Summary:
Maj. Gen. Philip H. Sheridan commanded the Cavalry of the Army of the Potomac
which included the 16th and 21st Pa. Cavalry. Sheridan reports on the pursuit of
the enemy.
General
May 16, 1865.
GEN
I have the honor to submit the following narrative of the operations of my command during the recent campaign in front of Petersburg and Richmond, terminating with the surrender of the rebel Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Court-House, Va., on April 9, 1865:
...
On the 7th instant the pursuit was continued early in the morning by the cavalry, Gen. Crook in the advance. It was discovered that the enemy had not been cut off by the Army of the James, and, under the belief that he would attempt to escape on the Danville road through Prince Edward Court-House, Gen. Merritt was ordered to move his two divisions to that point, passing around the left of the Army of the James. Gen. Crook continued the direct pursuit, encountering the main body of the enemy at Farmville and again on the north side of the Appomattox, where the enemy's trains were attacked by Gen. Gregg, and a sharp fight with the enemy's infantry ensued, in which Gen. Gregg was unfortunately captured. On arriving at Prince Edward Court-House I found Gen. Mackenzie, with his division of cavalry from the Army of the James, and ordered him to cross the bridge on the Buffalo River, and make a reconnaissance to Prospect Station on the Lynchburg railroad, and ascertain if the enemy were moving past that point. Meantime I heard from Gen. Crook that the enemy had crossed to the north side of the Appomattox, and Gen. Merritt was then moved on and encamped at Buffalo Creek, and Gen. Crook was ordered to recross the Appomattox and encamp at Prospect Station.
On the morning of the 8th Merritt and Mackenzie continued the march to Prospect Station, and Merritt's and Crook's commands then moved on to Appomattox Depot, a point on the Lynchburg railroad five miles south of Appomattox Court-House. Shortly after the march commenced, Sergeant White, one of my scouts, notified me that there were four trains of cars at Appomattox Depot loaded with supplies for Gen. Lee's army. Gen.'s Merritt and Crook were at once notified, and the command pushed on briskly for twenty-eight miles. Gen. Custer had the advance, and, on nearing the depot, skillfully threw a force in rear of the trains and captured them. Without halting a moment he pushed on, driving the enemy (who had reached the depot about the same time as our cavalry) in the direction of Appomattox Court-House, capturing many prisoners and twenty-five pieces of artillery, a hospital train, and a large park of wagons. Gen. Devin coming up went in on the right of Custer. The fighting continued till after dark, and the enemy being driven to Appomattox Court-House I at once notified the lieutenant-general, and sent word to Gen.'s Ord and Gibbon, of the Army of the James, and Gen. Griffin, commanding the Fifth Corps, who were in rear, that if they pressed on, there was now no means of escape for the enemy, who had reached "the last ditch."
During the night, although we knew that the remnant of Lee's army was in our front, we held fast with the cavalry to what we had gained, and ran the captured trains back along the railroad to a point where they would be protected by our infantry that was coming up.
The Twenty-fourth and Fifth Corps and one division of the Twenty-fifth Corps arrived about daylight on the 9th at Appomattox Depot. After consulting with Gen. Ord, who was in command of these corps, I rode to the front, near Appomattox Court-House, and just as the enemy in heavy force was attacking the cavalry with the intention of breaking through our lines, I directed the cavalry, which was dismounted, to fall back gradually, resisting the enemy, so as to give time for the infantry to form its lines and march to the attack, and when this was done to move off to the right flank and mount. This was done, and the enemy discontinued his attack as soon as he caught sight of our infantry. I moved briskly around the left of the enemy's line of battle, which was falling back rapidly, heavily pressed by the advance of the infantry, and was about to charge the trains and the confused mass of the enemy, when a white flag was presented to Gen. Custer, who had the advance, and who sent the information to me at once that the enemy desired to surrender.
Riding over to the left at Appomattox Court-House I met Maj.-Gen. Gordon, of the rebel service, and Maj.-Gen. Wilcox. Gen. Gordon requested a suspension of hostilities pending negotiations for a surrender then being held between Lieut.-Gen. Grant and Gen. Lee. I notified him that I desired to prevent the unnecessary effusion of blood, but as there was nothing definitely settled in the correspondence, and as an attack had been made on my lines with the view to escape, under the impression our force was only cavalry, I must have some assurance of an intended surrender. This Gen. Gordon gave, by saying that there was no doubt of the surrender of Gen. Lee's army. I then separated from him, with an agreement to meet these officers again in half an hour, at Appomattox Court-House. At the specified time, in company with Gen. Ord, who commanded the infantry, I again met this officer, also Lieut.-Gen. Longstreet, and received from them the same assurance, and hostilities ceased until the arrival of Lieut.-Gen. Grant.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
P. H. SHERIDAN,
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. 199, Pages 1108, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
