," resting
his chin on his folded arms, which were on the rail of a baluster.
He was smoking a cigar, and doubtless casting his eyes on the
situation across the river. He then looked happy, contented, and
unconcerned. He did not change when Wright exhibited, by word and
act, great solicitude for the fate of the cavalry. When Wright
had finished, Grant withdrew his cigar from his lips, raised his
head only a little, and pleasantly said: "The cavalry are doing
well, and I hope General Lee will continue to fight them, as the
delay will lessen his chances of escape." Grant also, pointing in
the direction of the river, added: "General Wright, you will find
the debris of a railroad bridge down there, on which you can
construct a passage for your infantry and get them over the river
during the night." Grant resumed smoking and we went about our
business.

A crossing was soon made on the iron and timbers of a broken-down
bridge, over which foot soldiers could pass in single file. As
the structure was liable to get out of order, each officer, from
division to company commander, was required to stand at its end
and see that the soldiers of his command marched on it at proper
intervals and with steady step. It was 3 A.M. of the 8th before
the last of the corps had crossed and bivouacked. Mounted officers
and escorts swam the stream at a swollen ford near-by.

Crook lost heavily in his unequal combat, one of his brigades
especially, its commanding officer, General J. Irwin Gregg, being
captured, but the purpose of the attack was accomplished. Crook
withdrew his recently imperilled cavalry to the south of the river
about 9 P.M. of the 7th, and reached Prospect Station the same
night, under orders to rejoin Sheridan.

Lee, late on the evening of the 7th, seems to have been personally
seized with a panic on hearing some threatening reports of being
cut off or flanked, and he caused his trains to retreat in a wild
rush and the infantry under Longstreet to march at double-quick to
Cumberland Church, where he formed for battle.(18)

General Ewell, at supper with Wright the night after his capture
on the 6th, made some remarks about the hopeless condition of the
Confederate Army, and suggested that Lee might be willing to
surrender. This and other like talk of Ewell, being communicated
by a Dr. Smith to Grant, suggested the idea to him of demanding
the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia.(19) A note to this
effe