Summary:
Col. Thomas F. McCoy commanded the 107th Pa. Infantry which was in the Army of
the Potomac. McCoy reports on capturing prisoners, artillery, and trains in
large numbers.
Capt. W. G. SHEEN,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-Gen.
Appomattox Court-House, Va.,
April 14, 1865.
CAPT
In obedience to your order of to-day, I have the honor to make the following report of the operations of my regiment in the late great movements, resulting in the surrender of Gen. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia, under his command:
...
At an early hour April 6 the Fifth Corps moved north toward Amelia Court-House, where the enemy was supposed to be, with a view of attacking him. It was soon ascertained, by deserters and stragglers of the enemy coming into our lines, that Lee's army had decamped during the night, on parallel roads farther west, and our order of march was immediately changed with a view of pursuit. Our column turned southwest, and took the Paineville road in the direction of Farmville. The Second and Sixth Corps pursued upon other roads, and came in contact with the enemy, capturing prisoners, artillery, and trains in large numbers. Our march to-day was supposed to be about thirty miles, and the troops were much exhausted. We encamped at a point within about three miles of the high and long bridge, where the South Side Railroad passed the Appomattox toward Lynchburg, and within three miles of Farmville. To-day our corps was on the right of the army.
...
In closing this, which will doubtless be the last and final report of battles for this regiment, I would express my gratitude to a kind and ever merciful Providence that He has permitted us to pass through the many exposures, hardships, and great perils of this last great and closing campaign of an unprecedented was with comparatively so little sacrifice of life and blood, and that the lives and the health of so many brave officers and men of the regiment have been preserved, under the shield of His almighty power during the past three eventful years, to return to their homes to dwell in peace and rejoice over violated laws vindicated, a righteous Government preserved, the Union restored, and the old flag re-established with more than its original power, beauty, and significance, in some honorable degree through their instrumentality.
I am, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
T. F. MCCOY,
Col., Cmdg. Regt.
Bibliographic Information : Letter Reproduced from The War of The Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I., Volume 46. Part I, Reports., Serial No. 95, Pages 891, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
