Near Nottaway River, May 5, 1865.
Crossed the
Meherrin river (a Copperas creek affair) this morning and pass through
Laurenceburg, a 100-year old town, just as large as the top of a very small
hill would hold. Such oceans of negroes; never saw half as many before in the
same distance in Virginia. Sheridan was through this country ten days ago, but
hearing that Johnston had surrendered he turned back. Kautz and Wilson were
also raiding last summer, but there are no signs that war is known to the
people by experience. We see Lee's and Johnston's men all along the road,
taking a look at Sherman's army. All the soldiers and citizens we see seem to
submit to the Government, and the war feeling is dead among them, but there is
no love for us or ours, and they regard us only as subjugators. That is as warm
a sentiment as I ask from them. I believe every family has lost a member by the
war. I saw a member of Pickett's Rebel division this evening. He said that when
his division surrendered to Grant, they stacked but 45 muskets. It was nearly
10,000 strong on the 24th of March, 1865.
This boy put
in one of the 45 muskets. They all give Sheridan's cavalry the credit for doing
the best fighting they ever knew “Yanks" to do.
They all
speak highly of our 6th (Wright's) corps. The good conduct of our men continues
even to the astonishment of the men themselves. I have heard of but one
indiscretion, and that was only the carrying off of the table cutlery after
dining with a citizen. We are traveling too fast, but our corps commanders are
racing to see who will make Petersburg first. Heard of Booth being killed
to-day. Also got a Herald of the 24th with Sherman and
Johnston's peace propositions. We are very much shocked at Sherman's course. I
have not heard an officer or soldier who had read them, sustain our general. It
is hard on us and we regret his action as much as any calamity of the war,
excepting the Washington horror. There isn't an element of man worship in this
army, but we all had such confidence in Sherman, and thought it almost impossible
for him to make a mistake. The army is very sore over the affair. We can't bear
to have anybody say a word against Sherman, but he did act very strangely in
this thing.
