The Humphreys family in America - citizen hylbom blog
The Humphreys family in America - citizen hylbom blog
The Humphreys family in America - citizen hylbom blog
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of escape. Al 8 r. M., April 2, Ixe conimeiiccd his f<strong>in</strong>al rotrcal. Very cai ly <strong>in</strong> tlie morn<strong>in</strong>g of the 3.I, Petcisburg<br />
was taken possession of by General Wilcox, and at 8.15 A. M., Richmond was formally surrendered to General Weitzel.<br />
* * Early on the 3d the pursuit of Lee was commenced <strong>in</strong> earnest. * * If the concrete force of<br />
language is estimated, the advance of the <strong>in</strong>fantry was rather delayed than assisted by the cavalry, and the efforts<br />
of the cavalry, except to harass or annoy, would have tended to no decisive result, without the positive body-blows<br />
of the <strong>in</strong>fantry. If any one would take the trouble to exam<strong>in</strong>e a corect plan and trace the route followed by the<br />
cavalry, and the roads marched over by Lee, it is impossible not to reach the conclusion that the horsemen did not<br />
come <strong>in</strong> contact with the still organized forces— the three arms comb<strong>in</strong>ed—of the Confederates until late <strong>in</strong> the afternoon<br />
of the 6th, after <strong>Humphreys</strong>, with his comb<strong>in</strong>ed Second-Third corps, unsupported, had caught up with them at<br />
Flat Creek, about 8.30 A. M., had partly forded the stream, armpit deep, partly crossed it on an improvised bridge<br />
one hundred feet long, built by them, and split off Ewell's Division about 4.30 p. M.—hav<strong>in</strong>g been engaged <strong>in</strong> seven<br />
stand-up fights, and carried several hastily and partially <strong>in</strong>trenched positions defended by artillery, w<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g up the day<br />
with a 'heavy battle' at nightfall, with Gordon's Division, which alone escaped, through the sudden shutt<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> of<br />
darkness. Ewell's Division, hardly hammered for about eight hoiu-s, and split off by <strong>Humphreys</strong>, slid <strong>in</strong>to the hands<br />
of the cavalry and Sixth corps, and surrendered without the shot of a cannon on their part.<br />
"<strong>The</strong> failure of Lee to f<strong>in</strong>d the supplies he expected at Amelia Court House no doubt had a terrible effect<br />
upon the fight<strong>in</strong>g power of his army. With that, however, this article has noth<strong>in</strong>g to do, except to present clearly<br />
the potential energy and fight of <strong>Humphreys</strong> on the 6th and 7th; for he had to do, pretty much all the time, with<br />
everyth<strong>in</strong>g that rema<strong>in</strong>ed compact and cohesive of the Army of Northern Virg<strong>in</strong>ia. This narrative left him still<br />
fight<strong>in</strong>g on the 6th, when darkness fell upon the field. He was up with the first light of day (7th), and it was the<br />
comb<strong>in</strong>ed Second -Third corps, and not the cavalry, that saved High Bridge and cont<strong>in</strong>ued to drive and fight Lee all<br />
day long. If the cavalry <strong>in</strong> the same way had saved the bridges at Karmville, it would have greatly simplified matters,<br />
and ended up Lee the same day. At Cumberland Church, on the afternoon of the 7th, occurred the last stand up<br />
fight, or pitched battle, between the Army of Northern Virg<strong>in</strong>ia under Lee and the Army of the Potomac represented<br />
by the comb<strong>in</strong>ed Second-Third corps under <strong>Humphreys</strong>. All the Union troops that made any attempt to help him<br />
was a division of cavalry, which came to grief so suddenly that it at once voted itself out of the fight, and recrossed<br />
the Appomattox at Farmville, ford<strong>in</strong>g 'belly deep.' While <strong>Humphreys</strong> was hold<strong>in</strong>g and press<strong>in</strong>g Lee's troops, horse<br />
and foot, were pil<strong>in</strong>g up at Farmville, with<strong>in</strong> three miles of the scene of collision. <strong>Humphreys</strong> struck Lee at 1. 20<br />
p. M. and asked for re<strong>in</strong>forcements. <strong>The</strong> Sixth corps was at Farmville at 2.20 P. ^t. <strong>The</strong> Twenty-fourth corps was<br />
mov<strong>in</strong>g forward. Grant was there at 4.40 P. M. Remember, the cavalry crossed and recrossed 'belly-deep,' which<br />
is about or less than three feet. This is exactly the measurement given by Mr. W. W Jackson, of the depth of the<br />
ford at his (Jackson's) Mill, about one and a half miles above Farmville. Mr. Hooper, of Farmville, shortly after<br />
the war, gave a maximum depth at any po<strong>in</strong>t at that place at four to five feet ord<strong>in</strong>ary water, bottom sandy, and<br />
he added that, ow<strong>in</strong>g to the dams, the water does not deepen <strong>in</strong> the spr<strong>in</strong>g. <strong>The</strong> Appomattox may be about the<br />
width of a New York avenue from house to house. Had the Sixth corps and Twenty-fourth corps crossed to the<br />
assisUnce of <strong>Humphreys</strong>, the war <strong>in</strong> Virg<strong>in</strong>ia might have ended elegantly, with a battle and a capture by force of<br />
arms forty miles by road and forty-six hours by time, short of the quiet surrender at Appomattox Court House; yes,<br />
ended <strong>in</strong> a blaze of glory fur the .^rmy of the Potomac, which deserved such a term<strong>in</strong>ation to their labors and suffer<strong>in</strong>gs.<br />
"Why did not this occur? <strong>The</strong> problem is <strong>in</strong>soluble. Troops have forded and bridged broader, more boisterous<br />
and deeper rivers successfully, under similar and more difficult circumstances, and under fire, cross<strong>in</strong>g victoriously <strong>in</strong><br />
the teeth of opposition through water armpit, even cravat deep, on very many occasions. <strong>The</strong>re was no lack of<br />
material of every k<strong>in</strong>d— build<strong>in</strong>gs and large trees <strong>in</strong> abundance near at hand. A cantilever bridge could have been<br />
thrown between the piers of the burned railroad bridge <strong>in</strong> an hour, and any k<strong>in</strong>d of bridge sufficient for artillery and<br />
tra<strong>in</strong>s <strong>in</strong> two hours at the farthest; <strong>in</strong> fact, any sufficient k<strong>in</strong>d of a bridge constructed <strong>in</strong> about two hours. Mean-<br />
while, if the cavalry and <strong>in</strong>fantry got through, artillery could have been hauled across by hand if the teams could<br />
not perform their duty. Every detail that enters <strong>in</strong>to the question has been exam<strong>in</strong>ed with care. An expert, a<br />
military eng<strong>in</strong>eer, has given his op<strong>in</strong>ion, corroborat<strong>in</strong>g that some sort of a trustworthy viaduct could have been<br />
accomplished <strong>in</strong> two hours at farthest. <strong>The</strong>re were mechanics <strong>in</strong> superabundance, likewise material; but noth<strong>in</strong>g was<br />
done until too late, and Meade telegraphed toward night-fall to <strong>Humphreys</strong>: 'You must lookout for yourself.' He<br />
had done so, and he cont<strong>in</strong>ued to do so. Lee fully appreciated his pert<strong>in</strong>acity, and said so. When the enemy were<br />
headed off at Appomattox (.lourt House, and on this occasion the Second-Third were supported by the Sixth corps,<br />
a judge of the highest merit and experience recorded his belief that <strong>Humphreys</strong> would have annihilated the enemy<br />
immediately before him if he had not been stopped by orders.<br />
"To augment the dissatisfaction felt by <strong>Humphreys</strong>, one if not more ol his most important dispatches (night,<br />
April 6, 1865) was suppressed, which was an early and perfect revelation of the truth of what he and his corps had<br />
done, whereas everyth<strong>in</strong>g that the cavalry performed was scattered broadcast throughout the land. <strong>Humphreys</strong> often<br />
alluded to these ami other <strong>in</strong>justices with great feel<strong>in</strong>g, particularly <strong>in</strong> the follow<strong>in</strong>g letter: