Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 04.djvu/389

 GRANT

GRANT

its fire against the fort uiid General Terry's force was landed, eutreuclieil. and on the loth under protection of the guns of the fleet assaulted and captured the works with 169 siege gims and the entire garrison. On Dec. 27, 1864, Sherman's army of 60,000 men with 2600 wagons and OS guns took up their marcli from Savannah through the Caro- iinas to prevent the retreat of Lee to the south, and on Jan. 7, 1863. Schofield was ordered from Clifton, Tenn., to the seacoast. He reached Washington, January 31, the mouth of Cape Fear river, February 9, Wilmington, N.C., Feb- ruary 22, and made a jimction with Sherman at Goklsboro. Slieridan defeated Early at Waynes- boro, March 2, and scattered his entire command, destroyed the James River canal, passed to the north of Richmond destroying the railroads, reached White House. Va., on the 19th, and joined the army of the Potomac. Sherman cap- tured Columbia, S.C., on February 17, and com- pelled the evacuation of Charleston, and after various skirmishes reached Benton ville, N.C., on March 19, 1863, where he was assaulted six times by the army of Johnston and each time repulsed the Confederates. This obliged Johnston to fall back and on the 2'Sd Sherman joined Scho- field' s army at Goldsboro, where for the first time since he had left Savannah, his army had communication with the seacoast. On March 20 Stoneman commenced his march from East Tennessee toward Lynchburg, Va., Canby moved against Mobile the same da)-, and in the far west Pope drove Price bej'ond the Red river. General Sherman. Admiral Porter and General Grant held an informal conference at City Point, March 37, 1865. On the 23th Lee made a deter- minijil effort to break the Federal lines and gain a line of retreat toward Danville by assaulting Grant's right. He captured Fort Stedman and several batteries, but the same day was driven back and the fort was recaptured. On the 29th Grant ordered a general advance ; Sheridan was sent to Dinwiddle Court House, and the 5th corps was advanced, but on the Slst was driven back when the 2d corps came to its aid and drove the Confederates to their south works. Sheiydan was forced to remain at Dinwiddie to repel repeated attacks of the Confederate infan- try and cavalry and the 5th corps came to his help. On April 1 the Confederates opposing Sheridan fell back toward Five Forks, taking up a position on Lee's extreme right where Sheridan and the 5th corps achieved a victory, capturing their works, 6 guns and nearly GOOO prisoners. At daylight on April 2 General Grant made an assault on the entire line of works around Peters- burg and carried them by storm, closing in on the inner works defending the city. He captured Forts Gregg and WLitworth with 12,000 prisoners

and 50 guns and the same night both Petersburg and Richmond were evacuated and the Federal forces took possession on the morning of April 3, 1863. Sheridan's cavalry and the advance of the oth corps readied Danville to cut off Lee's retreat in the afternoon of the 4th and intrenched. The army of the Potomac reached there on the 5th and the army of the James uudei Ord marched i-ajjidly toward Burkesville. Lee left Amelia Court House in the direction of Farmville and on the 6th his army was overtaken by Sheridan's cavalry and the 6th corps at Sailor's Creek, and several genei'al officers and 7000 men were cap- tured. The 2d corps captured 4 guns, 1700 prisoners, 13 flags and 300 wagons. The cavalry and the 6th corps were later defeated north of tlie Appomattox but were reinforced b3' the 6th corps on the 7th and the same night Grant sent a note from Farmville to Lee, asking for the surrender of his army. On the morning of the 8th Lee sent his reply that, while his cause was not hopeless, he would learn the terms proposed. Grant replied from Farmville that he would insist on but one condition, that the men and officers surrendered should be disqualified for taking up arms until properly exchanged. Mean- while the 2d and 6th corps were pursuing Lee's troops in full retreat on the north side of the Appomattox, and Sheridan, Ord and the 5th corps were equally active on the south side to prevent Lee from escaping toward Lynchburg. It was toward midnight that Grant received a note from Lee proposing a meeting at 10 o'clock the next morning, the 9th, to make terms that might lead to peace. Grant replied that he had no authority to treat on the subject of peace, but that if the south would lay down their arms, such an act would save thousands of lives and hundreds of millions of property and do much toward hastening the event. Lee's advance reached Appomattox Court House early in the morning of the Oth of April, and Ord, Sheridan and Griffin reached the same point at the same time and Lee attacked the Federal cavalry, but finding infantry also on his front he sent in a flag of truce with a note to General Grant asking for an interview. This note was received while Grant was on the road approaching Apjiomattos Court House and he replied that he would move forward and meet the Confederate leader at any place he would designate. The reply from Lee led Grant to a house in the village where, on the afternoon of April 9, 1863, the 'terms of surrender were drawn up by General Grant and accepted by General Lee, after a conference of three hours. The army of 28,356 men were paroled and after- ward 20,000 .stragglers and deserters came in and were also paroled. Grant promptly suppressed all demon.stration of rejoicing on the part of the