"As to peace I have said before, and now repeat, that three things are indispensable:

"1. The restoration of the national authority throughout all the States.

"2. No receding by the Executive of the United States on the slavery question, from the position assumed thereon in the late annual message to Congress and in preceding documents.

"3. No cessation of hostilities short of an end of the war and the disbanding of all forces hostile to the government.

"That all propositions coming from those now in hostility to the government and not inconistent with the foregoing will be respectfully considered and passed upon in a spirit of sincere liberality. I now add that it seems useless for me to be more specific with those who will not say they are ready for the indispensable terms even on conditions to be named by themselves. If there be any who are ready for these indispensable terms, on any conditions whatever, let them say so, and state their conditions, so that the conditions can be known and considered. It is further added that the remission of confiscation being within the Executive power, if the war be now further persisted in by those opposing the government, the making of confiscated property at the least to bear the additional cost will be insisted on, but that confiscations (except in case of third power intervening interests), will be remitted to the people of any State which shall now promptly and in good faith withdraw its troops from further resistance to the government. What is now said as to the remission of confiscation has no reference to supposed property in slaves."

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the Army of Northern Virginia and eventually to the surrender of all the other rebel armies, and would insure perfect peace in the shortest possible time." Before action could be taken by that body, however, General Lee had surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia.*

Without tarrying for a visit to Richmond after the Confederates had evacuated it, Grant kept up his hot pursuit of Lee. Sheridan, his cavalry, and the 5th corps pushed on April 3 for the Danville Railroad, keeping south of the Appomattox and followed by the 2d and 6th corps in the direction of Amelia Court House, while General Ord with the 24th corps and a division of the 25th moved along the South Side Railroad for Burkesville. On April 4 Sheridan struck the Danville road near Jetersville and learned that Lee was at Amelia Court House, 8 miles northeast. He immediately intrenched the 5th corps and awaited the arrival of General Meade with the 2d and 6th corps. Meade found the road so obstructed by Sheridan's cavalry that he did not come up until the afternoon of April 5 and Ord did not reach Burkesville until the evening of the same day. The latter had been directed by Grant to cut the bridges in Lee's front to intercept his movements toward Danville and Lynchburg and to await orders at Burkesville. To cut the high bridge four miles east of Farmville,

Nicolay and Hay, Life of Lincoln, vol. x., p. 222 et seq.

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Ord before daybreak of the 6th sent two small infantry regiments (the 54th Pennsylvania and 123d Ohio) and 80 officers and men of the 4th Massachusetts cavalry, all under command of Colonel Francis Washburne, with orders to push rapidly for the bridge and burn it. After Washburne had gone Ord sent General Theodore Read, his chief of staff, with a small party to overtake him and to reconnoiter well before moving up to the bridge. After Read had gone Ord received a dispatch from Sheridan that Lee was moving west of Jetersville and apparently making for Burkesville, whereupon he put his command in position to meet Lee and sent an officer to caution Read that Lee's army was in his rear and that he must return by pressing on, crossing the Appomattox and going around by Prince Edward Court House. This officer was driven back by Lee's cavalry. Read overtook Washburne, took the cavalry into Farmville, examined the country, returned to the infantry, and, pushing on, was within two miles of Highbridge when about noon he ran into Rosser's and Munford's division of Confederate cavalry which constituted Lee's advance. Read and Washburne drew up the little band of cavalry and 500 infantry and began one of the most gallant fights of the Civil War. Again and again they led the cavalry in successive thrilling charges, until both fell mortally wounded; at last, as not an officer of the cavalry remained

alive or unwounded to lead the men, the entire command surrendered.

At 6 A. M. on April 6 the 2d, 5th, and 6th corps moved from Jetersville up the line of the Danville road toward Amelia Court House where it was hoped to intercept Lee, but during the night Lee had moved west; when this was discovered the advance on Amelia Court House was suspended and the three corps marched westward in an endeavor to head him off or compel him to fight. The 2d corps came up to Gordon's corps at Flat Rock and for a time was checked, but after fording the creek the troops drove Gordon off and followed him to Sailor's Creek where he made a stand. Here an important battle took place with fatal results to Lee's fast vanishing army. Gordon lost 13 colors, 3 guns, several hundred prisoners and more than 200 wagons. During the day the 2d corps had taken about 1,700 prisoners, 4 guns, and more than 300 wagons and ambulances with a loss to itself of about 400 men.*

While the 2d corps was thus engaged the 6th corps on its left with the cavalry divisions of Crook and Merritt had overtaken the commands of Ewell and Anderson on Sailor's Creek, routed them with a severe loss in killed and wounded and took many thousands prisoners, among them six general officers including Ewell, Kershaw and G. W. C. Lee. The Con