368 
MINUTES OE PROCEEDINGS OE 
replaced tlie abatis, but it was so lightly constructed that they easily broke 
up the line of it into open column, and passed through, leaving on the ground 
a number of casualties, and, getting at once on to the main line of works, stuck 
there, unable to get farther, but maintained themselves till daylight and 
throughout the succeeding day, against many fierce onslaughts of the defenders 
to drive them off, partly on the outer slopes, partly amongst the traverses, 
blindages, and multifarious burro wings which had been plentifully constructed 
by the garrison, within all the more important points, for protection against 
the besieger’s artillery. Neither side could prevail, and the loss was heavy. 
The 6th corps, receiving but one fire from the defenders’ guns, checked 
their speed for nothing till within the works ; the meagre garrison got away 
from observation with little loss, and the assailants, having driven them 
into their inner line, (which at this point left the outer, and trended north¬ 
ward towards the Appomattox river), formed line of battle to the left, and 
proceeded to sweep out the works all the way down to the enemy’s right, 
some 12 miles distant; at the same time tearing up portions of the S. S. 
railroad, being the first federals who reached it. There was nothing having 
the slightest chance of resisting them, and the 2nd and Orde’s corps 
coming up to the lines told off for them to take, found the garrisons already 
away, under the menace of the approaching 6th, and trying to escape 
towards the north. It was thought at one time that Sheridan might get 
forward on the left and cut them off; but they succeeded, by hard marching 
and by Sheridan’s having to fight much of his way through the woods, in 
getting across the Appomattox to their main body northward. 
Now the 6th faced about towards Petersburg again, and, (Orde’s corps 
having joined the left of the 9th, whose right touched the Appomattox below 
the town), placed itself on Orde’s left and completed the hemming in of the 
place to the river above. It is worthy of notice that during the absence of 
the 6th, some reinforcements arriving from the confederate rear had 
re-occupied two of their detached works between the inner and the outer 
lines; these had no flanking defence and were of small extent; but they 
were of good profile, and the defenders were mostly armed with repeating 
rifles; General Orde’s corps re-took them only at the loss of a number of 
men larger than that of the garrisons. 
The whole confederate position, including Richmond, was naturally 
evacuated during the night; General Weitzel entering the latter place (from 
the extreme right of the federal position) at 8.15 a.m. on the 3rd April, 
without finding any enemy, and triumphantly telegraphing that “he had 
taken Richmond,” including so many guns, stores, &c. The fighting for the 
federal army was now over, and it bent its energies at once to the pursuit. 
Well for its success that it did not fall in with the general American expec¬ 
tation of triumphing in the city of Richmond; the confederate army would 
then have easily got itself and its trains away to better strategic points in 
the south. 
It being known that General Lee’s army was somewhere to the westward 
of Richmond and Petersburg, and consequently north of the federal army; 
and that it must necessarily strive to get to the south-west, or west of the 
latter, (that is either to Danville or to Lynchburg, the only two points of 
advantage left to it), the federals had only to move due west to be sure of 
always cutting off, by a shorter line, Lee’s line of retreat. 
