FIVE forks and the pursuit of lee.

7*5

was from one of them who raised his open hand tohis face, put his thumb to his nose, and yelled:“ No, you don’t — April fool! ” I then realized thatit was the 1st of April. I had ridden so rapidlythat I reached headquarters at Dabney’s Mill be-fore the arrival of the last courier I had dis-patched. General Grant was sitting with most ofthe staff about him before a blazing camp-fire. He

OUTER WORKS OF FORT SEDGWICK.

only part of my recital that seemed to call forth aresponsive expression from his usually impassivefeatures. After having listened to the descriptionof Sheridan’s day’s work, the general, with scarcelya word, walked into his tent, and by the light of aflickering candle took up his “manifold writer,” asmall book which retained a copy of the matterwritten, and after finishing several dispatcheshanded then# to an orderly to be sent over the fieldwires, came out and joined our group at the camp-fire, and said as coolly as if remarking upon thestate of the weather: “I have ordered an imme-diate assault along the lines.” This was about 9o’clock.

General Grant was anxious to have the different

FORT SEDGWICK, KNOWN AS “FORT HELL,” OPPOSITETHE CONFEDERATE FORT MAHONE.

FROM PHOTOGRAPHS.

wore his blue cavalry overcoat, and the ever-present cigar was in his mouth. I began shoutingthe good news as soon as I got in sight, and in amoment all but the imperturbable general-in-chiefwere on their feet giving vent to wild demonstra-tions of joy. For some minutes there was a be-wildering state of excitement, grasping of hands,tossing up of hats, and slapping of each other onthe back. It meant the beginning of the end — thereaching of the “ last ditch.” It pointed to peaceand home. Dignity was thrown to the winds. Thegeneral, as was expected, asked his usual ques-tion: “How many prisoners have been taken?”This was always his first inquiry when an engage-ment was reported. No man ever had such afondness for taking prisoners. I think the gratifi-cation arose from the kindness of his heart, a feel-ing that it was much better to win in this waythan by the destruction of human life. I washappy to report that the prisoners this time wereestimated at over five thousand, and this was the

^j-asF c

BOMB-PROOFS INSIDE FORT SEDGWICK.

commands move against the enemy’s lines at once,to prevent Lee from withdrawing troops and send-ing them against Sheridan. General Meade wasall activity and so alive to the situation, and soanxious to carry out the orders of the general-in-cliief, that he sent word that he was going to havethe troops make a dash at the works without wait-ing to form assaulting columns. General Grant,at 9:30 P. M., sent a message saying he did notmean to have the corps attack without assaultingcolumns, but to let the batteries open at once andto feel out with skirmishers; and if the. enemy was