l with which they were handled by the
master, Grant. April 1st a cannonade opened along the whole Union line.
Lee's right wing had been destroyed, but the others were unbroken. At
daylight the next morning an advance was made against the Confederate
works. Lee was forced back, and he strengthened his lines by making them
much shorter.

The Confederates steadily lost ground, many were killed and taken
prisoners, and in a charge upon the Union left General A.P. Hill lost
his life. At last the enemy's outer lines were hopelessly broken, and
Lee telegraphed the startling fact to President Davis, who received it
while sitting in church, Sunday, April 2d. The Confederate President was
told that Lee could hold Petersburg but a few hours longer, and Davis
was warned to have the authorities ready to leave Richmond unless a
message was sent to the contrary. No such longed-for message arrived.

EVACUATION OF RICHMOND.

The counsel of Lee was followed. Jefferson Davis, the members of his
cabinet, and a number of leading citizens left the capital that night
for Charlotte, North Carolina. The whole city was thrown into the
wildest confusion; rioting and drunkenness filled the streets, buildings
were fired, and pandemonium reigned. General Witzel, who occupied the
Union works to the north of Richmond, learned the astounding news, and
the next morning rode into the city without opposition. The tidings were
telegraphed to Washington. The following day President Lincoln arrived,
and was quartered in the house formerly occupied by Jefferson Davis.
Martial law was proclaimed, and order restored in the stricken city.

But General Lee had not yet surrendered. No men ever fought more
heroically than he and his soldiers. On the Sunday that he sent his
message to President Davis, the commander found the only line of retreat
left to him was that which led to the westward, and even that was
threatened. Anticipating Lee's retreat, Grant used all possible energy
to cut him off. On the night of April 6th Lee crossed the Appomattox
near Farmville. That night his general officers held a consultation, and
agreed that but one course was left to them and that was to surrender.
Their views were communicated to Lee, but he would not yet consent to
that decisive step.

[Illustration: LINCOLN ENTERING RICHMOND.]

Grant was in Farmville on the 7th, and he sent a letter to Lee,
reminding him of the uselessness of further resistance and asking for
his