File:History of the American Civil War (1867) (14576001730).jpg

Identifier: historyofamerica03drap (find matches)
Title: History of the American Civil War
Year: 1867 (1860s)
Authors: Draper, John William, 1811-1882
Subjects: Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865 Slavery Slaves
Publisher: New York : Harper & Bros.
Contributing Library: Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection
Digitizing Sponsor: The Institute of Museum and Library Services through an Indiana State Library LSTA Grant

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it was his intention to march toward Danville, and jointhe army of Johnston; but doubtless he realized, in thehorrible confusion and disorder of the fleeing host, thatthe power of the Confederacy was not only broken, butforever gone. No order was published against straggling.The soldiers deserted almost at will, particularly the Vir-ginia troops, who dropped off to their homes at almost ev-ery step of the route. The 40,000 men with whom the re-treat commenced had dwindled greatly in numbers whenit closed. Nevertheless, for him there was but one honorablecourse, whatever his private conviction of the issue mightbe: he must energetically attempt to make good his re-treat, and not surrender his army until its surrender be-came an undeniable military necessity. It was Lees intention to make as quickly as he couldit is toward Burkes- for Burkesville, the junction of the Southsidevine junction. and DanviUe Railroads, 52 miles west of Pe tersburg. If he could reach that point and destroy the
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582 THE pursuit or lee. (Sect.xxi. bridges behind hiin, there was a hope that his pursuersmight be so delayed that lie could make good his escape,and, uniting with Johnston, exact favorable terms. Twice,under like circumstances, he had been fortunate: he hadmade his way across the Potomac after Antietam, andagain after Gettysburg. Of Grants army, the 5th. Corps was at Sutherlands, nine„ , miles west of Petersburg Sheridan, with his Grants pursuit. ° ■ cavalry, was ten miles still farther west. Allthe rest of his forces, except Weitzel, were south or south-west of Petersburg. Grants object was to reach Burkes-ville in advance of Lee, so as to intercept him there. Thelines of march of the two armies, the pursued and the pur-suing, converged to that point. The troops of the Armyof the James, under Ord, moved by the Southside Railroad;Sheridan and the 5th, 2d, and 6th Corps of the Army ofthe Potomac more to the north. The roads, which are here of a stiff red clay, were verymuch broke

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