740 



PUBLIC DOCUMENTS. 



intrenched himself and awaited the arrival of Gen- 

 eral Jleade, who reached there the next day. Gen- 

 eral Ord reached Burkesville on the evening of the 

 5th. On the morning of the 5th, I addressed Major- 

 General Sherman the following communication : 



WILSON'S STATION, April 5, 1865. 



GENERAL : All indications now are that Lee will attempt 

 to reach Danville with the remnant of his force. Sheridan, 

 who was up with him last night, reports all that is left, 

 horse, foot, and dragoons, at 20,000, much demoralized. We 

 hope 'to reduce this number one-half. I shall push on to 

 Burkesville, and. if a stand is made at Danville, will in a 

 very few days go there. If you can possibly do so. push on 

 from where you are, and let us see if we cannot finish the 

 job with Lee's and Johnston's armies. Whether it will be 

 better for you to strike for Greensboro', or nearer to Dan- 

 ville, yon will be better able to judge when yon receive this. 

 Rebel armies now are the only strategic points to strike at. 

 U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General 



Major-General W. T. SHERMAN. 



On the morning of the 6th it was found that Gen- 

 eral Lee was moving west of Jettersville, toward Dan- 

 ville. General Sheridan moved with his cavalry (the 

 Fifth Corps having been returned to General Meade 



Corps . . 



several hundred wagons and several pieces of artillery. 

 General Ord advanced from Burkesville toward Farm- 

 ville, sending two regiments of infantry, and a squad- 

 ron of cavalry, under Brevet Brigadier-General Theo- 

 dore Read, to reach and destroy the bridges. This 

 advance met the head of Lee's column near Farm, 

 ville, which it heroically attacked and detained until 

 General Read was killed and his small force over- 

 powered. This caused a delay in the enemy's move- 

 ments, and enabled General Ord to get well up with 

 the remainder of his force, on meeting which the 

 enemy immediately intrenched himself. In the af- 

 ternoon General Sheridan struck the enemy south of 

 Sailor's Creek, captured sixteen pieces of artillery 

 and about four hundred wagons, and detained him 

 until the Sixth Corps got up, when a general attack 

 of infantry and cavalry was made, which resulted in 

 the capture of six or seven thousand prisoners, among 

 whom were many general officers. The movements 

 of the Second Corps and General Ord's command 

 contributed greatly to the day's success. 



On the morning of the 7th the pursuit was renewed, 

 the cavalry, except one division, and the Fifth Corps 

 moving by Prince Edward's Court-House ; the Sixth 

 Corps, General Ord's command, and one division of 

 cavalry, on Farmville, and the Second Corps by the 

 High Bridge Road. It was soon found that the ene- 

 my had crossed to the north side of the Appomattox, 

 but so close was the pursuit that the Second Corps 



fot possession of the common bridge at High Bridge 

 efore the enemy could destroy it, and immediately 

 crossed over. The Sixth Corps and a division of 

 cavalry crossed at Farmville to its support. 



Feeling now that General Lee's chance of escape 

 was utterly hopeless, I addressed him the following 

 communication from Farmville : 



April T, 1865. 



GENERAL: The result of the last week must convince you 

 of the hopelessness of further resistance on the part of the 

 Army of Northern Virginia in this struggle. I feel that it is 

 so, and regard it as my duty to shift from myself the respon- 

 sibility of any further effusion of blood, by asking of yon the 

 surrender of that portion of the Confederate States army 

 known as the Army of Northern Virginia. 



U. 8. GRANT, Lientenant-GeneraL 

 General K. E. LEE. 



Early on the morning of the 8th, before leaving, I 

 received at Farmville the following : 



April 7, 1865. 



GENERAL : I have received your note of this date. Though 

 r.Dt entertaining the opinion you express on the hopelessness 

 of further resistance on the part of the Army of Northern 

 Virginia, I reciprocate your desire to avoid useless effusion 

 of blood, and therefore, before considering your proposition, 

 u.ik the terms you will offer on condition of its surrender. 

 R. E. LEE, General 



LlcKteDtvat-General TJ. S. GEANT. 



To this I immediately replied : 



April 8, 1S65 



GENERAL : Tour note of last evening, in reply to mine of 

 same date, asking the condition on which I will accept tha 

 surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia, is just received. 

 In reply I would say that, peace being my great desire, there 

 is but one condition I would insist upon, nainely : That the 

 men and officers surrendered shall be disqualified for taking 

 up arms again against the Government of the United States 

 until properly exchanged. I will meet yon, or will designate 

 officers to meet any officers yon may name for the same pur- 

 pose, at any point agreeable to you, for the purpose of ar- 

 ranging definitely the terms upon which the surrender of the 

 Annv of Northern Virginia will be received. 



U. S. GRANT, Lieu tenant-General. 



General E. E. Lsa 



Early on the morning of the 8th the pursuit was 

 resumed. General Meade followed north of the Ap- 

 pomattox, and General Sheridan, with all the cavalry, 

 pushed straight for Appomattox Station, followed by 

 General Ord' s command and the Fifth Corps. During 

 the day General Meade's advance had considerable 

 fighting with the enemy's rear guard, but was unablo 

 to bring on a general engagement. Late in the even- 

 ing General Sheridan struck the railroad at Appo- 

 mattox Station, drove the enemy from there, and 

 captured twenty-five pieces of artillery, a hospital 

 train, and four trains of cars loaded with supplies for 

 Lee's army. During this day I accompanied General 

 Meade's column, and about midnight received the 

 following communication from General Lee : 



April 8, 1865. 



GENERAL : I received at a late hour your note of to-day. 

 In mine of yesterday I did not intend to propose the sur- 

 render of the Army of Northern Virginia, but to ask the terms 

 of your proposition. To be frank, I do not think the emer- 

 gency has arisen to call for the surrender of this army ; but 

 as the restoration of peace should be the sole object of all, I 

 desired to know whether your proposals would lead to that 

 end. I cannot, therefore, meet you with a view to surrender 

 the Army of Northern Virginia ; but as far as your proposal 

 may affect the Confederate States forces under my command, 

 and tend to the restoration of peace, I should be pleased to 

 meet you at 10 A. M. to-morrow on the old stage road to 

 Richmond, between the picket lines of the two armies. 



R. E. LEE, General. 



Lientenanl-Gcneral U. S. GRANT. 



Early on the morning of the 9th I returned him an 

 answer as follows, and immediately started to join 

 the column south of the Appomattox: 



April 9, 1865. 



GENERAL : Tour note of yesterday is received. I have no 

 authority to treat on the subject of peace ; the meeting pro- 



Eosed for A. M. to-day could lead to no good. I will state, 

 owever, General, that I am equally anxious for peace with 

 yourself, and the whole North entertains the same feeling. 

 The terras upon which peace can be had are well understood. 

 By the South laying down their arms they will hasten that 

 most desirable event, save thousands of human lives, and 

 hundreds of millions of property not yet destroyed. Seriously 

 hoping that all our difficulties may be settled without the 

 loss of another life, I subscribe myself, &c., 



U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General 

 General R. E. LEE. 



On the morning of the 9th General Ord's command 

 and the Fifth Corps reached Appomattox Station 

 just as the enemy was making a desperate effort to 

 break through our cavalry. The infantry was at once 

 thrown in. Soon after a white flag was received, 

 requesting a suspension of hostilities pending nego- 

 tiations for a surrender. 



Before reaching General Sheridan's headquarters, 

 I received the following from General Lee : 



April 9, 1865. 



GENERAL: I received your note of this morning on the 

 picket line, whither I had come to meet yon, and ascertain 

 definitely what terms were embraced in your proposal of 

 yesterday with reference to the surrender of this army. I 

 now ask an interview in accordance with the offer contained 

 in your letter of yesterday for that purpose. , 



R. E. LEE, General 



Lieutenant-General U. S. GEANT. 



The interview was held at Appomattox Court- 

 House, the result of which is set forth in the fol- 

 lowing correspondence : 



