must be remembered Lee's troops had one day
or more rest since leaving Petersburg and Richmond, and Grant's
army had none, and the latter had been moved by night as well as
by day, and irregularly fed. The most appealing orders were issued
by General Meade to his army to make the required sacrifices and
efforts to overtake and overthrow Lee's army. I quote from Meade's
order of the night of April 4th:

"The Major-General commanding feels he has but to recall to the
Army of the Potomac the success of the oft repeated gallant contests
with the Army of Northern Virginia, and when he assures the army
that, in the opinion of so distinguished an officer as General
Sheridan, it only requires these sacrifices to bring this long and
desperate conflict to a triumphant issue, the men of this army will
show that they are as willing to die of fatigue and starvation as
they have ever shown themselves ready to fall by the bullets of
the enemy."( 4)

This order, when read to the regiments, was loudly cheered. There
was perfect harmony of action among Grant's generals; all putting
forth their best efforts. On the 4th, Sheridan dispatched Grant,
"If we press on we will no doubt get the whole army." And again
on the 6th, "_If the thing is pressed I think Lee will surrender_."
( 5) On these dispatches being forwarded to President Lincoln, still
at City Point, he is reported to have wired Grant, "Let the thing
be pressed."( 6)

Grant, personally, gave more attention to the movements of his
forces to important places than to fighting battles. He was
especially anxious for Ord's command to be hastened forward on a
line south of Lee. Grant was always in touch with Meade and
Sheridan, but on the 5th and 6th he was with Ord. At night of the
5th he dispatched from Nottoway Court-House to Meade:

"Your movements are right. Lee's army is the objective point, and
to capture that is all we want. Ord has marched fifteen miles to-
day to reach here, and is going on. He will probably reach Burkeville
to-night. My headquarters will be with the advance."( 7)

Sheridan, in command of the cavalry, was often, temporarily, also
given command of a corps of infantry.

In the pursuit on the 6th from Jetersville, Wright's corps followed
Merritt's cavalry, and about 3 P.M., after a forced march of eighteen
miles, partly without roads and over a hilly country and under a
hot sun, came up with a portion of it heavily engaged trying to
seize a r