Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume 23.
Reverend J. William Jones, Ed.

[56] Twenty-six were among the troops in these trenches (the rest of the brigade having gone to the right) and the men were five or six feet apart. Breaking through the line at the point of assault the Federals swung around to the left and swept down the trenches, turning our own artillery against us as it was captured. At the same time General Parke with the Ninth Corps carried the first line of our works in his front nearer to Petersburg, but here encountered an inner line of fortifications which he failed to carry, though he afterwards did so when reinforced by other troops. Our lines being thus cut in two and the troops on Hatcher's Run cut off from those at Petersburg, General Lee evacuated Petersburg and undertook to re-assemble his army on the Danville railroad. It was not to be. Grant flanked him and dogged his rear during all the dreary retreat ending with the surrender, April 9th, of the remnant of Lee's army at Appomattox Courthouse. During this retreat McRae's Brigade was often called upon for service which it rendered with alacrity if not with hopefulness. Heth's Division surrendered a total of 1,572 officers and men, and our brigade a total of 442. The exact number of the Eleventh at the surrender is not recorded; it was doubtless less than 100. Whatever it was, I had the melancholy satisfaction of signing their paroles, and the gallant regiment ceased to exist. Different parties took different routes to their desolate homes, and we bade each other a sad, in many cases a tearful, farewell. To all the survivors I send a hearty God bless you.