Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 21.djvu/90

 82 Southern Historical Society Papers.

carried with a loss of a battery, several hundred prisoners and hun- dreds of wagons, which had become blocked up at the crossing of the creek near Perkinson's Mill. The Sixth corps, meantime, had come up with Ewell, and while the cavalry detained it in the rear and on the flank, it was attacked and surrounded by the sixth corps and, after one of the most gallant fights of the war, compelled to surren- der. Ewell had about 9,000 men all told, and about 6,000 of these were killed, wounded or captured, including General Ewell and five other general officers made prisoners. General Read, of Ord's staff, with Colonel Washburn and a force of eighty cavalry and about 500 infantry, had been sent to destroy the high bridge, but they were in- tercepted about mid-day on the 6th by Rosser and Munford, and after a severe fight, in which Read and Washburn were killed and a number of the men also, the remainder surrendered.

Gordon's command reached this side of High Bridge, near Farm- ville, that night. Longstreet, whose command had halted all that day at Rice's Station to enable the other corps to unite with them, marched that night on Farmville, and on the morning of the yth, moved out on the road, passing through Appomattox Courthouse and Lynch- burg. Here rations were issued for the first time since the 2d April.* Gordon's troops and Mahone's crossed the High Bridge on the morning of the yth. The Second Corps (Humphrey's) followed hard behind Gordon. Four miles north of Farmville, General Lee, being hotly pressed, chose a favorable position covering the stage and plank roads to Lynchburg, threw up temporary breastworks, and brought batteries in position. Humphreys attacked, but was repulsed with considerable loss. Sheridan that day sent his cavalry to Prince Edward Courthouse, with the exception of one division, which was sent to Farmville. On the night of the yth, Lee marched nearly all night, and was followed by the Second and Sixth Corps of the army of the Potomac up the north bank of the Appomattox, while Sheridan, followed by Ord and the Fifth Corps, advanced by the south bank and struck Appomattox Station on the Lynchburg road.

On the evening of the 8th, Lee's advance was in the vicinity of Appomattox Courthouse, and there was reason to fear that the

held long enough to supply many of the troops.
 * The advance of the enemy was so close that the wagons could not be