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| History of Cambria County, V.2 |
| 404 | HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY. | |
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who, being in advance, had discovered Lee trying to cross the Appomattox river near the High Bridge. Ord attacked at once, but he was brushed aside by the superior force. About this time the 54th Regiment was captured. At daylight on the 7th, Lee had crossed the river and set fire to the bridges, but Gen. Humphreys (Capt. Fite) arriving in time to save one of them, followed, coming up to Lee's army entrenched about five miles north of Farmville on the Lynchburg plank road. Gen. Humphreys (Capt. Fite) attacked in front and on the left and suffered a loss of about 500 men. Gen Mott, Capt. Fite's division commander, was severly wounded. That night Lee continued his retreat. On the 6th the 198th Pennsylvania Infantry (Capt. Stackhouse) marched thirty-two miles and rejoined Gen. Humphreys' 2d Corps near Jamestown. The pursuers were marching with enthusiasm and cheerfulness; up hills and down ravines, over marshes and through briar swamps, sometimes plunging into water and fording deep streams, at other times double-quicking along the roads. On the morning of the 8th the whole army moved at daybreak. Gen Meade with Humphreys' (Capt. Fite) and Wright's corps pushed northward, while Gen. Griffin's (Capt. Stackhouse) and Gen. Ord's Army of the James (Capts. Hodge and Burke, and the 54th Regiment) and Gen. Parke's 9th Corps (Capt. Davis) followed Gen. Sheridan to head off Lee in his attempt to reach Lynchburg. Sheridan overtook the advance at Sailor's Creek and blocked the retreat. The army marched all day and night Saturday and on Sunday morning were in the vicinity of Appomattox Court House. At 4 o'clock Sunday morning Gen. Horace Porter found Gen. Grant pacing up and down the yard, holding both hands to his head and who, lupon inquiry, said he was suffering severe pain and had slept very little. After having breakfast with Gen Meade he directed the whole army to close in on Lee at every practicable point, then mounted "Cincinnati" and started to meet Gen Sheridan. Gen Sheridan's headquarters on Saturday night were in a little frame house south of the Appomattox Station. Before sun-up Gen. Ord (Capt. Hodge and Capt. Burke, arrived and informed Sheridan that his army was approaching after marching all night. On Saturday night Lee had still hoped to escape and the result of the conference held with his principal generals was |
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