April 4, 1865
We had camped last night round about Sutherland's Station,
as I told you. The fields there were covered with waggons that had parked ready
to follow the army. Here too was the scene of Miles's fight of the 2d, and the
Rebel breastworks, with scattered ammunition and dead artillery horses, still
marked the spot. Grant had camped there, too, and had confirmed the rumor that
Richmond was in our hands; also had stated that Sheridan, in his pursuit
towards Amelia Court House, reported much abandoned property by the way, and
the capture of prisoners and guns. Everybody was in great spirits, especially
the 6th Corps, which cheered Meade vociferously, wherever he showed himself. It
would take too much time to tell all the queer remarks that were made; but I
was amused at two boys in Petersburg, one of whom was telling the officers,
rather officially, that he was not a Rebel at all. “Oh!” said the other
sturdily, “you've changed your tune since yesterday, and I can lick you, whatever
you are!”
This morning the whole army was fairly marching in pursuit.
... It was a hard march, for two poor roads are not half enough for a great
army and its waggon trains, and yet we took nothing on wheels but the absolute
essentials for three or four days. We were up at four o'clock, to be ready for
an early start; all the roads were well blocked with waggons toiling slowly
towards the front. Riding ahead, we came upon General Wright, halted near a
place called Mt. Pleasant Church. The bands were playing and the troops were
cheering for the fall of Richmond, which, as the jocose Barnard (Captain on
Wheaton's Staff) said, “Would knock gold, so that it wouldn't be worth more
than seventy-five cents on the dollar!” Suddenly we heard renewed cheers, while
the band played “Hail to the Chief.” We looked up the road, and, seeing a body
of cavalry, supposed the Lieutenant-General was coming. But lo! as they drew
nearer, we recognized the features of Colonel Mike Walsh (erst a sergeant of
cavalry), who, with an admirable Irish impudence, was acknowledging the shouts
of the crowd that mistook him for Grant! We continued our ride. This country,
from Gravelly Run up, is no longer the flat sand of Petersburg, but like
Culpeper, undulating, with quartz and sandstone, and a red soil. About five we
halted at Mrs. Jones's, a little east of Deep Creek, and prepared to go
supperless to bed on the floor or on the grass, for our waggons were hopelessly
in the rear. General Humphreys was across the Run, whither General Meade went,
and came back with him at dusk. The General was very sick; he had been poorly
since Friday night, and now was seized with a chill, followed by a violent
fever, which excited him greatly, though it did not impair the clearness of his
head. Good Humphreys got us something to eat and so we all took to our
hoped-for rest.
SOURCE: George R. Agassiz, Editor, Meade’s
Headquarters, 1863-1865: Letters of Colonel Theodore Lyman from the Wilderness
to Appomattox, p. 341-5
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