, eliciting no reply. Just then a huge fire in the
direction of the city, followed by several explosions, convinced our
side that Lee's army had indeed left. The regiment was hastily got
together,--ninety muskets being all that could be produced,--and sent
out on picket. The picket line advanced and meeting with no resistance
pushed on into the city. What regiment was first to enter the city is
and probably ever will be a disputed question. The Second Connecticut
claims to have been in first, but Colonel Hubbard had ordered the
colors to remain behind when the regiment went out on the skirmish
line, consequently the stars and stripes that first floated over
captured Petersburg belonged to some other regiment. Colonel Hubbard
was, however, made Provost-Marshal of the city, and for a brief while
dispensed government and law in that capacity."

Petersburg, however, now that it was abandoned by the enemy, had lost
the importance it had so long possessed, and all energies were given
to preventing the escape of its late defenders. Before the end of the
day (April 3rd) the regiment, with the rest of the Sixth Corps, had
turned westward and joined the pursuit. The chase was stern and the
marches rapid, but far less wearing to these victorious veterans,
filled with the consciousness of success, than those that had
initiated their campaigning less than a year before. On April 6th the
regiment, after an all day march, came up with the enemy in position
at Sailor's Creek, and went into the last engagement of its career. It
was a charge under a hot fire, sharp and decisive, which quickly
changed to a pursuit of the fleeing enemy, kept up until the bivouack
at ten o'clock. The Second Connecticut captured the headquarters train
of General Mahone, a battle flag, and many prisoners, and ended the
tale of its losses with three men killed and six wounded.

The chase was taken up next morning (April 7th), and the regiment had
reached a point close to Appomattox Court House, when on April 9th Lee
met Grant and surrendered what remained of his army, at that historic
place.

* * * * *

To imagine all that this meant to the men in arms is far easier than
to attempt its description. They saw at last the end arriving of all
the privation and suffering they had volunteered to undergo; they saw
the triumph of the Union they had risen to defend to the uttermost
extremity a proven fact. The whole continent vibrated