planted with torpedoes, and accompanied by his staff, he reached the centre of the city in advance of his troops, and hoisted the American flag over the capitol. The Confederate works were found to be of great strength, and those who saw them did not wonder that the Union army had so long been kept at bay, when they remembered that the defences were manned by Lee's tried and trusty veterans.
The evacuation of Petersburg was simultaneous with that of Richmond, and was conducted so quietly that the Union pickets, only a few yards away, were unaware of it until daylight showed that the Confederates had gone. The Confederates had a start of several miles, marching out along the Danville Railway, and the direct road to Lynchburg, by which Lee still hoped to effect a junction with Johnston, and again take the offensive either against Grant or the Army of the Mississippi. Unfortunately for him, he was compelled to take the north side of the Appomattox, as the forces of Grant were mainly on the south side of that river, and completely barred his retreat in that direction.
With his army reduced to less than 35,000 men, Lee pushed as rapidly as possible to Amelia C.-H., where he had ordered supplies sent from Danville. By a mistake in the execution of the order, the train laden with these supplies had been sent to Richmond, and consequently the weary and famished soldiers were compelled to forage on the already exhausted country and find what food they could. Here he rested on the 4th and 5th April and then prepared to advance, still hoping to reach Lynchburg before the enemy could interfere with him. But his plans were rudely frustrated.
By following directly after Lee and engaging him in battle, Grant would still leave the Confederate general an open way to Lynchburg in case of defeat. His object was not to defeat, but to capture Lee with his whole army,
