Appomattox Campaign, 1865; United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Campaigns
Here began a scene that no pen can accurately describe. The wagons were
hurried forward, regardless of their contents, which, whether it remained
in or was spilled out, was a matter of perfect indifference to the
demoralised and badly-scared drivers, who, with straining eyes and
perspiring bodies, plied their whips vigorously and put their jaded beasts
to their best. The infantry and some of the batteries of artillery were
halted, and a line of battle formed to the rear and on the left flank, and
hardly was the formation made before the Federals were upon them. Our
lines checked them long enough to enable the wagons to move ahead, and
then began a retreating fight--a mode of battle I morally detest, as it is
"fight and run." It will demoralise the best troops in the world. At
every hill divisions would alternately halt, and form lines of battle and
check the pursuers. As soon as proper disposition had been made on the
next line of hills the rear division would move off and pass the others,
only to form again at the next suitable defensive position. Thus the
Confederates progressed until mid-day, by which time the Federals had come
up in full force and began to attack impetuously in the Confederate rear
and on their left flank. Before nightfall the battle seemed raging on
their flank for miles in the direction they were going, and in the rear
the Federals were steadily pushing them, and, by the time the Confederates
reached a high range of hills in the vicinity of the "High Bridge," over
the Appomattox, it became necessary to abandon over a hundred wagons and
several batteries of artillery. After reaching the summit of the hill, the
pursuit ceased. During the day the fight at times was bloody, and many
were killed and wounded on both sides. The Confederate wounded were left
on the field. Late in the evening Gen. Ewell, with the larger portion of
his command, were cut off and forced to surrender. The Confederates also
took several hundred prisoners.
The Confederate army, except Longstreet's command, crossed the river
during the night, Gordon's troops at the High Bridge going into bivouac on
the opposite side, while Longstreet occupied the hills at the river near
the town of Farmville.
In the vicinity of Farmville, on the morning of the 7th, the haversacks of
many of the men were replenished for the first time since leaving
Petersburg.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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