CLOSING SCENES.
They yield, they turn, they fly the field,
We smite them as they run;
Their arms, their colors are our spoil,
The furious fight is done!
Across the plain we follow far,
And backward push the fray;
Cheer! Cheer! The grand old army
At last has won the day!
_Stedman._
I can give the further movements of my regiment after I was wounded,
only from what I learned later from my comrades, for to my great
regret, I was not with them to the end. The Fifth corps kept on in
spite of the enemy’s artillery, until they reached around the extreme
right of the confederate line of works in front of Petersburg. Next
day they were relieved by the Second corps, and moved off again to
the left, a little to the west of the Boydton road. Here they were
attacked, and driven back, but again advanced and drove the rebels back.
Four companies of our regiment were in the line of skirmishers, and
seized the opportunity to get in the rear of the rebel skirmishers, who
were so surprised that they hastily retreated leaving their dinner and
stacked arms, all of which were confiscated by the boys of the 32nd. We
were now on the extreme left of our army and towards night our brigade
was sent out to find, and if possible to re-enforce General Sheridan.
We had all we could attend to in driving the enemy out of our way, and
it was morning before we reached Sheridan.
That day, April 1st, was fought the battle of Five Forks by the Fifth
corps and the cavalry, all under the command of the dashing and
dauntless Phil Sheridan. It was a complete victory for our side, and we
captured five thousand prisoners.
Next day, by order of General Sheridan, General Warren was relieved
of the command of the Fifth corps, and our brigade commander,
General Griffin took his place. The colonel of our regiment, James
A. Cunningham was placed in command of a brigade of skirmishers, and
Ambrose Bancroft, captain of our company, (B,) was placed in command of
the 32nd, which was included in Cunningham’s brigade.
Next day we were deployed to the west, and reaching the South Side
railroad, captured a train of sick and wounded soldiers, took many
other prisoners, and a great quantity of stores and supplies. Here
we learned that General Lee was leaving Petersburg, and retreating
southward, and General Sheridan hastened with his cavalry and the Fifth
corps to cut off his retreat.
On the 4th of April we seized the only railroad by which Lee could
escape, and on Sunday, the 9th, he made a final attempt to cut his way
through our cavalry’s lines. Our brigade had marched all day and half
the night, and enjoyed about two hours rest, when we were called upon
to re-enforce the cavalry.
Away we went, the 32nd leading the column, the men gay and bright, and
their guns glistening in the sunshine. At the sight of our coming the
enemy retreated; they had no desire to encounter the “Fighting Fifth”
that day. Soon we received the order “Forward.” We advanced under a
sharp fire from their artillery, and their front line fell back from
our attack. Just then General Lee sent one of his staff with a flag of
truce, and all hostilities ceased.
We soon heard that General Grant and General Lee were holding a
conference, and at four P. M. the general orders announced that Lee had
surrendered. How profound was our emotion when we realized that the war
was at an end!
The following day the two armies were mingled together like old
friends. The brave confederates were entirely destitute of rations,
and we shared ours with the half starved men, who had fought so long
and so desperately for a cause that was lost. The next day was the
formal surrender of arms. Our brigade received the surrender, and the
32nd was on the right of the line. Drawn up in line of battle, guns at
shoulder, loaded and capped, eyes front, no cheering, no jeering, only
a sympathetic silence, while the gallant but defeated foe advanced in
front the length of our line, then faced us, stacked arms, laid colors
and equipments on stack, then marched away to make room for another
line, until all had given up their arms. It was a thrilling sight,
never to be forgotten by those who witnessed it.
After the surrender the regiment was kept busy in various ways, but
at last started for Washington in time to take part in the grand
review, which occurred on the 23rd and 24th of May, 1865. I could
not march with my comrades, but witnessed the parade from a stand
reserved for disabled veterans. In those two days, 150 000 men marched
up Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol, by the White House, out to
Georgetown, and across the Potomac river into Virginia once more.
What a sight it was! I cannot describe my feelings as I saw those
columns of veterans march by, knowing so well what they had endured,
and what they had accomplished. I was proud to call them comrades.
Nor did I forget the many thousands of brave men who died that their
country might live. I thought sadly of my companions in arms, whose
faces I missed when my regiment passed by; they will never be forgotten
until I too have joined the grand army of the dead.
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