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

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Sheridan, meanwhile, had been pushing on at the head of the column moving on the left parallel line in pursuit of Lee, with the most strenuous endeavors to head off the Confederates. Near Deatonsville, he ordered Crook, who was on his left, to strike another of Lee's wagon trains, which was escorted by a formidable cavalry force. Crook did so, but with the expectation of only checking the Confederates, while Custer, with his division, should pass on and attack a point farther in advance. Such was the result. Crook was repulsed, and Custer gained the road at Sailor's Creek, a small tributary of the Appomattox. The divisions of Crook and Devin pressed up to his support, when the Confederate line was pierced, and four hundred wagons, sixteen guns, and many men were captured. By this blow, Ewell's corps, which was following the train, was cut off from Lee's main body. Sheridan resolved to detain them until the Sixth (Wright's) Corps, should come up, and for that purpose, Colonel Stagg's mounted brigade charged upon them. This enabled Seymour's division, which was leading the Sixth, to come up, when Ewell recoiled, and was driven to Sailor's Creek, but striking back such vigorous blows, that there was a halt until Wheaton's division should come up. Ewell's gallant veterans stoutly resisted, until enveloped by cavalry and infantry, and charged on flank and rear by horse and foot, when they threw down their arms and surrendered. Among the six thousand men then made prisoners, were Ewell and four other-generals.

Lee succeeded in crossing the Appomattox over the bridges at Farmville that night,

April 6 and 7, 1865.

with his dreadfully shattered army. He tried to make that stream an impassable barrier between his force and its pursuers, by destroying the bridges behind him. Only the railway bridge was consumed, that of the wagon road being saved by the van of Humphreys's corps. The flames were smothered, and Barlow's brigade crossed over in expectation of a fight, but he found there only a feeble rearguard, which retired after a slight skirmish, abandoning eighteen guns in

Retreat of the Confederate forces from Richmond and Petersburg.1

two redoubts, one at the bridge-head on the south bank of the Appomattox, which they blew up when they left it, and the other on the heights on the north side. Their starving draught-animals had been too weak, in consequence of fatigue and lack of food, to draw the cannon farther. Hundreds of Lee's