1881.1 ^^ [Carson. 



enemy at Flat creek, his men partly fording the stream, armpit deep, and 

 partly crossing it upon a hastily improvised bridge, and after having been 

 engaged in seven stand-up fights over a distance of fourteen miles, and 

 carried several partially entrenched positions defended by artillery, closed 

 the day with a sharp action at nightfall "with Gordon's division at Per- 

 kinson's Mill, near the mouth of Sailor's creek. In the meanwhile Ewell's 

 division, "split off by Humphreys," fell into the hands of the cavalry at 

 Little Sailor's creek, and surrendered about six thousand men.* 



During the night, the enemy again slipped away, but in the morning, 

 shortly after daylight, Humphreys swept down upon High Bridge, and 

 secured the only viaduct across the Appomatox which the Confederates 

 had not burned or succeeded in destroying in their hurried flight. Four 

 miles further on, at the Heights of Farmville, or Cumberland Church, 

 Humphreys again fell upon a solid body of the enemy, and as the roar of 

 his guns burst upon the ear, Lee is reported to have said, "There is that 

 Second Corps again." Here Humphreys held him until night, having 

 sent word to General Meade that Lee's whole remaining force, about 

 18,000 infantry, had been overtaken, and suggesting that a corps should 

 attack Lee from the direction of Farmville, four miles off, at the same 

 time that the Second Corps attacked from the opposite direction. The 

 river near Farmville proved impassable, and Humphreys was obliged to 

 contend with the enemy without support. The enemy's position was 

 naturally strong and well entrenched, and though Humphreys failed to 

 carry it, he clung so persistently to his purpose as to succeed in detaining 

 Lee there until night, a loss of invaluable time which he could not regain 

 by night marching. He therefore lost the supplies awaiting him at Appo- 

 matox station, and Sheridan with his cavalry, and Ord with the Fifth and 

 Twentj'-fourth Corps were enabled to post themselves across his path at 

 Appomatox Court House, about fifty miles further on. 



Had Humphreys failed to secure High Bridge, had no infantry crossed 

 the Appomatox on the 7th, Lee would, in all probability, have effected his 

 escape. He could have reached New Store that night, Appomatox station 

 on the afternoon of the 8th, obtained the rations there, and moved that 

 evening towards Lynchburg. A march next day, would have brought him 



*I am under obligations to Brevet Major-G en eral (?. N. Y.) J. Watts PePeyster 

 for afesistance in tlie preparation of this account. In addition to the examina- 

 tion of several papers written by himself, which he liindly placed in my hands, 

 I have studied the maps in his elaborate work. La Royale, The Grand Hunt of 

 the Army of the Potomac, which was printed for private circulation, the value 

 of which Is acknowledged by General Humphreys in the preface to "The Vir- 

 ginia Campaign of '64-'G.')." 



The remaining autliorilies are: " With General Sheridan in Lee's Last Cam- 

 paign ;" "The Virginia Campaign of '(i4-'65 ;" "Scribner's Campaigns of the 

 Civil War;"' The Histories of the Civil War, by Draper, Lossing, and Ilavper's 

 General History; Swinton's "History of the Army of the I'otomac;" with a 

 niimber ot special papers, addresses and reports, 1 must also acknowledge 

 the assistance of Major Jos. G. Rosengarten and Col. J no. P. Nichols )n. 



TROC. AMER. PHILOS. SOC. XXII. 117. I. FEINTED JAKUAKY 2, 1885. 



