t the gentle and joyous passage
of arms at Appomattox Station, on the 8th of April, it reached the climax
of its glory, and, by its deeds of daring, touched the pinnacle of fame.
On that day it performed prodigies of valor, and achieved successes as
pregnant with good results as any single action of the war. By forcing a
passage through the rebel lines and heading off Lee's army, it contributed
largely to the result that followed the next day--the surrender of the
Confederate Army of Northern Virginia.

* * * * *

On the night of the 7th of April we camped on Buffalo River. Moving at an
early hour on the 8th, we crossed the Lynchburg Railroad at Prospect
Station, and headed for Appomattox Station, where it was expected we would
strike, if not intercept, Lee's retreating, disintegrating army. The trail
was fresh and the chase hot. Joy beamed in every eye, for all felt that
the end was drawing near, and we earnestly hoped that ours might be the
glorious opportunity of striking the final blow. About noon the regiment
was detached to capture a force of the enemy said to be at one of the
crossings of the Appomattox. Some few hundreds, unarmed, half-starved,
stragglers, with no fight in them, were found, and turned over to the
Provost Marshall. Resuming its place in the column, I received orders to
report with the regiment to General Custer, who was at its head. Reporting
in compliance with this order, General Custer informed me that his scouts
had reported three large trains of cars at Appomattox Station, loaded with
supplies for the rebel army; that he expected to have made a junction
with Merritt's division near this point; that his orders were to wait here
till Merritt joined him; that he had not heard from him since morning, and
had sent an officer to communicate with him, but if he did not hear from
him in half an hour, he wished me to take my regiment and capture the
trains of cars, and, if possible, reach and hold the pike to Lynchburg.
While talking, the whistle of the locomotive was distinctly but faintly
heard, and the column was at once moved forward, the Second New York in
advance. As we neared the station the whistles became more and more
distinct, and a scout reported the trains rapidly unloading, and that the
advance of the rebel army was passing through Appomattox Court House.
Although Custer's orders were to make a junction with Merritt before
coming in contact with the enemy,