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requested me to put his troops in position。  The Fifth Corps being

already intrenched across the Amelia Court House road facing north; I

placed the Sixth on its right and the Second on its left as they

reached the ground。



As the enemy had been feeling us ever since morningto learn what he

was up to I directed Crook to send Davies's brigade on a

reconnoissance to Paine's crossroads。  Davies soon found out that Lee

was trying to escape by that flank; for at the crossroads he found

the Confederate trains and artillery moving rapidly westward。  Having

driven away the escort; Davies succeeded in burning nearly two

hundred wagons; and brought off five pieces of artillery。  Among

these wagons were some belonging to General; Lee's and to General

Fitzhugh Lee's headquarters。  This work through; Davies withdrew and

rejoined Crook; who; with Smith and Gregg; was established near Flat

Creek。



It being plain that Lee would attempt to escape as soon as his trains

were out of the way; I was most anxious to attack him when the Second

Corps began to arrive; for I felt certain that unless we did so he

would succeed in passing by our left flank; and would thus again make

our pursuit a stern…chase; but General Meade; whose plan of attack

was to advance his right flank on Amelia Court House; objected to

assailing before all his troops were up。



I then sent despatches to General Grant; explaining what Davies had

done; and telling him that the Second Corps was arriving; and that I

wished he himself was present。  I assured him of my confidence in our

capturing Lee if we properly exerted ourselves; and informed him;

finally; that I would put all my cavalry; except Mackenzie; on my

left; and that; with such a disposition of my forces; I could see no

escape for Lee。  I also inclosed him this letter; which had just been

captured:



〃AMELIA C。 H。; April 5; 1865。



DEAR MAMMA:



〃Our army is ruined; I fear。  We are all safe as yet。  Shyron left us

sick。  John Taylor is wellsaw him yesterday。  We are in line of

battle this morning。  General Robert Lee is in the field near us。  My

trust is still in the justice of our cause; and that of God。  General

Hill is killed。  I saw Murray a few minutes since。  Bernard; Terry

said; was taken prisoner; but may yet get out。  I send this by a

negro I see passing up the railroad to Mechlenburg。  Love to all。



〃Your devoted son;



〃Wm。 B。 TAYLOR; Colonel。〃





General Grant; who on the 5th was accompanying General Ord's column

toward Burkeville Junction; did not receive this intelligence till

nearly nightfall; when within about ten miles of the Junction。  He

set out for Jettersville immediately; but did not reach us till near

midnight; too late of course to do anything that night。  Taking me

with him; we went over to see Meade; whom he then directed to advance

early in the morning on Amelia Court House。  In this interview Grant

also stated that the orders Meade had already issued would permit

Lee's escape; and therefore must be changed; for it was not the aim

only to follow the enemy; but to get ahead of him; remarking during

the conversation that; 〃he had no doubt Lee was moving right then。〃

On this same occasion Meade expressed a desire to have in the

proposed attack all the troops of the Army of the Potomac under his

own command; and asked for the return of the Fifth Corps。  I made no

objections; and it was ordered to report; to him。



When; on the morning of the 6th; Meade advanced toward Amelia Court

House; he found; as predicted; that Lee was gone。  It turned out that

the retreat began the evening of the 5th and continued all night。

Satisfied that this would be the case; I did not permit the cavalry

to participate in Meade's useless advance; but shifted it out toward

the left to the road running from Deatonsville to Rice's station;

Crook leading and Merritt close up。  Before long the enemy's trains

were discovered on this road; but Crook could make but little

impression on them; they were so strongly guarded; so; leaving

Stagg's brigade and Miller's battery about three miles southwest of

Deatonsvillewhere the road forks; with a branch leading north

toward the Appomattoxto harass the retreating column and find a

vulnerable point; I again shifted the rest of the cavalry toward the

left; across…country; but still keeping parallel to the enemy's line

of march。



Just after crossing Sailor's Greek; a favorable opportunity offering;

both Merritt and Crook attacked vigorously; gained the Rice's Station

road; destroyed several hundred wagons; made many prisoners; and

captured sixteen pieces of artillery。  This was important; but more

valuable still was the fact that we were astride the enemy's line of

retreat; and had cut off from joining Longstreet; waiting at Rice's

Station; a corps of Confederate infantry under General Ewell;

composed of Anderson's; Kershaw's; and Custis Lee's divisions。

Stagg's brigade and Miller's battery; which; as I have said; had been

left at the forks of the Deatonsville road; had meanwhile broken in

between the rear of Ewell's column and the head of Gordon's; forcing

Gordon to abandon his march for Rice's Station; and to take the

right…hand road at the forks; on which he was pursued by General

Humphreys。



The complete isolation of Ewell from Longstreet in his front and

Gordon in his rear led to the battle of Sailor's Creek; one of the

severest conflicts of the war; for the enemy fought with desperation

to escape capture; and we; bent on his destruction; were no less

eager and determined。  The capture of Ewell; with six of his generals

and most of his troops; crowned our success; but the fight was so

overshadowed by the stirring events of the surrender three days

later; that the battle has never been accorded the prominence it

deserves。



The small creek from which the field takes its name flows in a

northwesterly direction across the road leading from Deatonsville to

Rice's Station。  By shifting to the left; Merritt gained the Rice's

Station road west of the creek; making havoc of the wagon…trains;

while Crook struck them further on and planted himself square across

the road。  This blocked Ewell; who; advancing Anderson to some high

ground west of the creek; posted him behind barricades; with the

intention of making a hard fight there; while the main body should

escape through the woods in a westerly direction to roads that led to

Farmville。  This was prevented; however; by Crook forming his

division; two brigades dismounted and one mounted; and at once

assaulting all along Anderson's front and overlapping his right;

while Merritt fiercely attacked to the right of Crook。  The enemy

being thus held; enabled the Sixth Corpswhich in the meantime I had

sent forto come upon the ground; and Ewell; still contending with

the cavalry; found himself suddenly beset by this new danger from his

rear。  To; meet it; he placed Kershaw to the right and Custis Lee to

the left of the Rice's Station road; facing them north toward and

some little distance from Sailor's Creek; supporting Kershaw with

Commander Tucker's Marine brigade。  Ewell's skirmishers held the line

of Sailor's Creek; which runs through a gentle valley; the north

slope of which was cleared ground。



By General Grant's directions the Sixth Corps had been following my

route of march since the discovery; about 9 o'clock in the morning;

that Lee had decamped from Amelia Court House。  Grant had promptly

informed me of this in a note; saying; 〃The Sixth Corps will go in

with a vim any place you may dictate;〃 so when I sent word to Wright

of the enemy's isolation; and asked him to hurry on with all speed;

his gallant corps came as fast as legs could carry them; he sending

to me successively Major McClellan and Colonel Franklin; of his

staff; to report his approach。



I was well advised as to the position of the enemy through

information brought me by an intelligent young soldier; William A。

Richardson; Company 〃A;〃 Second Ohio; who; in one of the cavalry

charges on Anderson; had cleared the barricades and made his way back

to my front through Ewell's line。  Richardson had told me just how

the main body of the enemy was posted; so as Seymour's division

arrived I directed General Wright to put it on the right of the road;

while Wheaton's men; coming up all hot and out of breath; promptly

formed on Seymour's left。  Both divisions thus aligned faced

southwest toward Sailor's Creek; and the artillery of the corps being

massed to the left and front of the Hibbon house; without waiting for

Getty's divisionfor I feared that if we delayed longer the enemy

might effect his escape toward Farmvillethe general attack was

begun。  Seymour and Wheaton; moving forward together; assailed the

enemy's front and left; and Stagg's brigade; too; which in the mean

time had been placed between Wheaton's left and Devin's right; went

at him along with them; Merritt and Crook resuming the fight from

their positions in front of Anderson。  The enemy; seeing little

chance of escape; fought like a tiger at bay; but both Seymour and

Wheaton pressed him vigorously; gaining ground at all points except

just to the right of the road; where Seymour's left was checked。

Here the Confederates burst back on us in a counter…charge; surging

down almost to the creek; but the artillery; supported by Getty; who

in the mean time had come on the ground; opened on them so terribly

that this audacious and furious onset was completely broken; though

the gallant fellows fell back to their original line doggedly; and

not until after they had almost gained the creek。  Ewell was now

hemmed in on every side; and all those under his immediate command

were captured。  Merritt and Crook had also broken up Anderson by this

time; but he himself; and about two thousand disorganized men escaped

by making their way through the woods toward the

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