At this railroad point, three miles from the Court House, a Confederate
provision train arrived on the morning of April 8th. The supplies were
being loaded into wagons and ambulances by a detail of about four thousand
men, many of them unarmed, when suddenly a body of Federal cavalry charged
upon them, having reached the spot by a by-road leading from the Red
House. After a few shots the Confederates fled in confusion. The cavalry
drove them on in the direction of Appomattox Court House, capturing many
prisoners, twenty-five pieces of artillery, a hospital train, and a large
pack of wagons. This was Lee's last effort to obtain food for his army.
[Illustration: FEDERAL SOLDIERS WHO PERFORMED ONE OF THE LAST DUTIES AT
APPOMATTOX
A detail of the Twenty-sixth Michigan handed out paroles to the
surrendered Confederates.