Carson.] ^^ [Dec. 5, 



to Lynchburg, where he would have been safe.* The value of Hum- 

 phreys' services in crossing the Appomatox and detaining Lee all day at the 

 Heights of Farmville or Cumberland Church will be appreciated, when it 

 is remembered that Ord's two infantry corps did not reach Appomatox 

 Court House until 10 o'clock in the morning of the 9th of April, and that 

 it was the sight of Ord's infantry supporting Sheridan, that convinced 

 Gordon that further fighting was useless and escape impossible. 



About half past eight o'clock on the evening of the 7th, when still in 

 close contact with Lee, as has been described, Adjutant-General Seth 

 Williams brought to General Humphreys Grant's first letter to Lee ask- 

 ing the surrender of Lee's army. This letter Humphreys was requested 

 to have delivered to General Lee. He sent it at once through his picket 

 line, at the same time authorizing a truce for an hour, oenable the enemy 

 to gather up their wounded. At this time the opposing troops were but 

 a few hundred yards apart. Lee's answer was brought back within an 

 hour, and General Williams started at once to return to General Grant at 

 Farmville by the circuitous route of High Bridge. The next morning 

 Humphreys resumed the pursuit. While on the march, Grant's second let- 

 ter to Lee was brought to Humphreys, who sent it to Lee through Fitz-Lee's 

 cavalry rear guard which was then close in Humphreys' front. Lee's an- 

 swer was received by Humphreys about dusk, as he halted for a three 

 hours' rest, two miles beyond New Store, after a march of twenty miles. 

 He again pushed forward, but after a march of twenty -six miles, was com- 

 pelled to halt his column at midnight, on finding his men dropping out 

 of the ranks from want of food and fatigue. On the morning of the 9th 

 Humphreys received Grant's third letter to Lee, which was delivered to 

 him in person by Colonel Whiltier, of Humphreys' staff. Lee's answer 

 was delivered by the hands of Colonel Whittier to General Meade, who 

 forwarded it to General Grant, who had then left the route followed by 

 the Second and Sixth Corps, and taken a cross-road which led to Appo- 

 matox Court House, and along or near the routes of Sheridan and Ord. 

 Had Grant remained on the route of the Second and Sixth Corps, the sur- 

 render would have taken place before midday. As it was. Grant having 

 ridden forward, the meeting between liimself and Lee did not take place 

 until one o'clock p. m., and the surrender of the Army of Northern Vir- 

 ginia was not announced to the Army of the Potomac until four o'clock. 

 The remainder of this celebrated correspondence passed through the lines 

 of General Sheridan, f 



In the meantime General Humphreys, closely followed by the Sixth 

 Corps, pressed forward, and began to overtake Longstreet, when he re- 

 ceived two earnest verbal requests from General Lee, by a staff officer, 

 with a flag of truce, not to press forward upon him, but to halt, as nego- 

 ciations were going on for a surrender. As Humphreys had been notified 



» The Virginia Campaign of '0t-'65, p. 391 ; Scribner's Campaigns of the Civil 

 War, Vol. xii. 

 t The Virginia Campaign of '64-'65, p. 394. 



