 Section 72, Part 4 of 4 of Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Jim Clevenger. Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant by Ulysses S. Grant. Report of Lieutenant General U.S. Grant of the United States Army's 1864-1865, continued. On the 24th of March, the following instructions for a general movement of the Army's operating against Richmond were issued. City Point, Virginia, March 24, 1865. General. On the 29th instant, the Army's operating against Richmond will be moved by our left for the double purpose of turning the enemy out of its present position around Petersburg and to ensure the success of the cavalry under General Sheridan, which will start at the same time in its efforts to reach and destroy the south side and Danville railroads. Two cores of the Army of the Potomac will be moved at first in two columns, taking the two roads crossing Hatcher's Run nearest where the present line held by us strikes that stream, both moving towards Denwitte Courthouse. The cavalry under General Sheridan, joined by the division now under General Davies, will move at the same time by the Weldon Road and the Jerusalem Plank Road, turning west from the ladder before crossing the Nottaway and west with the whole column before reaching Stony Creek. General Sheridan will then move independently under other instructions which will be given him. All dismounted cavalry belonging to the Army of the Potomac and the dismounted cavalry from the Middle Military Division, not required for guarding property belonging to their arm of service, will report to Brigadier General Benham to be added to the defenses of City Point. Major General Park will be left in command of all the Army left for holding the lines about Petersburg and City Point, subject of course to orders from the commander of the Army of the Potomac. The Ninth Army Corps will be left in tack to hold the present line of works so long as the whole line now occupied by us is held, if however the troops to the left of the Ninth Corps are withdrawn, then the left of the Corps may be thrown back so as to occupy the position held by the Army prior to the capture of the Weldon Road. All troops to the left of the Ninth Corps will be held in readiness to move at the shortest notice by such route as may be designated when the order is given. General Ord will detach three divisions, two white and one colored, or so much of them as he can, and hold his present lines and march for the present left of the Army of the Potomac. In the absence of further orders, or until further orders are given, the white divisions will follow the left column of the Army of the Potomac and the colored division, the right column. During the movement, Major General Witzel will be left in command of all the forces remaining behind from the Army of the James. The movement of troops from the Army of the James will commence on the night of the 27th instant. General Ord will leave behind the minimum number of cavalry necessary for picket duty in the absence of the main Army. A cavalry expedition from General Ord's command will also be started from Suffolk to leave there on Saturday the 1st of April under Colonel Sumner for the purpose of cutting the railroad about Hicksford. This, if accomplished, will have to be a surprise and therefore from three to five hundred men will be sufficient. They should, however, be supported by all the infantry that can be spared from Norfolk and Portsmouth as far out as to where the cavalry crosses the Blackwater. The crossing should probably be at Uniton. Should Colonel Sumner succeed in reaching the Weldon Road, he will be instructed to do all the damage possible to the triangle of roads between Hicksford, Weldon, and Gaston. The railroad bridge at Weldon, being fitted up for the passage of carriages, it might be practicable to destroy any accumulation of supplies the enemy may have collected south of the Roanoke. All the troops will move with four days rations in haversacks and eight days in wagons to avoid as much hauling as possible and to give the Army of the James the same number of days supplies with the Army of the Potomac. General Ord will direct his commissary and quartermaster to have sufficient supplies delivered at the terminus of the road to fill up in passing. Sixty rounds of ammunition per man will be taken in wagons and as much grain as the transportation on hand will carry after taking the specified amount of other supplies. The densely wooded country in which the Army has to operate, making the use of much artillery impracticable, the amount taken with the Army will be reduced to six or eight guns to each division at the option of the Army commanders. All necessary preparations for carrying these directions into operation may be commenced at once. The reserves of the Ninth Corps should be masked as much as possible. While I would not now order an unconditional attack on the enemy's line by them, they should be ready and should make the attack if the enemy weakens his line in their front without waiting for orders. In case they carry the line, then the whole of the Ninth Corps could follow up so as to join or cooperate with the balance of the Army. To prepare for this, the Ninth Corps will have rations issued to them same as the balance of the Army. General Weitzel will keep vigilant watch upon his front and if found at all practicable to break through at any point he will do so. A success north of the James should be followed up with great promptness. An attack will not be feasible unless it is found that the enemy has detached largely. In that case, it may be regarded as evident that the enemy are relying upon their local reserves principally for the defense of Richmond. Preparations may be made for abandoning all the line north of the James except in closed works only to be abandoned, however, after a break is made in the lines of the enemy. By these instructions a large part of the Army's operating against Richmond is left behind. The enemy knowing this may, as an only chance, strip their lines to the mirror skeleton in the hope of advantage not being taken of it while they hurl themselves against the moving column and return. It cannot be impressed too strongly upon commanders of troops left in the trenches not to allow this to occur without taking advantage of it. The very fact of the enemy coming out to attack, if he does so, might be regarded as almost conclusive evidence of such a weakening of his lines. I would have it particularly enjoined upon core commanders that, in case of an attack from the enemy, those not attacked are not to wait for orders from the commanding officer of the Army to which they belong, but that they will move promptly and notify the commander of their action. I would also enjoin the same action on the part of division commanders when other parts of their core are engaged, in like manner. I would urge the importance of following up a repulse of the enemy. U.S. Grant, Lieutenant General, Major Generals Mead, Ord, and Sheridan. Early on the morning of the twenty-fifth, the enemy assaulted our lines in front of the ninth core, which held from the Appomattox River towards our left, and carried Fort Steadman. And a part of the line to the right and left of it established themselves and turned the guns of the fort against us. But our troops on either flank held their ground until the reserves were brought up when the enemy was driven back with a heavy loss in killed and wounded and 1,900 prisoners. Our loss was sixty-eight killed, three hundred and thirty-seven wounded, and five hundred and six missing. General Mead at once ordered the other cores to advance and field the enemy and their respective fronts. Pushing forward, they captured and held the enemy's strongly entrenched picket line in front of the second and sixth cores and eight hundred and thirty-four prisoners. The enemy made desperate attempts to retake this line but without success. Our loss in front of these was fifty-two killed, eight hundred and sixty-four wounded, and two hundred and seven missing. The enemy's loss in killed and wounded was far greater. General Sherman, having got his troops all quietly in camp about Goldsboro and his preparations for furnishing supplies to them perfected, visited me at City Point on the twenty-seventh of March and stated that he would be ready to move as he had previously written me by the tenth of April, fully equipped and rationed for twenty days, if it should become necessary to bring his command to bear against Lee's army in cooperation with our forces in front of Richmond and Petersburg. General Sherman proposed, in this movement, to threaten Raleigh and then by turning suddenly to the right reached the Roanoke at Gaston or thereabouts, whence he could move on to the Richmond and Danville Railroad striking it in the vicinity of Berksville or join the army's operating against Richmond as might be deemed best. This plan he was directed to carry into execution if he received no further directions in the meantime. I explained to him the movement I had ordered to commence on the twenty-ninth of March that if it should not prove as entirely successful as I hoped I would cut the cavalry loose to destroy the Danville and Southside railroads and thus deprive the enemy of further supplies and also to prevent the rapid concentration of Lee's and Johnston's armies. I had spent days of anxiety lest each morning should bring the report that the enemy had retreated the night before. I was firmly convinced that Sherman's crossing the Roanoke would be the signal for Lee to leave. With Johnston and him combined a long, tedious and expensive campaign consuming most of the summer might become necessary. By moving out I would put the army in better condition for pursuit and would at least by the destruction of the Danville Road retard the concentration of the two armies of Lee and Johnston and cause the enemy to abandon such material that he might otherwise say. I therefore determined not to delay the movement ordered. On the night of the twenty-seventh Major General Ord, with two divisions of the twenty-fourth Corps, Major General Sherman commanding, and one division of the twenty-fifth Corps, Brigadier General Bernie commanding, and McKenzie's cavalry took up his line of march in pursuance of the foregoing instructions and reached the position assigned him near Hatcher's Run on the morning of the twenty-ninth. On the twenty-eighth the following instructions were given to General Sheridan. City Point, Virginia, March 28, 1865. General, the fifth Army Corps will move by the Vaughan Road at three a.m. tomorrow morning. The second moves at about nine a.m., having but about three miles to march to reach the point designated for it to take on the right of the fifth Corps after the latter reaching Dinwiddie Courthouse. Move your cavalry at as early an hour as you can, and without being confined to any particular road or roads, you may go out by the nearest roads in rear of the fifth Corps, pass by its left, and passing nearer to or through Dinwiddie, reach the right and rear of the enemy as soon as you can. It is not the intention to attack the enemy in his entrenched position, but to force him out, if possible. Should he come out and attack us or get himself where he can be attacked, move in with your entire force in your own way and with the full reliance that the Army will engage or follow as circumstances will dictate. I shall be on the field and will probably be able to communicate with you. Should I not do so? And you find that the enemy keeps within his main entrenched line, you may cut loose and push for the Danville Road. If you find it practicable, I would like you to cross the southside road between Petersburg and Berksville and destroy it to some extent. I would not advise much detention, however, until you reach the Danville Road, which I would like you to strike as nearer to the Appomattox as possible. Make your destruction of that road as complete as possible. You can then pass on to the southside road west of Berksville and destroy that in like manner. After having accomplished the destruction of the two railroads, which are now the only avenues of supply to Lee's Army, you may return to this Army, selecting your road further south, or you may go into North Carolina and join General Sherman. Should you select the latter course? Get the information to me as early as possible so that I may send orders to meet you at Goldsboro. U.S. Grant, Lieutenant General, Major General P.H. Sheridan. On the morning of the twenty-ninth, the movement commenced. At night the cavalry was at Dinwiddy Courthouse, and the left of our infantry line extended to the Quaker Road near its intersection with the Boydton Plank Road. The position of the troops from left to right was as follows. Sheridan, Warren, Humphries, Ord, Right Park. Everything looked favorable to the defeat of the enemy and the capture of Petersburg and Richmond, if the proper effort was made. I, therefore, addressed the following communication to General Sheridan, having previously informed him verbally not to cut loose for the raid contemplated in his orders until he received notice from me to do so. Gravelly Creek, March 29, 1865. General, our line is now unbroken from the Appomattox to Dinwiddy. We are already, however, to give up all from the Jerusalem Plank Road to Hatcher's Run whenever the forces can be used advantageously. After getting into line south of Hatcher's, we pushed forward to find the enemy's position. General Griffin was attacked near where the Quaker Road intersects the Boydton Road but repulsed it easily, capturing about one hundred men. Humphries reached Dabney's Mill and was pushing on when last heard from. 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. The movements of the enemy's cavalry may, of course, modify your action. We will act altogether as one army here until it is seen what can be done with the enemy. The signal officer at Cobbs's Hill reported at half past eleven a.m. that a cavalry column had passed that point from Richmond towards Petersburg taking forty minutes to pass. U.S. Grant Lieutenant General, Major General P.H. Sheridan. From the night of the twenty-ninth to the morning of the thirty-first, the rain fell in such torrents as to make it impossible to move a wheeled vehicle, except as corduroy roads were laid in front of them. During the thirtieth, Sheridan advanced from Demwitty Courthouse towards Five Forks where he found the enemy in full force. General Warren advanced and extended his line across the Boynton Plank Road to near the White Oak Road with a view of getting across the ladder, but finding the enemy strong in his front and extending beyond his left was directed to hold on where he was and fortify. General Humphries drove the enemy from his front into his main line on the hatcher near Burgess's Mills. Generals Ord, Wright, and Park made examinations in their fronts to determine the feasibility of an assault on the enemy's lines. The two ladder reported favorably the enemy confronting us as he did at every point from Richmond to our extreme left. I conceived his lines must be weakly held and could be penetrated if my estimate of his forces was correct. I determined therefore to extend our line no further, but to reinforce General Sheridan with a core of infantry and thus enable him to cut loose and turn the enemy's right flank and with the other core assault the enemy's lines. The result of the offensive effort of the enemy the week before when he assaulted Fort Steadman particularly favored this. The enemy's entrenched picket line captured by us at that time threw the lines occupied by the belligerent so close together at some points that it was but a moment's run from one to the other. Preparations were at once made to relieve General Humphrey's core to report to General Sheridan but the condition of the roads prevented immediate movement. On the morning of the 31st General Warren reported favorably to getting possession of the White Oak Road and was directed to do so. To accomplish this he moved with one division instead of his whole core which was attacked by the enemy in superior force and driven back on the second division before it had time to form and it in turn forced back upon the third division when the enemy was checked. A division of the second core was immediately sent to his support. The enemy driven back with heavy loss and possession of the White Oak Road gained. Sheridan advanced and with a portion of his cavalry got possession of the five forks but the enemy after the affair with the fifth core reinforced the rebel cavalry defending that point with infantry and forced him back towards Dinwiddie Courthouse. Here General Sheridan displayed great leadership instead of retreating with his whole command on the main army to tell the story of superior forces encountered he deployed his cavalry on foot leaving only mounted men enough to take charge of the horses. This compelled the enemy to deploy over a vast extent of wooded and broken country and made his progress slow. At this juncture he dispatched to me what had taken place and that he was dropping back slowly on Dinwiddie Courthouse. General McKenzie's cavalry and one division of the fifth core were immediately ordered to his assistance soon after receiving a report from General Meade that Humphries could hold our position on the Boynton Road and that the other two divisions of the fifth core could go to Sheridan they were so ordered at once. Thus the operations of the day necessitated descending of Warren because of his accessibility instead of Humphries as was intended and precipitated intended movements. On the morning of the first of April General Sheridan reinforced by General Warren drove the enemy back on five forks where late in the evening he assaulted and carried his strongly fortified position capturing all his artillery and between five and six thousand prisoners. About the close of this battle Brevet Major General Charles Griffin relieved Major General Warren in command of the fifth core. The report of this reached me after nightfall. Some apprehensions filled my mind lest the enemy might desert his lines during the night and by falling upon General Sheridan before assistance could reach him drive him from his position and open the way for retreat. To guard against this General Miles's division of Humphries core was sent to reinforce him and a bombardment was commenced and kept up until four o'clock in the morning April 2nd when an assault was ordered on the enemy's lines. General Wright penetrated the lines with his whole core sweeping everything before him and to his left towards Hatcher's Run capturing many guns and several thousand prisoners. He was closely followed by two divisions of General Ord's command until he met the other division of General Ord's that had succeeded enforcing the enemy's lines near Hatcher's Run. General's right and Ord immediately swung to the right and closed all of the enemy on that side of them in Petersburg while General Humphries pushed forward with two divisions and joined General Wright on the left. General Part succeeded in carrying the enemy's main line capturing guns and prisoners but was unable to carry his inner line. General Sheridan being advised of the condition of affairs returned General Miles to his proper command. On reaching the enemy's lines immediately surrounding Petersburg a portion of General Gibbons core by a most gallant charge captured two strong enclosed works the most salient and commanding south of Petersburg thus materially shortening the line of investment necessary for taking in the city. The enemy south of Hatcher's Run retreated westward to Sutherland Station where they were overtaken by Miles's division. A severe engagement ensued and lasted until both his right and left flanks were threatened by the approach of General Sheridan who was moving from Ford's Station towards Petersburg and a division sent by General Meade from the front of Petersburg when he broke in the utmost confusion leaving in our hands his guns and many prisoners. This force retreated by the main road along the Appomattox River. During the night of the second the enemy evacuated Petersburg and Richmond and retreated towards Danville. On the morning of the third pursuit was commenced General Sheridan pushed for the Danville road keeping near the Appomattox followed by General Meade with the second and sixth cores while General Ord moved for Berksville along the south side road. The ninth core stretched along that road behind him. On the fourth General Sheridan struck the Danville road near Jethersville where he learned that Lee was at Amelia courthouse. He immediately entrenched himself and awaited the arrival of General Meade who reached there the next day. General Ord reached Berksville on the evening of the fifth. On the morning of the fifth I addressed Major General Sherman the following communication. Wilson's Station, April 5, 1865 General 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 dragons at twenty thousand much demoralized. We hope to reduce this number one half. I shall push on to Berksville and if a stand is made at Danville will in a very few days go there. If you can possibly do so push on from where you are and let us see we cannot finish the job with Lee's 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. U.S. Grant Lieutenant General, Major General W.T. Sherman. On the morning of the sixth it was found that General Lee was moving west of Jethersville towards Danville. General Sheridan moved with his cavalry to Fifth Corps having been returned to General Meade on his reaching Jethersville to strike his flank followed by the sixth corps while the second and fifth corps pressed hard after forcing him to abandon several hundred wagons and several pieces of artillery. General Orde advanced from Berksville towards Farmville sending two regiments of infantry and a squadron of cavalry under Brevet Brigadier General Theodore Reed to reach and destroy the bridges. This advance met the head of Lee's column near Farmville which it heroically attacked and detained until General Reed was killed and his small force overpowered. This caused a delay in the enemy's movements and enabled General Orde to get well up with the remainder of his force. On meeting which the enemy immediately entrenched himself in the afternoon General Sheridan struck the enemy south of Sailors Creek captured sixteen pieces of artillery in about four hundred wagons and detained him until the sixth corps got up when a general attack of infantry and cavalry was made which resulted in the capture of six or seven thousand prisoners among whom were many general officers. The movements of the second corps and General Orde's command contributed greatly to the day's success. On the morning of the seventh the pursuit was renewed the cavalry except one division and the fifth corps moving by Prince Edwards's courthouse the sixth corps General Orde's command and one division of cavalry on Farmville and the second corps by the High Bridge Road. It was soon found that the enemy had crossed to the north side of the Appomattox but so close was the pursuit that the second corps got possession of the common bridge at High Bridge before the enemy could destroy it and immediately crossed over. The sixth corps and a division of cavalry crossed at Farmville to its support. Feeling now that General Lee's chance of escape was utterly hopeless I addressed him the following communication from Farmville April 7 1865. General the result of the last week must convince you of the hopelessness of further resistance on the part of the Army of Northern Virginia in this struggle. I feel that it is so and regard it as my duty to shift from myself the responsibility of any further effusion of blood by asking of you the surrender of that portion of the Confederate State's Army known as the Army of Northern Virginia U.S. Grant Lieutenant General General R.E. Lee. Early on the morning of the eighth before leaving I received at Farmville the following April 7 1865. General I have received your note of this date. Though not entertaining the opinion you express on the hopelessness of further resistance on the part of the Army of Northern Virginia I reciprocate your desire to avoid useless effusion of blood and therefore before considering your proposition ask the terms you will offer on condition of its surrender R.E. Lee General Lieutenant General U.S. Grant. To this I immediately replied April 8 1865. General your note of last evening in reply to mine of same date asking the condition on which I will accept the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia is just received. In reply I would say that peace being my great desire there is but one condition I would insist upon namely that the men and officers surrendered shall be disqualified for taking up arms again against the government of the United States until properly exchanged I will meet you or will designate officers to meet any officer you may name for the same purpose at any point agreeable to you for the purpose of arranging definitely the terms upon which the surrender of the Army of the Northern Virginia will be received. U.S. Grant Lieutenant General General R.E. Lee. Early on the morning of the 8th the pursuit was resumed. General Meade followed north of the Appomattox in General Sheridan with all the cavalry pushed straight ahead for Appomattox Station followed by General Ord's Command and the Fifth Corps. During the day General Meade's advance had considerable fighting with the enemy's rearguard but was unable to bring on a general engagement. Late in the evening General Sheridan struck the railroad at Appomattox Station, drove the enemy from there and captured 25 pieces of artillery, a hospital train, and four trains of cars loaded with supplies Army. During this day I accompanied General Meade's column and about midnight received the following communication from General Lee. April 8, 1865. General I received at a late hour your note of today. In mine of yesterday I did not intend to propose the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia but to ask the terms of your proposition. To be frank I do not think the emergency has risen to call for the surrender of this Army but as the restoration of peace should be the sole object of all I desired to know whether your proposal would lead to that end. I cannot therefore meet you with a view to the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia but as far as your proposal may affect the Confederate State's forces under my command and tend to the restoration of peace. I should be pleased to meet you at 10 a.m. tomorrow on the old stage road to Richmond between the picket lines of the two Armies. R. E. Lee, General, Lieutenant General, U.S. Grant. Early in the morning of the ninth I returned him an answer as follows and immediately started to join the column south of the Appomattox. April 9, 1865. General your note of yesterday is received. I have no authority to treat on the subject of peace. The meeting proposed for 10 a.m. today could lead to no good. I will state, however, General, that I am equally anxious for peace with yourself and the whole North entertains the same feeling. The terms upon which peace can be had are well understood. By the south laying down their arms they will hasten that most desirable event, save thousands of human lives and hundreds of millions of property not yet destroyed, seriously hoping that all our difficulties may be settled without the loss of another life. I subscribe myself, etc. U.S. Grant, Lieutenant General, General R. E. Lee. On this morning of the ninth General Ord's command and the Fifth Corps reached Appomattox Station just as the enemy was making a desperate effort to break through our cavalry. The infantry was at once thrown in. Soon after a white flag was received requesting a suspension of hostilities pending negotiations for a surrender. Before reaching General Sheridan's headquarters I received the following from General Lee. April 9, 1865. General, I received your note of this morning on the picket line, whether I come to meet you and ascertain definitely what terms were embraced in your proposal of yesterday with reference to the surrender of this army. I now ask an interview in accordance with the offer contained in your letter of yesterday for that purpose. R. E. Lee, General, Lieutenant General, U.S. Grant. The interview was held at Appomattox Courthouse, the result of which is set forth in the following correspondence. Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia, April 9, 1865. General, in accordance with the substance of my letter to you of the Eighth Incident, I propose to receive the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia on the following terms, to wit, roles of all the officers and men to aid in duplicate, one copy to be given to an officer to be designated by me, the other to be retained by such officer or officers as you may designate, the officers to give their individual paroles not to take up arms against the government of the United States until properly exchanged, and each company or regimental commander sign a like parole for the men of their hands. The arms, artillery, and public property to be parked and stacked and turned over to the officers appointed by me to receive them. This will not embrace the side arms of the officers nor their private horses or baggage. This done, each officer and man will be allowed to return to his home not to be disturbed by United States authorities so long as they observe their paroles and the laws in force where they may reside, U.S. Grant Lieutenant General, General R. E. Lee. Headquarters, Army of Northern Virginia, April 9, 1865. General, I have received your letter of this date containing the terms of surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia as proposed by you. As they are substantially the same as those expressed in your letter of the eighth instant they are accepted. I will proceed to designate the proper officers to carry the stipulations into effect. R. E. Lee, General, Lieutenant General U.S. Grant. The command of Major General Gibbon, the Fifth Army Corps under Griffin and McKinsey's cavalry were designated to remain at Appomattox Courthouse until the paroling of the surrendered army was completed and to take charge of the public property, the remainder of the army immediately returned to the vicinity of Brooksville. General Lee's great influence throughout the whole South caused his example to be followed and today the result is that the armies lately under his leadership are at their homes desiring peace and quiet and their arms are in the hands of our ordnance officers. On the receipt of my letter of the fifth General Sherman moved directly against Joe Johnston who retreated rapidly on and through the valley which placed General Sherman occupied on the morning of the 13th, the day preceding news of the surrender of General Lee reached him at Smithfield. On the 14th a correspondence was opened between General Sherman and General Johnston which resulted on the 18th in an agreement for a suspension of hostilities and a memorandum or basis for peace subject to the approval of the President. This agreement was disapproved by the President on the 21st which disapproval together with your instructions was communicated to General Sherman by me in person on the morning of the 24th at Raleigh, North Carolina in obedience to your orders. Notice was at once given by him to General Johnston for the termination of the truce that had been entered into. On the 25th another meeting between them was agreed upon to take place on the 26th which terminated in the surrender and disbandment of Johnston's army upon substantially the same terms as were given to General Lee. The expedition under General Stoneman from East Tennessee got off on the 20th of March moving by way of Boone, North Carolina and struck the railroad at Whitefield, Chambersburg and Biglick. The force striking it at Biglick pushed on to within a few miles of Lynchburg destroying the important bridges while with the main force he effectually destroyed it between New River and Biglick and then turned for Greensboro on the North Carolina railroad, struck that road and destroyed the bridges between Danville and Greensboro and between Greensboro and the Yadkin together with the depots of supplies along yet and captured 400 prisoners. At Salisbury he attacked and defeated the force of the enemy under General Gardner capturing 14 pieces of artillery and 1,364 prisoners and destroyed large amounts of army stores. At this place he destroyed 15 miles of railroad and the bridges towards Charlotte. Thence he moved to Slattersville. General Canby, who had been directed in January to make preparations for a movement from Mobile Bay against Mobile and the interior of Alabama commenced his movement on the 20th of March. The 16th Corps, Major General A.J. Smith commanding moved from Fort Gaines by water to Fish River. The 13th Corps under Major General Gordon Granger moved from Fort Morgan and joined the 16th Corps on Fish River both moving thence on Spanish Fort and investing it on the 27th. While Major General Steele's command moved from Pensacola, cut the railroad leading from Tensas to Montgomery affected a junction with them and partially invested Fort Blakely. After a severe bombardment of Spanish Fort a part of its line was carried on the 8th of April. During the night the enemy evacuated the fort. Fort Blakely was carried by assault on the 9th and many prisoners captured. Our loss was considerable. These successes practically opened to us the Alabama River and enabled us to approach Mobile from the north. On the night of the 11th the city was evacuated and was taken possession of by our forces on the morning of the 12th. The expedition under command of Brevet Major General Wilson consisting of 12,500 mountain men was delayed by rains until March 22 when it moved from Chickasaw, Alabama. On the 1st of April General Wilson encountered the enemy in force under forest near Ebenezer Church, drove him in confusion, captured 300 prisoners and 3 guns and destroyed the central bridge over the Cahaba River. On the 2nd he attacked and captured the fortified city of Selma, defended by forest with 7,000 men and 32 guns, destroyed the arsenal, armory, naval foundry, machine shops, vast quantities of stores and captured 3,000 prisoners. On the 4th he captured and destroyed Tuscaloosa. On the 10th he crossed the Alabama River and after sending information of his operations to General Canby, marched on Montgomery, which place he occupied on the 14th, the enemy having abandoned it. At this place many stores and 5 steam boats fell into our hands, thence a force marched direct on Columbus and another on West Point, both of which places were assaulted and captured on the 16th. At the former place we got 1,500 prisoners and 52 field guns destroyed 2 gun boats, the Navy Yard, foundries, arsenal, many factories and much other public property. At the latter place we got 300 prisoners, 4 guns and destroyed 19 locomotives and 300 cars. On the 20th he took possession of Macon, Georgia with 60 field guns, 1,200 militia and 5 generals surrendered by General Howell Cobb. General Wilson hearing that Jefferson Davis was trying to make his escape sent forces in pursuit and succeeded in capturing him on the morning of May 11. On the 4th day of May, General Dick Taylor surrendered to General Canby all the remaining rebel forces east of the Mississippi. A force sufficient to ensure an easy triumph over the enemy under Kirby Smith, west of the Mississippi, was immediately put in motion for Texas and Major General Sheridan designated for its immediate command, but on the 26th day of May and before they reached their destination General Kirby Smith surrendered his entire command to Major General Canby. This surrender did not take place however until after the capture of the rebel president and vice president and the bad faith was exhibited a first disbanding most of his army and permitting an indiscriminate plunder of public property. Owing to the report that many of those lately in arms against the government had taken refuge upon the soil of Mexico, carrying with them arms rightfully belonging to the United States, which had been surrendered to us by agreement among them some of the leaders who had surrendered in person and the disturbed condition of affairs on the Rio Grande, the orders for troops to proceed to Texas were not changed. There have been severe combats, raids, expeditions, and movements to defeat the designs and purposes of the enemy, most of them reflecting great credit on our arms and which contributed greatly to our final triumph that I have not mentioned. Many of these will be found clearly set forth in the reports herewith submitted, some of the telegrams and brief dispatches announcing them and others I regret to say have not as yet beneficially reported. For information touching our end-end difficulties I would respectfully refer to the reports of the commanders of departments in which they have occurred. It has been my fortune to see the armies of both the West and the East fight battles and from what I have seen I know there is no difference in their fighting qualities, all that it was possible for men to do in battle they have done. The Western armies commenced their battles in the Mississippi Valley and received the final surrender of the remnant of the principal army opposed to them in North Carolina. The armies of the East commenced their battles on the river from which the army of the Potomac derived its name and received the final surrender of their old antagonist at Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia. The splendid achievement of each have nationalized our victories, removed all sectional jealousies of which we have unfortunately experienced too much, and the cause of crimination and recrimination that might have followed had either section failed in its duty. All have a proud record and sections can well congratulate themselves and each other for having done their full share in restoring the supremacy of law over every foot of territory belonging to the United States. Let them hope for perpetual peace and harmony with that enemy whose manhood, however mistaken the cause, drew forth such herculean deeds of valor. I ask the honor to be very respectfully your obedient servant, U.S. Grant, Lt. Gen. The End.