The Civil War Series; 1; Bitter April: Lee's Retreat Across Virginia

Bitter April Lee's retreat across Virginia is underwritten by Norfolk Southern Corp. and in part through the Commonwealth of Virginia is community service Grant. Realized some shoddy layoffs in the wall lasted a couple of days too long. They are among the last battle casualties of the aisle himself. This is automatics in the central Virginia Piedmont. And short days past that wood line. On Palm Sunday 1865 Gentles Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant signed an agreement in the American Civil War. Yet in a deeper and more useful ational sense what they signed was the bus that if we get out of the United States in 19 as well as in fact. What brought these two opposing for me is to hit them out of court house in April

1865. How did courage and devotion suffering and sacrifice combined to have this bloodiest of wars and the American pageantry amid such a peaceful and pastoral settings. What human interest stories exist in the pitas amount X campaign in which on 1 Ami was making a delicate pursuit and the author was making its death march. In the next hour we hope to explore the places and the people involved in that last major campaign in Virginia. We will visit the sites and we will meet some of the individuals and we hope as well to go on made sacred by the blood of patriots and I campaign which follies on me and for the people of the South as well. My well be timed. But I will. Petersburg Virginia.

For a century and a half it had been a quiet little community nestled along the southern bike of the operatic swivel on the 25 miles south of Richmond. That changed in 1861 when civil war swept the land by the summer of 1864. Petersburg had become the one site the Southern Confederacy had to hold if Richmond was to be saved. All but one of the railroad snaking from the south was supplies and munitions of war passed through Petersburg toward the Confederate capital Union General Ulysses Grant has seen that fact as he pushed for Richmond in the Civil War's third summer unable to penetrate Confederate general law buddy Lee's lines and take Richmond from the north. Grant in mid June 1864 swung his huge force eastward passed over the James River on the longest pontoon bridge ever constructed and moved on Petersburg Lee badly managed to shift his army in time. The ever persistent grant then laid siege to the city. It was not a PUA seizure in the technical sense for federal

forces did not have the Confederates So landed yet Grant's presence along a front that in time extended on a wide arc for 30 miles km Paoli into a fixed position. This took away the one ingredient mobility Lee had to have in order to wage a successful campaign against superior numbers. The most spectacular action in the first months of the seizure of Petersburg had come in July 1864 when coal miners in the Pennsylvania regiment got the idea of digging a tunnel from their lines to underneath the Confederate works. Five hundred and eighty feet away at the end of the tunnel the federales placed sixteen thousand pounds of gunpowder. The plan was to blow a gigantic hole in the southern defenses. Then in the ensuing mass confusion Union infantry would launch a major assault that hopefully would snap Lee's lines and in the sea and perhaps the war at dawn on July

30 1864 the explosion occurred. The blast tore a hole one hundred and seventy feet long 70 feet wide and 30 think deep. Five girls attacked in two waves. Even so the assaults was so disjointed and confederate recovery so swift that the battle of the Kwaito turned into a massacre of Union soldiers some 4000 Billy Yanks were casualties while Confederate losses were barely a third that number. The enormous crater became a monument to the desperation of war. Most of it stands today as well in mind of the dedication to duty of both sides in this contest. For nine months the two leading armies of the Civil War faced one another across a shallow no man's land regular bombardments occasional battles constant sniping intermittent firing occurred through some order and went on Lee's lines hailed but they were stretched dangerously thin. Disease starvation

desertion and the mechanician took a deadly toll on the once proud Army of Northern Virginia. Late in March 1865 the snows left the sun burned through wintry clouds and the roads began to dry. Grant was ready to deliver the final and hopefully climactic own slot that would in the war. His target was Five Forks a vital road junction that in essence was the anchor of The Light flank of the Confederate line. You want to 1865 the south side will load was generally only remaining supply line in and out of Petersburg. It's defense was vital. Or if the Federal army was to cut that way although both Petersburg and Richmond would fall. The fighting late in March 1865 convinced Lee that he had to the info was his white or western flank and thus he sent early on April 1st. General George E. Pickett of Gettysburg fame and some 10000 troops to this vicinity known as Five Forks because five loads gathered here.

Five Forks have an importance far above its possible opponents five roads from as many directions and that way was Petersburg but more importantly six miles due north of this junction was the South Side railroad and it was an unobstructed passage way to get there from here. Journalese instructions to General picket were quite explicit. Picket was to hold this junction at all hazards. Yet for reasons still unclear a general picket did not take his duties too seriously that April 1st a. On the morning of April 1st general Pickett's forces withdrew from their hard won position it didn't win a court house from the fighting there on March 30 1st 1865 and fell back here to this road behind me which is called the White Oak Road and began entrenching their position pickets force

would be spread out a mile in this direction and three quarters mile in that direction from the Five Forks and then the men would wait for the federal attack with the Federals not moving up to this area during the afternoon. General Pickett and his officers fell back about a mile and a half behind the line and partook in what was called the shad bake. This was Gen. Ross or general Fitz Julie and general Pickett general Pickett would not leave anyone in charge down here in his infantry or his Calvary which numbered about 10000 men. And so consequently they allowed General Sheridan's force of about 9000 Calvary and about 12000 infantry under General guv'nor K. Warne to move into position to make a late afternoon attack. 4:15 in the afternoon of April

1st Gen. Warren began the battle by smashing into the left flank of. Pickets in trench line. That was what was called an angle. Angle being one hundred fifty yard line of a trench ments protecting the left flank the Fifth Corps was successful in in their endeavor there and began rolling down the Confederate lines pushing towards Five Forks one division under General Samuel Crawford. What actually swing around to the rear of the Confederate army as they push through these pine woods in this area and actually come in behind the Confederate forces here at Five Forks down to the right of the Confederate line which was held by General Lee's son William Henry Fitzhugh Lee better known as Rooney Lee. Confederate or union Calvary under General George Armstrong Custer would swing around and attack that flank of the Confederate line. With Custer pushing on the Confederate right flank warns men on the

left flank picket finally heard the fighting down here at the Forks and would ride from his four from his camp with Rosser and from the shed bake site and would return to the Army only to find it in much disarray. Here in this spot that we stand today were three guns of the six guns commanded by Colonel William P. Graham of the Confederate artillery. Colonel P. Rome would be firing towards union Calvary coming across this field behind us here. He would tell his men to fire your canister Lo at that time he would be hit by a ball becoming mortally wounded only to die the next day at Ford Station. They continue to push down the road towards Rudy Lee's cavalry and finally at sundown the Confederate forces were forced to give up their position they would retreat off through these woods and eventually rendezvous at the South Side railroad which was about six miles in rear of the

Confederate line. That night Union Calvary and union infantry would hold the important road junction here at Five Forks and the road to capturing the south side railroad was now open. And one of the strange phenomenon of that strange day General Pickett fell victim to an acoustic shadow. A Cylon vacuum in which not too far away he still heard nothing of the bottle. He arrived back here to find his lines in absolute desolate. A bottle of Five Forks had lasted barely two Alice. But it was in the words of one Confederate officer on the Waterloo of the South. On the night of April 2nd. As Lee's army marched away from the Petersburg and Richmond defenses. The flames engulf the Capitol. Confederates abandoning Richmond had set fire to well houses full of goods they could not take with them in the wind

and confusion and defeat of that night. The files got out of hand. Downtown Richmond was gutted and estimated nine hundred businesses and homes reduced to smoking and was a victorious Union army marched into Richmond the next morning. Bill Young spent the first hours as fire and police brigade's extinguishing the flames and checking lawlessness. It was an unforgettable twist of fate that union soldiers saved what was left of a city they had sought for for years to destroy four helpless citizens inside Richmond uncertainty and despite all of it over every home. While glance on me how much Lee's main position on April 2nd it Peters of

Union general Nelson miles led a heavy division from Five Forks North towards Sutherland station and the south side rail road five miles away. Miles found that a small brigade of twelve hundred Carolina soldiers on the general John R. cook molls unleashed a disjointed attack that the Confederates beat backhandedly. The union commanded in the group we organized and at 4pm hauled his entire division against the southern line Federals swarmed the forward one said like a pack of wolves turned loose the Confederate line collapsed with a knife of the defenders taken prisoner before sunset Union forces at last were in possession of the south side will load the action at Sutherland station mock the final organized combat associated with the nine month siege of Petersburg. In the dought ness of that night Confederate survivors of the Sutherland station fight plodded Westwood. One Johnnie way up noted.

We moved in disorder that were not many words spoken. An indescribable sadness weighed upon us. On April 3rd chaplain William E. Wyatt of the 26 Virginia noted in his diary it is to all human a pill and say Doc season for us but God lives and who was now in town on me is retweeting Westwood. May the Good Lord be with and sustain us. Founded in 1847 na machine for as between church stood in woods near road junction that quickly became of military importance to both sides during a chaotic April would at least three skirmishes occurred within sight of the church. The largest involve the manit forces of Union General George a custom and Confederate general Fitzhugh Lee on the morning of April 3rd. General Fitz surely would command his cavalry brigade under General Rufus Berenger to hold this position here behind me at Mammon Zene church. This would

fail fall to General Rufus Berenger North Carolinians who would line up along the front yard through here lead elements of George Armstrong Custer Calvary would arrive on the field and after a brief fight the North Carolinians would be forced to relinquish their position. We're always touches with a heavy hand. On the afternoon of April 3rd 1865 this small isolated little Presbyterian Church in the media County. This house of worship became a haven for the wounded. The man injured in the fighting a few yards in front of this building were brought in here and they were placed in the pews and all the floors. And given the first treatment before being transferred laid out else while. Later in the day General Philip showed in would use this building briefly as a headquarters before he too moved on. As the Army's continued west with. The little church then returned to silence again. The memories were left. But so were the blood

stains in the floor. On Tuesday morning April 4th leaves Todd and hungry army staggered into a media with high expectations. Food was supposed to be waiting at the Willows. The Confederates found on a disappointment. Lee's orders Fahmi rations to be delivered to a media had apparently been lost in the monumental chaos attendant to the fall of that human autoloading when George Eggleston saw Lee at this time and was struck at hack our war in the jungle of the troubles of those days Eggleston said at play are great for all those in his forehead his eyes were red his cheeks sunken and haggard his face colorless. No one who looked upon him had a media can ever forget the intense agony written upon his features. When is d April 5. It was overcast and visually at 1:00 in the afternoon

Lee got his army into motion. Midway between the media and Burke vale where the Southside in Richmond in diameter lines intersected was the village of Judas Vale. That was Lee's objective point for the end of the day yet federal General Philip Sherwood and his fast moving columns got there first. Lee Nash saw that he was too weak to fight his way through that enormous Union roadblock. He abandoned hopes of using the Richmond in Danville and getting to Danville. The Confederate March turned from south west to west in the direction of Lynchburg Union surgeon Alfred Woodhall was near GTAs Vale when a group of officers rode in to view the physician was struck by the leader. A sturdy thoughtful but cheerful looking man whose voice was low but clear and gentle Woodhall added They are peered in his mouth and nothing to excite their mock. Certainly nothing to inspire all the most timid shower would not have hesitated to ask a favor of that cigar smoking. Tony be a good kindly looking man.

Red Hall had had his first look. At General Ulysses S. Grant. Thursday April 6 1865. Misty rain was falling then just as it is and I are. Going to like to see but cost enough to wait you to the very soul. The Confederate army is struggling through rough country now a country marked by steep hills deep ravines and in the middle of it was a stream called a sailor's creek which runs from left to right. And at this point on the eastern side of the creek was cleared land which led up to the farmhouse of James heels and the old one was not here. He was in a Northern prison camp. He had been a Confederate soldier captured 11 months earlier. The letter that they use for us is picking at least flanks got man up on this heel and general full of charlatans

cavalry got in front of the Confederates moving through this slow dangerous country. So I delayed battle became eminent. The Confederates were behind me on the elevations some eight hundred yards away and they began an attack to try and break this union flanking March that threatened to envelop the whole column of Lee's army. Unknown to them the Union Army had brought up twenty cannon which were placed along this clearing. The Confederates had no guns with which to answer. And these crack cannon twenty guns began to jot holes in the Confederate line of battle. Their confederates fell back. By then the Union Army was sweeping forward and soon all of the Confederates only heal a hundred yards to the Via. Away in danger. For the Union Army not only struck the Sunnah but it's swell all the way on both flanks of the Confederate army rolling it up like some giant ball. By nightfall the battle of sailors creek was over. Union losses were eleven hundred. Casualties in

Lee's army. Seven thousand seven hundred fully one fourth. Of the Confederate force that was trying to get the safety. Included among the casualties were no fewer than eight generals captured including General Richard as you will who had command Jacqueline's Jackson's second cold war back in the days when the Confederacy had optimism. Another of the generals captured was one of General Lee's own sons Custis late that afternoon as Lee looked back. Toward this direction. He saw the Teamsters without wagons offices without legs humans men without muskets. And in despair he exclaimed My God has the army been dissolved. He quickly grabbed the Confederate battle flag and held it aloft. The soldiers rushed away on him affectionately. Instinctively for he is the Confederacy to them via. Them Malouda. They saw the nation lives only in the battle flags that fly over its thinning columns.

Sailors creek would be the last major engagement between these two armies as they continued to move westward. Conspicuous in the first stages of the OP a modest campaign was 48 year old General Richard you'll all be Dick is he was known throughout the army was one of nature's carcass. Born in a once prominent family in Northern Virginia he had graduated from West Point in the same class with William T Sherman and George H Thomas. You will spend 20 years as a Calvary man on Frontier duty that he claimed he learned how to command a 52 of goons and forgot everything else you will had bulging eyes sweeping moustachios a logic goatee and the movements of a startled bird. He fired off all soon found at the end a high piping voice and when talking he turned his head to one side and ignored the listener. You all had succeeded the lamented Stonewall

Jackson as commander of the Second Corps but the assignment plus the loss of a leg and bottle were too much for this solid rather than splendid soldier. You was one of several Confederate generals captured at sailors creek after a short implement in Boston. He moved to turn the sea and became a gentleman Fama in January 1872 Ewell and his wife died of pneumonia. Only forty eight hours of one another. Confederate General John B Gordon later admitted that many of the sudden they had been badly wounded had to be left on the sailor's Creek model feel that was no longer any room in the crowded avalanches which had escaped capture he said. We could do nothing for the unfortunate sufferers who were too severely wounded to March except leave them on the roadside with canteens of water has swiftly and had tragically the face of war changes. Here on the hillside at the hills when home where a bottle had been

waging five hours this suddenly became covered with human beings shot injured maimed in every conceivable way in mortal combat. And from one end of this hillside to the album in was sprawled in and lying awaiting medical help. Many of them would stay here for as much as two days before surgeons could attend to their injuries. One little known event took place of human interest that so often Moxon fast makes the Civil War fascinating. Early in the afternoon a Union soldier brought a single chaos. To this area. The castle was flooded and the wall meat was distributed to the soldiers who were badly in need of food. Drink some sort of sustenance as they awaited the surgeon's knife. Four and a half miles east of the south side will load cross the automatics with them. He did so on an engineering wonder of that day. I

bridge it was called and it certainly deserve the title it stood one hundred and twenty five feet above the ground. It extended for 2500 feet almost a half a mile and it rested on twenty one brick POS. It had taken over a year to construct it and according to one observer that had been longer bridges but not Highlands in that I have been Hya bridges but not longer ones but no span in the world quite exceeded this one. More importantly this bridge was vital to Lottie Lee. Oh it was a South Side railroad it was steel his umbilical cord to supplies in the West. It had to be hailed at all costs. Lee knew this. So did grant. Thursday April 6 it was overcast and drizzly the chill was in the air. But the West would retweet continuous in the middle of the morning. A union 4 was estimated at somewhere between nine hundred in the files and man began

moving swiftly westward toward Farmville. When the Confederates heard about it they did those to me today that this was a strike force and that its target was probably not so much from the old but strategic high bridge. It was in the general James Longstreet who was in this sector summoned every man he could find on horseback. Finding Calvary that morning was difficult but Longstreet did locate a small division on the command of young Major General Tom Wausau laso was a native of Campbell County He was then twenty eight. He had resigned from West Point two weeks before graduation to come home to Virginia and all for his state his soul would last so quickly put the Galva group in just before his. He left the Longstreet told him that he must protect this bridge with every man at his command if necessary. Lawson his man came over in this direction a land moon he met the federal forests and fighting broke out in the rolling country in the woods and fields behind me for about an hour and a half the fighting was vicious as the infantry in Calvary moved back and

forth in combat. Lawson his men were driven into the woods where they regrouped formed anew and came out in a slashing attack that ripped the Union lines to pieces. Incredibly enough the confederates took seven hundred and eighty Union prisoners. The federal general in charge of this move General Thomas Reed was killed in the action. A confederate command General James dealing from Campbell County was injured in the fighting. He would die two days or three days later and he would be the last Confederate general to die of battle wounds the Confederates managed to save the bridge for a little while and the Calvary fight at high bridge would be the last victory of the Army of Northern Virginia. As vital as Highbridge was for the Confederate army the fact is that Lee did not have the numbers to hold it. And late that night as federal forces on either side were outflanking it the Confederates tried to fall back. They

intent was to burn the bridge and therefore tried to detail the Federal army at least four while early the next morning Confederates succeeded in setting father this wooden structure and about 20 percent of the bridge was burned. Before Union soldiers rushed out in with everything at that convenience which withhold water they were able to extinguish the flames. Meanwhile down below the bridge another fight was taking place at the same time. Almost is equal in value to the railroad bridge here in this high bridge area was a wagon trail that came down and it crossed what then was a bridge immediately beneath the trestle itself. This bridge was vitally important as well because over it came the wagons the heavy cannon and all the other equipment that an army must hire. On April 8th. The day after the Calvary battle for the bridge itself. General William Ohone of Lee's command attempted to set fire to this bridge and block the Union Army from crossing the opera

matics river. Unfortunately for the Confederates the Union soldiers were rushing up to this day to realizing the importance of the bridge and using tents. My own canteens and any other containers they managed to put out the fire and save the footbridge that he was over that bridge that Grant crossed in route to fumble and a continued pursuit of least tired and beaten army. James dealing is one of the forgotten heroes of the war. He was a Campbell County native. And he was in his third year at West Point when Civil War came giving resign from the academy rushed home to Virginia and received a commission as a lieutenant in the famous Washington ought to lobby of New Orleans. By the time of Gettysburg dealing was a major at the head of an auto body battalion promotion in France Firth of the Calvary followed in April 1864 the

Virginian moved up to brigadier general. He commanded the highly regarded Lawlor brigade at the time of Lee's retreat on April 6 while leading the charge against Union soldiers at Hyde which dealing was accidentally shot by his own man. The head wound was serious. He was taken to a Lynchburg hospital. He was seized his parole from Union General Ronald McKenzie who had been one of dealings classmates at West Point. On April 17th 1865 two days shy of his 25th birthday giving died from his wounds he was the last general officer in the Army of Northern Virginia to be mortally wounded in action. Another son of Campbell County Thomas L. laso was born in one thing 36 moved with his family to Texas and then another West Point. His roommate was John Pelham of Alabama one of his closest friends was Michigan cadet George Custer. Wassa left the academy in 1861 only

two weeks before he was to graduate. He served in the artillery for a year before accepting the Colonel C of the 5th Virginia Calvary that he caught the attention of General Jeb Stuart who treated him that as a protege. Lawson was a major general by 1864. He was easily recognizable because of his size a full six feet tall and weighing over 200 pounds. Although Russell was wounded four times in action the consensus of opinion was that he was more brave than competent after the war he became a chief engineer for the construction of both the Canadian Pacific and the Northern Pacific Railroad. He also mainly settled in Charlottesville where he died in 1910. Behind me is one of the load zone which Leeza me on Macho. It was simply a wagon trail. Dusty and Sun Times of the season wet and muddy and other times of the season and was down such a road that Lee's army pushed westward

it knew not why I thought it was something Sunday. Lee's army by then was in a semi-conscious condition. The soldiers were dragging themselves along the road command structure was nonexistent. We'll compound it the sickness in the hunger. I feel the likes. Events with the happening so fast that one was tumbling against the man had no time to light they had no time to think. They were simply staggering along some of them falling out along the wayside. But the veterans. The veterans were remaining with the army because Lee was in command. And he was the man to whom they looked for guidance. As I will fell apart. On April 7 chaplain Wyatt of the 26 that union noted in his diary we passed through portions of Prince Edward in Buckingham county's the roads were terrible in

consequence of the rain and we had to leave behind a great many useful and necessary cannons wagons ammunition stores and the like. Farmville was then a town of fifteen hundred inhabitants and noted primarily for twelve hundred bad Army Hospital. What made Farmville so vital for Leo on April 7 with a train standing oddly on the side tracks. They were loaded with meat and bread rations for the first time in six days. The Army of Northern Virginia had food during the night of April 6 and 7. Leave Odin to farm the old install a few hours rest at the Patrick Jackson home beach to eat. The sun was barely up on the morning of the seventh when Lee put out to join his forces. This is Jackson urged him to have some breakfast. But he would take only a cup of tea. Lee departed the Jackson home in one a short distance down Beach Street to the residence of Mrs. John Thornton her husband a colonel of the 3rd Virginia Calvary had been one of Lee's most distinguished

leaders until his death in 1862 at Antietam league greeted the widow and expressed belated but heartfelt condolences. Then he mounted and rode into the downtown to see to his hard quest on me. Johnny where I was then was just making a dent in the rations when federal Kaufman galloped into view. Grant could not be far behind. Food distribution ceased and leased out of forces we call siapa Maddox level. The food trains chug westward but straight into the hands of union Calvary Federals occupied Farmville that afternoon that Grant opened communications with Lee. General Grant said the result of the last week must convince you of the hopelessness of further of his assistance. Grant urged lead to consider so and to avoid what he termed any further effusion of blood. Many union soldiers could now since victory over on the Confederate side

Lee had read Grant's note and Sol and they handed it to his senior corps commander James Longstreet scanned it and handed it back with two words. Not yet. Although Lee was moving in the direction of Lynchburg in the Alethea his army was not heading toward anything. It was marching or trying to march away from the pursuing Union Army. The only hope now for Lee and his men was to get some while obtain supplies somehow and stay alive a little longer. What was left of the Southern fellows crawl toward Apple matic station where the line of march would again meet the South Side willows. Hopefully some food would be thirty thousand or more soldiers had left Petersburg and Richmond with Lee fewer than 10000 were left and they were half dazed exhausted and starving inside the Union Army the soldiers knew little about the military situation. They knew only as a main soldier explained that they had never in do

as such marching before wagon trains were miles behind federal brigades and divisions march without food. Some of the units endured down to Dawn marching. They lurched down the road half asleep in bone tired maximum effort was being asked of them nigh on the only reality of the Billy Yanks knew was the road on which they moved. It was worse on the Confederate side. You had lovely continue to sustain the man when the ash Journal and former Governor Henry wise what the country would say if he considered so Linda the blunt lies shouted country be damned. There is no country you are the country to these men. They have fallen for you if you demand the sacrifice they are still left. Thousands of us who will die for you. On April 8 Union Calvary wonder a stop a matic station they captured the supplies and weapons in Italy's last thin hope to union infantry corps made a hard all night March and formed an unbreakable battle line across the

road up which he was slowly moving. The Army of Northern Virginia was at last surrounded and helpless. After capturing album out of station general show with unloaded on the enemy back only opera might explode to the vicinity of the courthouse and that the Confederates might have no last gave the orders to continue the screw machines without the night. We're located about a half mile west of the village of afp matics courthouse. Along this ridge line was fought the last infantry action of the Army of Northern Virginia on the evening of April way to general headquarters. A council of war was held. It was determined at that council war that a military action headed by General John Brown Gordon and Fitch should leave would attempt to open the road west which was then blocked by a federal cavalry. Early the morning of the night. Gordon passed through the village and established his battle lines along this ridge in an

infantry action on behalf of William Cox. It was fired the last infantry volley of the Army of Northern Virginia. You are. Around 8 o'clock on Palm Sunday morning. Leave realized that he was still landed. He felt the hopelessness of the situation. Three options came to Lee very quickly that morning. I guess I must go and see General Grant he said an hour ago about Daya files and they us a moment later to the shock of the staff Lee said. How easy it would be only half divide along my lines for a little ways and it would be over. This suggestion of suicide if you will caught everyone by surprise but Lee quickly recovered his composure and said no. We who are left behind must live own to protect the southern women and children. A second suggestion came from General proto Alexander one of his OT Tillery commandos

Alexander came to see Lee with a startling suggestion. We will not surrender general he said in essence. Tell us to disperse to the hills in the byways. Let the army scatter in every direction. Let us push to go along Rafael Bushwhacker tactics. Let us fight the Yankees behind every tree and behind every rock and over every heel in less wage this school a warfare for as long as it takes them to get over it and quit fighting. Well that's seem like an amazing statement but it wasn't because civil wars tend to end that way. And yet the very quickly said no. First off we say we do not have enough man to con the fight. Secondly if we felt that way we would never again the one thing we set out in this war to gain namely independence. Third list said Lee such a condo wall would subject the entire south to destruction by Union forces and finally the commander pointed out. I'm just too old and I'm too tired to wage

that kind of war. And strange it was that generally ruled out a natural consequence a type of war that scared Grant and Sherman and instead he decreed that the war would in on wildly and probably at no other time in history has the defeated general had as much to do with the future of the country as the victorious general did. It is lead whose decision at Apple Maddux will shape American destiny. Now Leslie with one alternative name it to meet General Grant and discuss terms of cylinder preliminary arrangements were made and some while away on my own 12:30 that Sunday afternoon Lee rode up this road slowly on his beloved lodging to the court house and particularly to the home next to it the home of Will McLain where he was to meet General Grant and hopefully bring this war to a

satisfactory conclusion. Douglas south all Freeman in his monumental biography of Lee. Meditated on lease thoughts as a general mounted traveler and rode over for the meeting with Grant and often said Freeman he had ridden with that strong steed and in scenes have various up Malvern heel whether very earth seemed to lie with the crawling one did overthrow a fog gap while stone walls guns were glowing. And after the spinning wheels of the pursuing guns at Second Manassas across South Mountain among the bloody villages of the anti-GM with the mists enveloping him of Frederick's and confident in calm when the cheering thousands acclaimed the arm in the woods of Chancellorsville. I don't live here only get along the morn for byways of the wilderness down the Telegraph Road to a Cold Harbor over the Jains and over that same album not a soul and Tony at Petersburg.

Jackson had ridden with him by the light in his eyes the gallant steel with the nervous heel the diligent Penda the gallant roads. All of them dead now. And he alone save for those silent companions was on his last ride as commander of the Army of Northern Virginia. Thirty nine years of devotion to military duty had come to this. And this too was duty. This is the fun Paula of the Will McLain home this is where Lee met Grant. This is while the Civil War ended league got here about one o'clock that Sunday afternoon he came in Grant was not here and so he took a seat and for about a half hour he waited. Lana lived around 1:30. He looked like well he looked like Grant disheveled muddy. Just coming in from the field. Lee of course dressed the deliberations between the two men took about an hour and a

half. Grant is righteous for peace as Lee and I am for your clock. The deed was done and the documents was signed. The war was over. It was National after 3:00 PM that Sunday afternoon Lee had just signed the cylinder pipe in the front Paula house and he walked out on the porch. It was deathly quiet in a while as he waited for

an aide to bring up his home. Lee inexplicably took his right hand and three times he beat it into the palm of his left hand looking off into the distance. What was he thinking. Was it despite disappointment heartache the spectrum of defeat the unknowns of the future. We will never know. Generally was not the payout for the reception that awaited him upon his return to his lines. Colonel William Blackfoot an engineering officer was a witness to the scene and Blackford wrote When the man saw the well-known figure of General Lee approaching. That was a general rush from each side to the road to greet him as he passed and two solid walls of men were formed along the whole distance. As soon as he entered this avenue of these old soldiers the flower of his army while heart felt CIOs arose which so touch generally that tears filled his eyes in trickle down his cheeks

as he wrote his splendid Sharjah hat in hand bowing his acknowledgments. This exhibition of feeling on his part found quick response from the man who she was changed to choking sobs as with streaming eyes in many cries of affection they wave the hatches he passed each group began in the same way with CIOs and ended in the same way was solves all the way to his quarters. Grim bearded men threw themselves on the ground covered their faces with that hands and wept like children. One man extended his arms and with an emphatic gesture said I love you just as well as I will generally. In the Alice after Lisa and the one song soldiers on both sides remembered the bands playing was ole lying Zion and the words had a new and wonderful meaning. Should old acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind. We'll take a cup of kindness yet in days of

old lying Zein such feelings signified re-union and reconciliation. A lying zine was the thing song for what album Onyx in the final analysis genuinely meant then and for all the years to come. And it was in that atmosphere that leave the next day issued General Orders Number nine. The short communique ordered his army into history. As he bad his man good bye. After four years of largely was Service mocked by unsurpassed courage and fortitude. The Army of Northern Virginia has been compelled to yield to overwhelming numbers and resources. I need not tell the way survivors of so many hard fought battles who have remained steadfast to the last. That I have consented to the result with no distrust of them. My feeling that value and devotion could accomplish nothing that would compensate for the loss that must have attended the continuance of the contest. I determined to

avoid the useless sacrifice of those whose past services had been did them to their countrymen. By the terms of the agreement offices in men can return to their homes and then mine until exchanged. You will take with you the satisfaction that proceeds from the consciousness of duty faithfully performed. And I earnestly pray that a merciful God will extend to you his blessing and protection. With an increasing admiration for your constancy and devotion to your country. And a grateful women once of your kind and generous considerations for myself. I bid you all and affectionate foule well. General Josh away all Chamberlain is now one of the most popular figures in Civil War history. At the time of the Opera matics campaign he was an unlikely war hero with 36 a hot nose mustache Chamberlain was a minister and college professor who had done that

service with the twentieth Maine in the autumn of 1862. He won both fame and the Congressional Medal of Honor for gallantry at Gettysburg by the spring of 1865 he had participated in 24 when Gage Lutes a month earlier an action that Hatcher's Run. Chamberlain had received his six bottle one. The injury was so severe that everyone considered it fatal way up on general US Grant promoted Chamberlain on the field to brigadier general the New England who recovered and three days after Lee and Grant stopped the fighting and out them out IC's Chamberlain was given the honor of receiving officially the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia. His long postwar Coolio included the governorship of Maine the presidency of Bowden College and a constant schedule of speeches from one of the most articulate of civil war participants. Wednesday April 12 1865 was the day set aside for the actual cylinder

of the Army of Northern Virginia. Appropriately it was a chilly and overcast day but for the first time in three days it was not raining. Skeleton thin columns fall on the early that morning. Then with some tattered battle flags waving proudly the Confederate column started across the open matics river and up the hill to why the union army waited in line. A distinguished main officer General Joshua Chamberlain called his men to attention then with waltzes moving as they were inspiring Chamberlain noted on our part not a sound of trumpet nor nor roll of drum not a cheap nor a word in all whisper of vain glowing nor motion of man standing again at the order but in all that stillness and a breath holding as if it were the passing of the dead. Lee lived with five years after the war he would defeat as if it were all quiet

and he became a model for national conciliation. Lee also made an achievement that may have been the greatest accomplishment off his life assuming the presidency of impoverished Washington College in Lexington. He worked on ceasing late to imbue Hughes with a quality of education and a love of America. The little school became an inspiration that transcended national boundaries. And so did Lee. At his death in 1870 the United States mourned. JR What how who Sterling paean had given the union the most moving of its war songs the Battle Hymn of the Republic spoke for the nation. When she eulogize Lee this way a gallant foemen in the fight abroad to win the fight was done. And so by soldier grave beside we on of the Virginia sun. Too often we Virginians take for granted much of the almost 400 years of our history

we have the mother state the homeplace 431 of the nation's first five presidents wonderfully preserve such sights is changed Ion you walked ion in Williamsburg and all of this is just fun Virginia's early years. But no other part of America possesses the magnitude and the significance of the Civil War as the birthplace of the United States. As I have Virginia on the line and Fredericksburg and the north from the bottom side of the monitor and Virginia often off shore from the lush shown in the valley of the bread basket of the Confederacy and the West from Winchester and call Papa to Richmond and Danville to the Trail of Broken Dreams and there was April days of 1865. All of valuable keepsakes of the Civil War. We have a rich abundance of opportunity to explore those jewels of history that stand at Adler a step they can humble us and they can teach us and by reminding us of past

sacrifices they can inspire us to future successes. A.

A.

Bitterer April Lee's retreat across Virginia is underwritten by Norfolk Southern Corp. and in part through the Commonwealth of Virginia is community service agreement. Why.