in the Shenandoah Valley, to the dimensions of only
respectable brigades. He commanded just in front of Petersburg, from the
Appomattox to a small stream just to the right of the city, which, not
knowing its correct name, I will call Silver run; and it was along this
line, almost its entire length, that a continuous struggle for months had
been kept up, and in some places the opposing forces were scarce a dozen
yards apart. A. P. Hill, with his three divisions, held the right,
extending to Hatcher's run, while the cavalry guarded either flank.

The Confederates had no reserves, and when a brigade was taken to assist
at some threatened point, the position they left was endangered, and
safety was only insured by the unconsciousness of the Federals. There were
dozens of times during the winter, had Grant only known it, when an
assault could have been made with the same result of the last one, which
caused the evacuation.

In the last days of March, the 27th, I think, Gen. Lee made his last
offensive demonstration, which ended in failure, and demonstrated the
condition of his troops. The assault I allude to was on Gordon's line, two
miles south of the Appomattox, and just to the left of the Crater. Robbing
other portions of his line, he massed two divisions, and early in the
morning dashed on the _abattis_ of the Federals. They were surprised, and
the sharpshooters of Grimes' division, composing the advance, succeeded in
driving them from their works, and Lee's troops occupied their breastworks
for a distance of a quarter of a mile, with comparatively no loss, and
with a loss to the Federals of one principal fort (Haskell) and some 500
prisoners.--Had this opportunity been taken advantage of, there is no
telling the result, which would have ensued, but Lee's troops could not be
induced to leave the breastworks, taken from their enemy and advance
beyond. They hugged the works in disorder, until the Federals recovered
from their surprise, and soon the artillery in the forts to the right and
left began their murderous fire on them, and when fresh troops were
brought up by the Federals, their advance was almost unresisted, and an
easy recapture was obtained, the Confederates retiring under a severe fire
into their old works. Many of the men took shelter under the breastworks
they had captured, and surrendered when the Federals advanced, and the
result was a Confederate loss treble that of their foe. This affair
demonstrated to