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

[544] lines shortened. In this assault Gibbon lost about five hundred men. Fort Gregg was manned by two hundred and fifty Mississippians, who fought so gallantly that, when it was surrendered, only thirty effective men were left.

the Confederates were now confined to the inner line, close around Petersburg. There they were strong, because more concentrated; and Longstreet, who had crossed the James from the defenses of Richmond on the North side, with some brigades, had pushed forward with Benning's, of field's division, and joined Lee at ten o'clock that morning. So strong did Lee feel, that he ordered a charge on the besiegers, to regain some of the works on his left, carried by the Ninth Corps. Heth commanded the charging party, which consisted of his own division of A. P. Hill's Corps. So heavily did the Confederates press, that the troops holding City Point, were ordered up to the support of the Ninth Corps. Heth was repulsed, and so ended the really last blow struck for the defense of Richmond by Lee's Army. In that movement, General A. P. Hill, one of Lee's best officers, and who had been conspicuous throughout the War, was shot dead while reconnoitering.

Lee now perceived that he could no longer hold Petersburg or the capital, with safety to his Army, then reduced, by enormous losses in the space of a few days, to about thirty-five thousand men, and he resolved to maintain his position, if possible, until night, and then retreat with the hope of making his way to Johnston by the Danville railroad. Immediately after the repulse of Heth, or at half-past 10 o'clock in the morning, he telegraphed to Davis, at Richmond, saying, in substance, “My lines are broken in three places; Richmond must be evacuated this evening.” it was the Sabbath. The Arch-Conspirator was in St. Paul's (Episcopal) church, when the message reached him by the hand of Colonel Taylorwood. With evidences in his face of a crushing weight upon his feelings, he immediately but quietly left the church, when, for a moment, the deepest and most painful silence prevailed.¹ the religious services were closed; and before Dr. Minnegerode, the rector, dismissed the congregation, he gave notice that General Ewell, the commander in Richmond, desired the local forces to assemble at three o'clock in the afternoon.

for hours after the churches were closed, the inhabitants of Richmond were kept in the most painful suspense. Rumor said the City was to be immediately evacuated. The “Government” was as silent as the Sphynx. Panic gradually took the place of judgment; and when, toward evening, wagons were seen a-loading with trunks and boxes, at the “Departments,” and were driven to the Station of the Danville railway, and the inhabitants were satisfied that the capital was about to be abandoned, the wildest confusion and alarm prevailed among the open and conspicuous enemies of the Republic, who felt constrained to follow the Conspirators in their flight, to avoid the expected wrath of their outraged Government.² gathering up the