The casualties of our regiment in this affair were: Six killed, 67 wounded and 74 missing, and some of the other troops’ losses were greater.
It has always seemed very sad to me to think of the many brave men who gave up their lives with the surrender of Lee in sight. Among the officers killed on our side was the brave Irishman, Gen. Thomas A. Smyth, who had long been one of Gen. Hancock’s gallant officers.
Those who were taken prisoners were recaptured two days later at Appomattox, and a sorry looking lot they were. Every thing of value and much of their clothing had been taken from them and they had been hustled about pretty severely. Their rations had been appropriated by their hungry captors, and they fasted till they got back into their lines.
Comrade Albert V. Rogers, a member of my company, who was a prisoner the last two days of the struggle, says, that all the Rebs. gave him to eat was some corn he stole from a mule. Rogers was at this time suffering from a gunshot wound in his leg.
GRANT’S FIRST LETTER TO LEE.
This letter was sent through the lines of the 2d corps that evening while we were in contact with the enemy, the troops being but a few hundred yards apart. There was a truce of one hour and inside of that time Lee’s reply came back.
During the night the enemy abandoned the works in front of our corps and at 5 the next morning the bugles of the 2d corps again sounded “Forward,” and Gen. Humphreys, our commander, was instructed that any negotiations pending were not to interfere with the operations of his corps.
Early in the forenoon, Gen. Grant’s second letter was brought to Gen. Humphreys by Gen. Seth Williams, Grant’s adjutant general, and it was sent through the lines of Gen. Fitzhugh Lee’s cavalry, who were on the rear of the confederate columns.
We continued the pursuit all day, covering a distance of over 20 miles, and about dusk, as we had halted for a rest, a rebel officer brought Lee’s reply to Gen. Humphreys, who sent it by a courier to Gen. Meade, then several miles in the rear.
The next morning Grant’s third letter to Lee was sent through the skirmish line of the 2d corps, and all this time Gen. Humphreys, mindful of his instructions, kept advancing and pushing back the thin line of wearied confederates, which called out a protest from Gen. Lee, who sent an officer twice during the forenoon requesting a halt. Gen. Humphreys sent back word that his orders were such that he could not comply.