of historic fields.

Lee had been forced out of his works at Richmond and Petersburg a week
before. Ever since, with that calm courage which had sustained him
throughout the later and losing years of the war, he had struggled and
battled in an effort to retreat to the Roanoke River. He had hoped there
to unite the remnant of his army with what was left of Johnston's force,
and to make there a final and desperate stand.

In this purpose he had been baffled. Grant's forces were on his southern
flank, and they had steadily pressed him back toward the James River on
the north. In that direction there was no thoroughfare for him. Neither
was there now in any other. Continual battling had depleted his army
until it numbered now scarcely more than ten thousand men all told, and
starvation had weakened these so greatly that only the heroism of
despair enabled them to fight or to march at all.

The artillery that was parked out there in front of Appomattox Court
House was only a feeble remnant of that which had fought so long and so
determinedly. Gun after gun had been captured. Gun after gun had been
dismounted in battle struggle. Caisson after caisson had been blown up
by the explosion of shells striking them.

Captain Guilford Duncan, at the head of eleven mounted men, armed only
with sword and pistols, paused before entering the woodlands in front.
He looked about in every direction, and, with an eye educated by long
experience in war, he observed the absence of infantry support.

He turned to Sergeant Garrett, who rode by his side, and said sadly:

"Garrett, this means surrender. General Lee has put his artillery here
to be captured. The end has come."

Then dismounting, he wearily threw himself upon the ground, chewed and
swallowed a few grains of corn,--the only rations he had,--and sought a
brief respite of sleep. But before closing his eyes he turned to Garrett
and gave the command:

"Post a sentinel and order him to wake us when Sheridan comes."

This command brought questions from the men about him. They were
privates and he was their captain, it is true, but the Southern army was
democratic, and these men were accustomed to speak with their captain
with eyes on a level with his own.

"Why do you say, 'when Sheridan comes'?" asked one of Duncan's command.

"Oh, he will come, of course--and quickly. That is the program. This
artillery has been posted here to be captured. And it will be captured
within an h