Diary of Orrin Brown—April 6, 1865

(cc) Virginia State Parks 2012 

Diary of Orrin Brown, Goldsboro, North Carolina

Thursday–Apr. 6th

I wrote another letter home this morning, I do not feel as well today as I did yesterday. We reced. the news of the fall of Ricmond Va. today with 25,000 prisoners and 500 pieces of Artilery in the form of an order signed by Gen. Grant and it has been a happy day with the soldiers. The day has been very pleasant. I read 5 Chapt. We drew one days rations of soft bread and some Irish Potatoes today.

Gen. Lee’s hungry Confederate Army of Northern Virginia marched out of Amelia Court House overnight, 5-6 April 1865, toward rations promised to be shipped to Farmville, VA, 25 miles to the west.  Unfortunately for them, the Federal armies cut them off.  At Sailor’s Creek (aka Sayler’s Creek), Sheridan’s cavalry, with the II Corps and VI Corps, intercepted nearly one quarter of the retreating Rebel army.  At the cost of 1,148 Union casualties, the Confederates suffered 7,700 killed, wounded and captured, including most of the Southern officers:  Ewell, Kershaw, Custis Lee, Barton, Simms, DuBose, Hunton, Corse, and Meriwether Lewis Clark.

There was no dinner for the Rebel troops who got away across the Appomattox River, either, who burned the bridges as they went.  The Union II Corps saved two bridges near Farmville, and kept Lee’s troops from their supplies.  Their next cache of victuals lay at Appomattox Station.  The evening of the 7th, Lee received a letter from Lt. Gen. Grant proposing it was time for the Army of Northern Virginia to surrender.  Lee sent back a noncommittal letter asking about terms of surrender, while holding out hope of reaching Appomattox.

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