Headquarters Army or The Potomac, April 7,1865.
Though late at night, I seize the time to send you a few
lines. I don't know when I last heard or wrote to you, for besides the battles and
marches of the last ten days, I have been nearly all the time quite under the
weather with a severe bilious catarrh, taking an intermittent form. Thanks to
my powerful constitution, and the good care of my attending physician, together
with the excitement of the scenes I have passed through, I have managed not to
give up, but to be on hand each day. It is impossible for me to give you a
detailed account of all our operations; suffice it to say, they have been
brilliantly successful, beyond the most reasonable expectations. Richmond is
ours, and Lee's army flying before us, shattered and demoralized. Yesterday we
took over ten thousand prisoners and five generals, among them Lieutenant
General Ewell, and Custis Lee, Charley Turnbull's friend. I hear these officers
virtually admit the contest over, and say they believe Lee is prepared to
surrender, or at least to disband his army.
We are now at Farmville, on the Appomattox, Lee having
started for Danville; but we cut him off and forced him back towards Lynchburg.
I am happy to tell you that I have reliable intelligence from Confederate
officers that neither Mr. Wise1 nor his sons are dead.
George is quite well, and has, with Lyman and Dr. McParlin,
taken good care of me. Major Smyth joined us just as we were moving, and has
had a grand opportunity to see everything.
SOURCE: George Meade, The Life and Letters of George
Gordon Meade, Vol. 2, p. 269-70
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