with his staff out of the city, and in accordance with orders previously given, the whole rebel army, save a small picket-line, filed out and moved in the direction of Amelia Court-house. Parker, under his orders to feel the enemy during the night, discovered the movement, captured the rebel pickets, and the city was surrendered at four o'clock the next morning.
Laws burned behind him the small bridges on the Appomattox and blew up his forts on the James River.
"The next morning Silent ordered Meador immediately up the Appomatox River. Sherlin was ordered to push for the Danville Railroad with Hume and Griffith and all the cavalry. Orden was directed to push south-west, on the Cox road. Silent waited until he got news of the surrender of the rebel Capital and the flight of Davis and his Cabinet; then he pushed out on the road to his army marching to intercept Laws. Mullett, being in the advance, came upon the enemy at Deep Run, on the 3d of April, and then a battle ensued, in which the rebels were defeated and put to flight. The road was strewn with caissons, ammunition, clothing, and all kinds of material used by an army.
"This was evidence of the great demoralization of the enemy.
"At 5 p.m. on the 4th, Sherlin, with the head of the column of the Fifth Corps, arrived at Geterville, capturing Law's dispatch to Danville for rations, his army being entirely destitute of food. He was at Amelia, but our forces were in his front and in possession of the Danville road.
"On the 5th, Silent received information from Sherlin, that Laws and his whole army were at Amelia, and that he (Sherlin) had possession of the road to Burkesville. He sent Davies' division on a reconnaissance in the direction of Painstown to see if any movement was being made by the enemy. This command struck a train of wagons, burned them, and captured five pieces of artillery and several hundred prisoners. The enemy moved out a stronger force and renewed the contest, but were driven back.
"Meador had now arrived with his force and joined Sherlin, but failed to attack, he being the senior and then in command. Silent rode late in the night to Sherlin's headquarters, and at once ordered an attack at four in the morning, but said that Laws would steal away that night. The next morning he was gone, and changing his course, was now heading for Lynchburg. Pursuit was immediately made. Hume struck the rear of the enemy at Deatonville, and at once attacked him. Crooker and Mullett attacked the enemy's wagon train in flank. Orden had arrived at Rice Station, and was intrenched, so as to prevent any further movement of the enemy south. At four o'clock Wight's Corps came up and at once went into action and carried the road two miles south of Deatonville, breaking the enemy in twain. Hume was on his rear and Sherlin on his flank. Hume here moved to the right after one of the fragments, in the direction of the Appomattox.
"Wight now drove the enemy in his front two miles into a swampy, marshy bottom of Sailor's Run. The cavalry were now to the left, where they were burning and destroying the wagon trains of the enemy. The rebels in front of Wight's Sixth Corps had crossed the run, and were throwing up breastworks, Sherlin ordered the stream crossed and their works assaulted. This was done by two divisions. The fight was a desperate one. The works were carried on the enemy's left, but a division of the enemy came sweeping down on our flank and drove the troops of the Sixth Corps back across the stream.
"Just at this moment Mullett's division of cavalry came charging down on the enemy's rear. The Sixth Corps again advanced, and a most desperate and bloody hand-to-hand bayonet and saber contest now took place. Our artillerymen opened on the lines of the enemy some twenty guns. Our lines were now closing around them. Crooker had come up with his command and closed the gap. The enemy threw down their arms and surrendered--7,000 men and fourteen pieces of artillery, with Gen.
Ewelling and his seven subordinate Generals. This utterly destroyed the entire command that was covering Laws's retreat.
"Hume had pursued the fragment of the enemy which he had opposed in the morning to the mouth of the run, some fifteen miles, attacking and fighting--a running battle all the day--as well as fording streams, building bridges, etc. The last stand of the enemy was stubborn. Hume's command was victorious. His captures during the day were four pieces of artillery, thirteen stands of colors and about 2,000 prisoners. Night now drew her curtain over the scene, and our troops lay down to rest.
"The next day was used almost entirely in winding the coil more closely around Laws's army. Hume and Crooker were on the north side of the river confronting Laws; McKenon was at Prince Edwards; the cavalry column was moving in the direction of Appomattox Station; the second and Sixth Corps were moving to the north side of the river to attack the next day; Mullett was pushed to the south side to Buffalo Station; the Fifth and Twenty-fourth Corps were moving on Prospect Station, south of the river, to prevent Laws from escaping in that direction; Orden was following Sherlin, having taken with him Griffith, with instructions to attack the head of Laws's column. The next morning news was received that Stoner had entered Lynchburg and was holding it. During the greater part of the night the armies of the Union were moving in the direction assigned them. Gen. Silent occupied the old tavern at Farmville, where Laws had slept the night before.
"After the last of his forces on this line had passed, Silent was sitting quietly on the porch, thinking Laws must surrender the next morning. He concluded to send him a note suggesting his surrender, to stop the further effusion of blood, stating that the last few days must convince him of the hopelessness of his cause. He sent the note. Soon after this he was about to retire, when he heard his name pronounced.
He looked and saw the same form as heretofore mentioned, which spoke in these words:
"'Laws will not surrender if possible to escape with any portion of his force. Do not let your army rest until he is surrounded completely.'
"Silent returned to the porch, and did not retire that night. About midnight he received Laws's reply, saying he did not feel as Gen. Silent thought on the subject of surrender, and during the night again moved out in order to escape.
"On the morning of the 8th our forces moved at once. Slight contests only occurred during the day. At night the head of our cavalry column reached Appomattox Station. The enemy were coming in quite a force for supplies, there being at the station four heavily-loaded trains, which had just arrived, for Laws's army. One train was burned, and the others were sent to Farmville. The enemy made an assault on our forces, but were repulsed, 25 pieces of artillery and many prisoners falling into our hands.
"Sherlin was here, with no force as yet save two divisions of his cavalry. He moved a force on the road in the direction of Farmville and found Laws's whole army moving to Appomattox. Orden and Griffith were marching rapidly to join Sherlin, and by marching all night reached Appomattox at 6 A.M. on the morning of the 9th, just as Laws was moving his head of column with the intention of brushing away Sherlin's cavalry and securing the supplies. Laws had no suspicion of infantry having joined our cavalry at Appomattox. Orden was the senior and commanded the two corps of infantry--his own and Griffith's, formerly Warner's. These troops were deployed in line of battle across the road where Laws must pass, the cavalry in front covering the infantry. Crooker moved out and was soon hotly engaged with the enemy. He fell back slowly, and finally our cavalry moved off to the right, leaving the road apparently open to the rebels. They, seeing this, sent up a shout and started as if to pursue the cavalry, when, to their utter amazement, Gen. Tom Anderson came charging down at the head of his division upon the head of Laws's column, and at the same time our battle line advanced. The enemy were rolled back in great demoralization, our lines pressing them on every side.
"Anderson was assaulting them in front. Griffith was on one flank, and Sherlin, moving around quickly on the enemy's left, was just ordering a charge, when Laws sent a flag of truce and asked for a cessation of hostilities. The cordon was now complete. Laws and his army were at our mercy. Laws surrendered his army that day, and thus the rebellion virtually ended.
"The news sped on the wings of lightning, and the joy that found vent throughout the North no pen could do justice to by way of description.
Old and young wept, embraced and shouted aloud, with their hearts full of the glad tidings. None but the class of rebel sympathizers before mentioned mourned at the sad fate of the enemy.
"The next day after the surrender of Laws, Gen. Anderson and his staff were riding around the field taking observations. While passing down near Longpath's Corps, suddenly a man in a rebel General's uniform, with two other officers, came dashing up to the General and halted. It was Joseph Whitthorne. He cried out:
"'Tom Anderson, is that you?'
"Gen. Anderson responded affirmatively, at the same time saluting him in proper military style. At this Whitthorne drew his pistol and was just in the act of firing at the General, when Lieut. Whitcomb rushed at him and ran him through with his sword. He fell from his horse and expired.
Gen. Anderson shed tears, but did not disclose to anyone present the close relationship existing between them. This occurrence was of such a character as might have caused trouble with the troops, so it was kept quiet. The officers present on both sides deemed this course the best under the circumstances. Lieut. Whitcomb never knew of the relationship, Gen. Anderson's wife, Whitthorne's sister, always thought her brother was killed in one of the last battles. The General revealed the facts only to myself.
"The joy that now pervaded the North lasted for but a brief space of time before sorrow and deep mourning took its place.
"You remember that Alston, one of the Canadian conspirators, had been arrested and placed in prison at Washington on the charge that, he, with others, were intending to attempt the capture of the President. This having failed, doubtless the last resort had been agreed upon by Thomlinson, Carey and their allies. Page had returned from Richmond with Durham and met Wilkes at Baltimore, where this diabolical scheme was agreed upon. The President, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of War, and Gen. Silent were all to share the same fate. Wilkes, doubtless, with his picked few, were to dog the President, Page the Secretary of State, and Durham the Secretary of War, and others to in some way destroy Silent. My son Henry returned from Canada on the 14th of April, and stated to me that Wintergreen said the three above named were near Washington and would do their work well, each selecting his man; that Thomlinson and Carey had left for Europe on the 6th of April.
"Henry left that night for Washington with this information for the President and his Secretaries. His trip, however, was for naught, as on that night the assassins did their work in part. Wilkes did his, and Mr. Lincoln, the noblest of all men, fell by the bullet of his murderer.
Page tried his hand, but failed to complete his task. Durham failed entirely from some cause.
"Henry arrived in Washington the next evening, when he saw the Secretary of War. He told him to say nothing, as they would all be put on their guard by these facts being made public. Gen. Silent only escaped, as it seemed, by a miracle, as he had agreed to accompany the President that night and was only prevented by his wife's trunks with her wardrobe being carried by Washington to Baltimore that afternoon.
[Illustration: The shooting of President Lincoln by Wilkes 431]
"The intelligence of Mr. Lincoln's death, as it trembled along the wires on the morning of the 15th to every portion of this Republic, coming as it did in the midst of universal rejoicing, firing of cannon and unfurling of banners, struck dumb those who a moment before were shouting with joy. Language nor pen can adequately express the horror and grief with which the people were stricken. A Nation's shouts of joy and triumph at one moment, were the next turned into grief and sorrow.
The people were bowed down and bathed in tears. The shadows of gloom were on every countenance. The flags that were floating in triumph one moment were the next at half-mast. Almost instantaneously all houses were draped in mourning. Women ran into the streets wringing their hands and weeping aloud. Children ran to and fro to learn the cause of the great change from joy to overwhelming grief. Each family wept as though for the loss of their first-born. The soldiers in the field had lost their idol; the colored people had lost their deliverer from the wilderness of slavery.
"The people gathered in their places of worship and mingled their tears with their prayers. A dark pall hung over the whole land. The people seemed to lose heart. The very earth seemed to groan and cry out against the horrible deed. The enemies of the Government were alarmed and shocked at this terrible crime, growing out of their own course of conduct. Foreign Governments were horrified at the atrocity of the fiendish resentment shown. Many men became alarmed and hastened to leave the country. Some left for Mexico, some for South America, and some for Europe.
"The Vice-President had now taken the oath of office and had entered upon the duties of President. Lincoln was dead; the last act in the bloody drama on the program of the conspirators had been played."