rmy. One train was burned, and the others
were sent to Farmville. The enemy made an assault on our forces, but
were repulsed, 25 pieces of artillery and many prisoners falling into
our hands.

"Sherlin was here, with no force as yet save two divisions of his
cavalry. He moved a force on the road in the direction of Farmville and
found Laws's whole army moving to Appomattox. Orden and Griffith were
marching rapidly to join Sherlin, and by marching all night reached
Appomattox at 6 A.M. on the morning of the 9th, just as Laws was moving
his head of column with the intention of brushing away Sherlin's cavalry
and securing the supplies. Laws had no suspicion of infantry having
joined our cavalry at Appomattox. Orden was the senior and commanded the
two corps of infantry--his own and Griffith's, formerly Warner's. These
troops were deployed in line of battle across the road where Laws must
pass, the cavalry in front covering the infantry. Crooker moved out and
was soon hotly engaged with the enemy. He fell back slowly, and finally
our cavalry moved off to the right, leaving the road apparently open
to the rebels. They, seeing this, sent up a shout and started as if to
pursue the cavalry, when, to their utter amazement, Gen. Tom Anderson
came charging down at the head of his division upon the head of Laws's
column, and at the same time our battle line advanced. The enemy were
rolled back in great demoralization, our lines pressing them on every
side.

"Anderson was assaulting them in front. Griffith was on one flank, and
Sherlin, moving around quickly on the enemy's left, was just ordering
a charge, when Laws sent a flag of truce and asked for a cessation of
hostilities. The cordon was now complete. Laws and his army were at
our mercy. Laws surrendered his army that day, and thus the rebellion
virtually ended.

"The news sped on the wings of lightning, and the joy that found vent
throughout the North no pen could do justice to by way of description.
Old and young wept, embraced and shouted aloud, with their hearts full
of the glad tidings. None but the class of rebel sympathizers before
mentioned mourned at the sad fate of the enemy.

"The next day after the surrender of Laws, Gen. Anderson and his staff
were riding around the field taking observations. While passing down
near Longpath's Corps, suddenly a man in a rebel General's uniform, with
two other officers, came dashing up to the General and halted. It was
Joseph W