Thursday, February 16, 2017

Diary of 1st Lieutenant John S. Morgan: Tuesday, April 18, 1865

Rec orders to be ready for the road at 12. m. with 1 days rations officers & men. at noon rec orders to be ready at 6. a. m. tomorrow. It is reported that a fort on the Tombigbee has surrendered to Smith on same conditions Grant gave Lee. Flag of truce in from Genl Dick Taylor, Business not known. Lt Loughridge & I take a walk after supper, call on Lt Hook we talk with a deserter just arrived who says the Rebel reports are that Lee left Richmond in 3 columns commanded by Genls Lee, Bushrod Johnston & Ewell. Lees column was captured. The others escaped & joining Jo Jonston make a combined attack on Sherman capturing 18,000 prisoners. That all the forces in this Dept. are concentrated at Meridian under Taylor. That Thomas captured Montgomery. That Kirby Smith has 80.000 men in Texas & intends to take them to Missouri.

SOURCE: “Diary of John S. Morgan, Company G, 33rd Iowa Infantry,” Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 13, No. 8, April 1923, p. 592-3

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