“You're right, Johnny.”
“Be you all headed for Richmond, sure 'nough?”
“That's where we're going.”
“But what be you all to do with me?”
“We'll send you North, and let you live on the fat of the land till we gobble up the rest of the rebel army.”
“Stranger, do you mean it?”
“Certainly.”
“Hallelujah! I'm ready to be fatted. Where's you all's commissary department?”
He was sent to the rear with the other prisoners.
At the close of the second day's battle in the Wilderness, the report was current among the troopers of Sheridan's cavalry corps, that the Army of the Potomac would retire from the front of Lee's army in that Virginia jungle and fall back to Fredericksburg, which would be occupied as a new base of supplies pending the re-organization of the army to again move “On to Richmond!”