FORWARD MOVEMENT OF THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC—CAPTURE OF PETERSBURG AND
RICHMOND—PURSUIT OF LEE’S ARMY—BATTLE OF SAILOR’S CREEK.
General Grant was now tightening his grip on the rebel lines, and he
ordered a forward movement of all the forces concentrated around
Petersburg, with the intention of capturing that city and Richmond also.
On the 29th, in a communication to General Sheridan, he says: “Our line
is now unbroken from the Appomattox to Dinwiddie. We are all ready,
however, to give up all, from the Jerusalem Plank Road to Hatcher’s Run,
whenever the forces can be used advantageously.... I now feel like
ending the matter, if it is possible to do so, before going back. I do
not want you, therefore, to cut loose and go after the enemy’s roads at
present. In the morning push around the enemy, if you can, and get on to
his right rear.... We will act all together as one army, until it is
seen what can be done with the enemy.”
The rain fell in torrents from the night of the 29th to the morning of
the 31st, and the roads were almost impassable. Sheridan advanced from
Dinwiddie Court House, on the 30th, towards Five Forks, and found the
enemy there in full force, and, reinforced by the rebel cavalry, forced
him back to Dinwiddie Court House. Here General Sheridan, instead of
retreating with his command to the main army, deployed his cavalry on
foot, leaving only mounted men enough to take charge of the horses, and
compelled the enemy to deploy over a vast extent of wooded and broken
country, making his progress slow. Two divisions of the Fifth Corps and
General Mackenzie’s cavalry were sent to Sheridan’s assistance.
Thus reinforced, General Sheridan on the morning of the 1st of April
drove the enemy back on Five Forks, where he assaulted and carried his
strongly fortified works, capturing all his artillery and between five
and six thousand prisoners.
Our battery marched at twelve P. M. to Fort Fisher, where the signal gun
was to be fired at four A. M. and answered on our left by troops at
Hatcher’s Run and on the right of our lines near Yellow House, which
were signals for a general advance of our army on the works of the
enemy. We received orders to join the First Brigade, First Division, of
the Sixth Corps. This gallant corps had already won imperishable renown
on many sanguinary fields under the lamented Sedgwick, and now, under
Wright, its able corps commander, still maintained its well-earned
reputation.
Our division commander, Gen. Frank Wheaton, a native of Rhode Island,
was a brave and accomplished officer, respected and esteemed by every
soldier of his command. The following sketch is taken from Bartlett’s
_Memoirs of Rhode Island Officers_: “He is the son of Dr. Francis L.
Wheaton [himself a surgeon in the war] and Amelia S. (Burrell) Wheaton.
He was born in Providence, received his education in the public schools
in his native city, and on graduating from the high school entered on a
partial course of study in Brown University preparatory to his destined
pursuit in life, that of civil engineering.
“In 1854, he went on a survey as chief of a party of reconnaissance to
meet the Mexican commissioner, Senor Salazar.
“In June, 1855, two weeks after the survey had been completed, Mr.
Wheaton received from President Pierce the appointment of first
lieutenant of cavalry. On the first of March, 1861, he was promoted to a
captaincy, and on the breaking out of the war was detailed with Captain
Sitgreaves, Topographical Engineers, to muster into service the United
States troops in Albany.
“In June, 1861, Captain Wheaton was appointed by Governor Sprague
lieutenant-colonel of the Second Rhode Infantry. On the death of Colonel
Slocum he was immediately promoted to the colonelcy of his regiment. In
November, 1862, he was appointed a brigadier-general of volunteers. He
commanded a brigade of the Sixth Corps, and was with it in its various
campaigns and battles, until the battle of Winchester, Va., Sept. 19,
1864, when, by order of General Sheridan, he was assigned to the command
of the First Division, Sixth Corps. One month later he was recommended
for promotion for services rendered at the battle of Cedar Creek, Va.,
and was breveted major-general of volunteers. After the battle of the
Wilderness he received the brevet of lieutenant-colonel in the regular
army, and later on received the brevet of colonel for distinguished
services at the battle of Cold Harbor.
“On the 2d of April, 1865, the rebel lines before Petersburg, Va., were
successfully assaulted by the Sixth Corps, the First Division of which
was commanded by General Wheaton. For his services on this occasion he
received the brevet of brigadier-general in the United States army. But
the crowning honor of his career was the brevet of major-general in the
regular army, conferred upon him for the masterly manner in which he
defeated and drove back the rebel General Early, at Fort Stevens, within
the city of Washington, on the night of the 12th of July, 1864. He was
the immediate commander, on this occasion, of the United States forces,
consisting of twelve regiments. At the close of the war he was ordered
to the frontier, and, as brevet major-general of volunteers, commanded a
district including the territories of Nebraska, Dacotah, and Montana. In
November, 1865, he was appointed lieutenant-colonel in the Thirty-ninth
United States Infantry, and subsequently colonel Second United States
Infantry, and is at the present time a brigadier-general in the United
States army.”
We will now return to the position occupied by our battery near Fort
Fisher on the morning of April 2d. General Grant had issued orders for
an assault on the enemy’s lines by General Wright with the Sixth Corps,
and General Parke with the Ninth Corps, while General Humphreys with the
Second, and General Ord with the Army of the James were ordered to hold
themselves in readiness to take any advantage that could be taken from
weakening in their front.
At half past four o’clock in the forenoon, our battery moved forward
with the division, and, after crossing the rifle-pits, the right section
of the battery was ordered into action in front of Fort Fisher, between
two chimneys, and were soon engaged with a rebel battery, compelling it
to retire. Then we poured an enfilading fire on a rebel fort, silencing
its guns. The section then moved to our left, to the assistance of our
infantry, who were hotly engaged with the enemy. The section was
subsequently ordered to return to Fort Fisher. Here we found Generals
Grant, Meade, Wheaton, Parke, Getty, and Sheridan, intently observing
the movements of our troops, and the result of the battle. Our whole
battery then moved nearer to a rebel fort in our front, opened fire upon
it, and finally succeeded in silencing the enemy’s guns.
During the day the battery occupied seven different positions, the last
one being in the rear of the Whitworth House. The enemy placed a rifle
battery in position on the left, and obtained an enfilading fire at one
thousand seven hundred yards, being beyond the extreme range of our
guns. The battery was subsequently ordered to withdraw from this
position, and went into park in rear of the First Division headquarters
for the night. In this day’s action, three men of our battery were
killed: Privates Gerritt S. Hill (an attached man from the Fourteenth
New York Heavy Artillery), Thomas Carter, and Charles Vaslett; wounded
severely, Private Eben Tongue; wounded slightly, Sergt. Esek S. Owen,
Corp. John P. Campbell, 2d, and Privates William H. Stone, Gideon W.
Arnold, and George W. Freeborn. Private Charles Tweedale was made
permanently deaf. Our Battery Guidon, Horace F. Floyd, had his horse
killed by a shell. The horse fell on Comrade Floyd, injuring him
severely. Ten horses were killed in this action.
General Wheaton, in his report to Major Whittlesey, says:
“During our advance towards Petersburg, Capt. Crawford Allen, Jr.’s
Battery H, of the First Rhode Island Artillery, was admirably handled
and his losses were severe. His guns were always in front, frequently in
advance of the skirmishers; and, as our lines moved forward, he
invariably forced the enemy’s batteries to retire, and followed them
closely. Earlier in the day, when the assault commenced, Captain Allen
very handsomely compelled a section of the enemy’s artillery to retire.
If these guns, occupying one of their intrenched works and thoroughly
enfilading our lines, had not been silenced, they might have materially
retarded our advance.”
While the Sixth Corps under Wright swung around to the left and moved to
Hatcher’s Run, sweeping everything before them, the other corps were not
idle. Ord and Humphreys succeeded in capturing the intrenched picket
lines in their front. Ord took possession of the enemy’s intrenchments,
the Second Corps soon followed, and the outer works were in the hands of
the Union troops. Sheridan had also been successful on his part of the
line. He met the enemy at Sutherland Station, and, with the assistance
of Miles’ division of the Second Corps, captured the place, taking a
large number of prisoners and some pieces of artillery, and putting to
flight portions of three Confederate corps.
General Grant, in a dispatch to Col. T. S. Bowers at City Point well
describes the situation of our army on the afternoon of the 2d of April.
He says: “We are now up and have a continuous line of troops, and in a
few hours will be intrenched from the Appomattox below Petersburg to the
river above.... The whole captures since the army started out gunning
will amount to not less than twelve thousand men, and probably fifty
pieces of artillery.”
An assault was ordered to be made the following day at six A. M.; but
the enemy evacuated Richmond and Petersburg on the morning of the 3d,
and retreated toward Danville. General Sheridan with his cavalry,
followed by General Meade with the Second and Sixth Corps, started in
pursuit. General Ord proceeded to Burkeville along the South Side Road,
the Ninth Corps following closely. Battery H moved with the First
Division of the Sixth Corps. We crossed the South Side Railroad, passing
a station on the road which read “Black and White Station,” meaning that
both white and black persons could take the cars at that point. We
marched about fifteen miles and encamped for the night at about ten P.
M.
On the morning of the 4th of April we again started in full pursuit of
the enemy. Our corps being in the centre of the other corps we marched
on parallel roads. We here received an official dispatch that our forces
were in possession of Richmond and Petersburg. We encamped that night
about eleven P. M.
President Lincoln, who had been at City Point for several days, on the
morning of the capture of Petersburg, received a dispatch from General
Grant inviting him to ride out to Petersburg and he would meet him
there. He found Grant in the captured city occupying the piazza of a
deserted house. Mr. Lincoln warmly congratulated the general on the
recent victory, thanking him and his army for the good results
accomplished, and said: “Do you know, general, that I have had a sort of
sneaking idea for some days that you intended to do something like
this.” General Grant had with him at this time the officers of his staff
and only a small escort of cavalry, all the troops having been sent in
pursuit of General Lee and his fleeing army.
April 5th still found our division pursuing the Confederate forces. We
did not meet many rebels, only a few prisoners captured by our cavalry
at the front. After a short march we bivouacked for the night. On the
morning of this date General Grant addressed the following communication
to General Sherman: “All indications now are that Lee will attempt to
reach Danville with the remnant of his force. Sheridan, who was up with
him last night, reports all that is left, horse, foot, and dragoons, at
twenty thousand, much demoralized. We hope to reduce this number
one-half. I shall push on to Burkeville, and if a stand is made at
Danville will go there. If you can possibly do so, push on from where
you are, and let us see if we cannot finish the job with Lee and
Johnston’s armies. Whether it will be better for you to strike for
Greensboro’, or nearer to Danville, you will be better able to judge
when you receive this. Rebel armies now are the only strategic points to
strike at.”
On the morning of the 6th of April, Sheridan with his cavalry advanced
on the road running from Deatonsville to Rice Station. Before long the
enemy’s trains were discovered on this road, but little impression could
be made upon them they were so strongly guarded. Leaving a sufficient
force there to harrass the retreating column, he shifted the rest of his
cavalry toward the left, across-country, but still keeping parallel to
the enemy’s line of march. After crossing Sailor’s Creek he again
attacked the enemy vigorously, destroying several hundred wagons, made
many prisoners and captured sixteen pieces of artillery. But the most
important fact was that he had prevented a corps of Confederate
infantry, under Ewell, from joining Longstreet. The separation of these
two rebel commands from each other led to the battle of Sailor’s Creek,
a hard fought combat, in which infantry, artillery, and cavalry were all
brought into action. This small creek, which is a tributary of the
Appomattox, flows in a northwesterly direction across the road leading
from Deatonsville to Rice’s Station. Sheridan sent Merritt with his
division to the left on the Rice’s Station Road, west of the creek,
making havoc with the enemy’s wagon trains, while Crook struck them
further on and planted himself square across the road. This blocked
Ewell’s progress, and he endeavored to make a stand here with a portion
of his forces under Anderson, while the main body should escape through
the woods in a westerly direction toward Farmville. But Crook at once
assaulted Anderson’s front, overlapping his right, and Merritt attacked
to the right of Crook. The enemy were thus held until the arrival of the
Sixth Corps, under Wright, who were advancing “as fast as legs could
carry them.”
Grant had directed that the Sixth Corps should follow Sheridan’s route
of march since the discovery in the morning that Lee had evacuated
Amelia Court House. In a note to Sheridan he said: “The Sixth Corps will
go in with a vim any place you may dictate.”
On that morning our brigade with Battery H, led the advance of our
division on the march, expecting every moment to encounter the enemy.
When our corps reached Sailor’s Creek in the afternoon Seymour’s
division was placed in position on the right of the road, while our
division (Wheaton’s) formed on Seymour’s left. Both divisions moving
forward together assailed the enemy’s front and left, together with
Stagg’s brigade of cavalry which had been placed between Wheaton’s left
and Devin’s right, while Merritt and Crook resumed the fight from their
positions in front of Anderson.
Our battery went into action with our division, and fired fifteen
rounds. We then changed our position to the brow of a hill overlooking
the creek, where we remained until the close of the engagement. Generals
Sheridan, Wright, and Custer were on this hill observing the progress of
the battle. The enemy had now little chance of escape, and fought like
tigers, but were pressed vigorously by Seymour and Wheaton, our forces
gaining ground at all points except where Seymour’s left was checked.
Here the enemy made a counter-charge, surging down almost to the creek,
but our artillery, supported by Getty, who had arrived upon the ground,
opened such a terrible fire upon them that they fell back to their
original position. Ewell seeing that he was completely hemmed in on all
sides, surrendered all those under his immediate command.
Anderson’s troops (rebel) had by this time become disorganized, and he
with two thousand of his men escaped through the woods toward the
Appomattox River, before they could be entirely surrounded. The fight
was now over and night had fallen, but the cavalry and a part of the
Sixth Corps pursued the enemy a few miles, anxious to complete a victory
which had annihilated one corps of Lee’s army, and had compelled
Longstreet to move to Farmville, and take a road north of the Appomattox
River, instead of continuing toward Danville. The result of this victory
was the capture of six general officers (including General Ewell) and
seven thousand men. Sheridan immediately sent a staff officer to General
Grant apprising him of the situation. At midnight he dispatched a
message to Grant giving the names of the generals captured. He also
wrote in the same dispatch: “If the thing is pressed, I think that Lee
will surrender.” General Grant on receiving this message transmitted it
by telegraph to President Lincoln, who was at City Point. The President
in his quaint way telegraphed this characteristic reply: “Let the thing
be pressed.”