ng air, and
the bugles sounding the "forward march," leaving in their rear smoking
camps and blazing dwellings. What a Sunday morning was that, with its
thunders of terrific war, instead of the mellow chimes of church bells
and the repose of peace.

It was late in the afternoon, and huge, black clouds of smoke rolled up
out of the city of Petersburg, and then a loud report, told that the
confederates had evacuated it. Away to the left, the huzzas of Colonel
Doubleday's Phalanx brigade (2nd) were heard. Now came a race to reach
the city, between the 7th and 8th Phalanx regiments. No matter which was
first, they were among the troops which took possession of the city, and
gladdened the hearts of the negro population, as they marched through
the streets singing their battle song:

"We will hang Jeff Davis on a sour apple-tree as we go marching on."

It was a glorious victory, bringing freedom to thousands of slaves,
though it cost as many lives and millions of treasure. It was the
beginning of the end. The confederates deserted their army by thousands.
The South Side Railroad was in the hands of the federals, and starvation
threatened the enemy. Lee, says a historian, was no longer himself: he
rode wildly through his camps hither, and thither, trying to save his
shattered and routed soldiers from annihilation.

The defeat at Five Forks settled the fate of the Army of North Virginia.
Grant had almost the entire federal army actively engaged; he stopped
the exchange of prisoners, invited President Lincoln, then at City
Point, to come out and see the army advance, which he did. He met Grant
in the city of Petersburg, amid the exultations of the troops and the
joyous demonstrations of the negro population. General Lee made no stop
at Richmond; he had informed Jefferson Davis that he must give up the
city. The latter, with his aids and all the money he could collect,--not
the confederate paper, but the gold of the United States,--stampeded.

General Weitzel, with Kautz's division of the 24th Corps and Thomas' and
Ashborne's division of the 25th Corps, on the north side of the James
river, lay quietly upon their arms during the fight on the south side.
Grant kept Weitzel informed as to the results of the attack, and warned
him to be on the alert and take every advantage offered, to press the
confederates. General Longstreet's forces had been in Weitzel's front,
but were partly withdrawn to defend Petersburg; therefore th