Benson J. Lossing, Pictorial Field Book of the Civil War. Volume 3.

“ [557] on the old stage road to Richmond, between the picket lines of the two armies.”

General Grant received Lee's note at near midnight,

April 8, 1865.

and the next morning replied that he had “no authority to treat on the subject of peace,” and that the proposed meeting could lead to no good. He said that he and the whole North were equally as anxious for peace as Lee, and added: “The terms upon which peace can be had are well understood. By the South laying down their arms, they will hasten that most desirable event, save thousands of human lives, and hundreds of millions of property not yet destroyed.” He closed by the expression of a hope that all difficulties might be settled without the loss of a single life. Sheridan, in the mean time, had settled the question, and rendered further parley unnecessary, by utterly extinguishing Lee's hopes. By a forced march of about thirty miles, his advance, under General Custer, had reached Appomattox Station, on the Lynchburg railroad, and captured four trains of cars, laden with supplies for Lee's starving army, whose vanguard was just then approaching. These Custer, supported by Devin, pushed back to, Appomattox Court-House, five miles northward, near which was Lee's main body, capturing twenty-five guns, a hospital train, a large number of wagons,. and many prisoners. Sheridan hurried forward the remainder of. his command to the support of Custer, and on the evening of the 8th he stood directly across the pathway of the flying Confederates, with a determination to hold Lee in check there until morning, when the detachment of the Army of the James also, with the corps under Griffin, would be upon his front, and most of the Army of the Potomac on his rear. He, had closed Lee's last avenue for escape.

Lee now saw that his only hope was in cutting his way successfully through Sheridan's line. This he attempted at daybreak.

April 9.

Of all the grand Army of Northern Virginia, which menaced the National Capital a year before, not quite ten thousand effective men were now in arms. These composed two thin battle lines, consisting of the remains of Gordon (Hill's) command and the wreck of Longstreet's corps. Lee directed the former to cut through at all hazards. The charge was made with such impetuosity, that Sheridan's men, who had dismounted to meet the attack, were forced back. Sheridan had just reached Appomattox Station, whither he had gone to hasten forward the Army of the James. He at once sent orders for his troops to gradually fall back, but to continually offer resistance, until the wearied and foot-sore infantry could come up and form in battle-line under their cover. The whole maneuver was well performed, when the cavalry, moving swiftly to the right, revealed to the dismayed Confederates a solid phalanx of men armed with muskets and glittering bayonets. Appalled, the Confederates staggered back in a recoil. Sheridan's bugles had sounded the order to remount, and in a few minutes his horsemen were on the left of the stunned and confused remnant of Lee's army, ready to charge, when a white flag appeared, in token of surrender, before the van of the troopers held by Custer. Sheridan rode to Appomattox Court-House, where he was met by Gordon with the information that Grant and Lee were then making arrangements for a surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia.