his soldiers a little of the rest
they had so richly earned and so seriously needed.

He had telegraphed during the day to President Lincoln, who was still at
City Point, the news as it developed from hour to hour. Prisoners he
regarded as so much net gain: he was weary of slaughter, and wanted the
war ended with as little bloodshed as possible; and it was with delight
that he summed up on Sunday afternoon: "The whole captures since the
army started out gunning will not amount to less than twelve thousand
men, and probably fifty pieces of artillery."

Lee bent all his energies to saving his army and leading it out of its
untenable position on the James to a point from which he could effect a
junction with Johnston in North Carolina. The place selected for this
purpose was Burkeville, at the crossing of the South Side and Danville
roads, fifty miles southwest from Richmond, whence a short distance
would bring him to Danville, where the desired junction could be made.
Even yet he was able to cradle himself in the illusion that it was only
a campaign that had failed, and that he might continue the war
indefinitely in another field. At nightfall all his preparations were
completed, and dismounting at the mouth of the road leading to Amelia
Court House, the first point of rendezvous, where he had directed
supplies to be sent, he watched his troops file noiselessly by in the
darkness. By three o'clock the town was abandoned; at half-past four it
was formally surrendered. Meade, reporting the news to Grant, received
orders to march his army immediately up the Appomattox; and divining
Lee's intentions, Grant also sent word to Sheridan to push with all
speed to the Danville road.

Thus flight and pursuit began almost at the same moment. The
swift-footed Army of Northern Virginia was racing for its life, and
Grant, inspired with more than his habitual tenacity and energy, not
only pressed his enemy in the rear, but hung upon his flank, and
strained every nerve to get in his front. He did not even allow himself
the pleasure of entering Richmond, which surrendered to Weitzel early on
the morning of the third.

All that day Lee pushed forward toward Amelia Court House. There was
little fighting except among the cavalry. A terrible disappointment
awaited Lee on his arrival at Amelia Court House on the fourth. He had
ordered supplies to be forwarded there, but his half-starved troops
found no food awaiting them, and nearly twenty-