Campaign of the Fourteenth Regiment New Jersey Volunteers

by J. Newton Terrill

I received your note of this date. Though not entertaining the opinion you express on the hopelessness of further resistance on the part of the army of Northern Virginia, I reciprocate your desire to avoid useless effusion of blood, and therefore will treat with you on terms of surrender.

R. E. LEE,
General.

While this correspondence was carried on, the troops were not idle, and Sunday morning found both armies again in line at Appomattox Court House. Writing and fighting at the same time, General Grant showed that he was more than a match for Lee; just as he would have stopped any attempt on Lee's part to escape through his lines, so he stopped his attempt to escape from him. In the afternoon an arrangement was made for an interview with the rebel General. General Grant offered to parole all of Lee's army, and give the officers their side arms and private property. Lee at once accepted this proposition and the fighting ceased, and the war was practically ended; so in a few days, and by means of a few short letters, the dreadful contest which had disturbed the country for four years, was brought to a close, and the whole rebel army was in our hands.

The troops were fighting at Appomattox Court House, and knew nothing of the correspondence of Grant and Lee, when orders came for a suspension of hostilities for two hours. At two o'clock in the afternoon General Meade rode along the lines, and with hat in hand, exclaimed, "Boys, Lee has surrendered." At first it was not credited, but coming from the mouth of General Meade, it could not be doubted, and one continuous shout was given. The men were in ecstasies, and could scarcely restrain themselves; tremendous cheers were given and caps were thrown in the air. Men hugged and squeezed each other, and all felt that the war was over.

The stipulations for the surrender were carried into effect, and the rebel army was no longer an organized body of men. Twenty-five thousand men were all that were left, and ten thousand of them were unarmed. They were permitted to return to their homes, which they gladly did, and the army of Northern Virginia ceased to exist. It could scarcely be believed that Lee had surrendered, and while the men were marching and fighting, Grant and Lee were in correspondence with each other. Sunday, the 9th of April, will ever be remembered, especially by the soldiers of the Potomac army. In the short space of fifteen days, Lee had been driven from his position in front of Petersburg and compelled to retreat; Richmond in our possession, and he finally compelled to surrender to General Grant.

The 5th corps and one division of cavalry were ordered to remain at Appomattox Court House, until the paroling of the surrendered army was completed and to take charge of the public property. The remainder of the army immediately returned to Petersburg, but were ordered to halt at Burksville and enter camp; the men were greatly in need of rest and rations. Once more tents were placed on a line as before. Nothing was talked of but the recent victories, and the people North were rejoicing; guns were fired throughout the country in honor of our success. Too much praise cannot be given to the privates and officers of the Potomac army, and to our noble leader, Grant.

With but one hundred men for duty, the 14th entered camp at Burksville, with bronzed features and soiled garments, covered with Virginia mud; they looked for a speedy return to their homes. All that was possible for them to do they had done, and New Jersey cannot but be proud of such a noble band of heroic men. Commencing on the river from which the Potomac army derived its name, until the surrender of Lee at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, all have a proud record for having done their full share in restoring our Union as it was.

Johnson had not yet surrendered, and as each day passed reports were circulated among the men, that the Potomac army was to march in his rear. Scarcely had the men commenced to rejoice at their success, when there came a blow that was more terrible than any defeat. In camp at Burkesville the men little knew what calamity was to befall the nation. A dispatch was sent from Washington that our beloved President had been assassinated. Our noble leader who for the last four years had guided our nation in the midst of war was foully stricken down by the assassin's hand. Rejoicing was turned into mourning, and the men when fully aware that Lincoln was no more, were clamorous to move on Gen. Johnson, and with vows of vengeance, determined if possible to avenge his death. Gloom now prevailed among the men, as he was beloved by friend and foe. But a few days before he was at the front, and by his presence cheered the men on to victory; now he lay in the cold embrace of death. The Southern leaders, now fleeing from their homes, were the instigators of this horrible crime. All business was suspended in the army on the day of his burial. Jeff. Davis had fled, and at Danville stopped long enough to make a speech. He told his followers that their cause was not yet lost; that the rebel capital had been evacuated for the purpose of concentrating their armies; he did not then know that Lee had surrendered his army to Grant. Remaining a few hours at Danville he proceeded South, and was finally captured in the disguise of a female—a fitting end for such a leader.

The men were now anxious to move towards Washington and be mustered out, as the Potomac army had done its duty; but Johnson had still a large army, and was in consultation with Gen. Sherman in regard to a surrender, but no terms could be agreed upon, and it was determined to crush him. Accordingly, the 6th corps and Sheridan's cavalry were ordered to move on his rear. On Sunday night, April 23d, the corps was ordered to be ready to move at daylight, which way the men knew not, but it was supposed for Washington; but the men soon found out that they had a hard march before them to Danville, one hundred and twenty miles distant. In four days the march was made; the sun was very warm, and the men suffered very much. General Wright, wishing to win more glory, was anxious to fall on Johnson's rear. He marched the men very fast, until he was bitterly cursed by them, and with blistered feet and weary limbs the men plodded on in dust and sun, and were loud in their complaints against Wright for marching so fast. When in pursuit of Lee, the men deemed it necessary and did not murmur, but marching thirty miles a day, for four successive days was more than human nature could bear, when it was unnecessary. Water was very scarce; often ten and twelve miles were passed without meeting a stream or well of any kind. Danville was reached by the 1st division at noon on the fourth day, and was quietly taken possession of by Gen. Hamlin's brigade. The Union army had never marched that way, and the Yanks were an object of curiosity to the negroes. There was considerable of rolling stock in the place which had not been moved, and was captured. The troops marched through the place and encamped on the outskirts of the town. One day was given the men to rest, and orders issued to move again. The corps was but forty miles from Johnson, and in two days would have been thundering on his rear. Gen. Wright was very anxious that the corps should win new laurels, but the men were not, as they had won enough, for if anything was done, the praise was given the officers and not the men, when they did the work.

The troops were in camp but a few hours, when a dispatch was received by General Wright with the news of Johnson's surrender; the men were formed in line and the dispatch read to them. All knew that their marching and fighting was done, and cheers were given for Sherman and his noble army; each battery was ordered to fire a salute of thirty-two guns, and the bands ordered to play national airs. The war was now over and right glad were the men of it. Home was now talked of, but the men were too weary to rejoice much. The campaign, from winter quarters to the surrender of Lee and the march to Danville, had been a hard one. Thirty miles a day when the war was over was more than the men of the 6th corps wished for, and Gen. Wright lost much of the respect due him, as he was in command, and such marching was needless.