Retreat.
During the night
General Lee evacuated his lines around the city, crossed over to the north side of the river and commenced his march to Amelia Courthouse, where he ordered all the detachments of his army to assemble, and where he had ordered that provisions should be sent by rail from
Richmond.
In the same night all the lines around
Richmond were evacuated, and the troops from them moved also to Amelia Courthouse.
All the columns were assembled at that place in due time, but the rations had been carried on towards
Danville, and the army was without any food.
That necessitated a day's delay in order to feed the men, and
Grant got ahead on the line of the railroad to
Danville, and
Lee had to turn off in the direction of
Lynchburg, which took him back across the
Appomattox at the
High Bridge, near
Farmville.
Just before the column reached the river it was struck in flank and rear at
Sailor's Creek, where the trains were blocked at the ford, and the rear part of the army halted to protect them; and nearly half the army was broken up and the greater part of it captured.
