Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 22.djvu/83

 77. /.>->t"tion of Petersburg. 71

of 10 was tolled by the clock, and a few minutes thereafter, the bearer of General Lee's message (Major Cook) arrived. Not only the committee, but all the councilmen, were now at Mr. Paul's house, so great was the interest felt in whatever was to be done. I remem- ber also as present, the Rev. Dr. William H. Platt, then rector of St. Paul's Church, assisting with suggestions.

ALL WITHDRAWN.

The message of General Lee was to the effect that the military would all be withdrawn by 12 o'clock that night, and the city left in charge of the civil authorities. The Council, informally assembled at Mr. Paul's, then agreed to divide up into squads of two or more, and to meet again at 4 o'clock the next morning to take the several routes leading into the city to meet and surrender the city to the Federal forces. Mayor Townes and myself were to take the direc- tion of Cox road and the Dupuy road, and to pass through what was then known as the " Model Farm," the open field immediately west of the corporation line, through which the Petersburg and Asy- lum Railway now runs. After leaving Mr. Paul's residence, the Mayor and myself walked the streets during the entire night, and as we walked, Lee's soldiers, in large bodies, in squads, and singly, passed along through the streets towards the bridges over the Appo- mattox leading into Chesterfield County. All of them had well nigh passed before daybreak of Monday morning, but now and then would be seen a disabled man making his way in the direction of the bridges across the Appomattox, declaring, when cautioned by us that he would be captured, that he would take the risk. The dawn of day finally came and found the Mayor and myself, pursuant to the plan agreed upon, on our way to meet the Federals, expected to come in from the west. At daybreak we had reached the " Model Farm," and were plodding cautiously through it, westwardly, with our flag of truce flying a white handkerchief fastened on a walking- cane. For some distance we walked forward without seeing a sol- dier, and, as we thought, without being ourselves seen.

A SHOUT OF VICTORY.

We had, indeed, reached the line of breastworks, into which the Confederates had fallen back the previous morning, just east of Old Town creek, when a signal gun was fired on our left, apparently in the neighborhood of Fort Gregg, and, instantaneously, there sprang forth, as from the bowels of the earth, it seemed to me, a mighty