The expedition under command of Brevet Major-General Wilson, consisting of twelve thousand five hundred mounted men, was delayed by rains until March 22d, when it moved from Chickasaw, Alabama. On the 1st of April, General Wilson encountered the enemy in force under Forrest near Ebenezer Church, drove him in confusion, captured three hundred prisoners and three guns, and destroyed the central bridge over the Cahawba River. On the 2d he attacked and captured the fortified city of Selma, defended by Forrest, with seven thousand men and thirty-two guns, destroyed the arsenal, armory, naval foundry, machine-shops, vast quantities of stores, and captured three thousand prisoners. On the 4th he captured and destroyed Tuscaloosa. On the 10th he crossed the Alabama River, and after sending information of his operations to General Canby, marched on Montgomery, which place he occupied on the 14th, the enemy having abandoned it. At this place many stores and five steamboats fell into our hands. Thence a force marched direct on Columbus, and another on West Point, both of which places were assaulted and captured on the 16th. At the former place we got one thousand five hundred prisoners and fifty-two field-guns, destroyed two gunboats, the navy yard, foundries, arsenal, many factories, and much other public property. At the latter place we got three hundred prisoners, four guns, and destroyed nineteen locomotives and three hundred cars. On the 20th he took possession of Macon, Georgia, with sixty field-guns, one thousand two hundred militia, and five generals, surrendered by General Howell Cobb. General Wilson, hearing that Jeff. Davis was trying to make his escape, sent forces in pursuit and succeeded in capturing him on the morning of May 11th.
On the 4th day of May, General Dick Taylor surrendered to General Canby all the remaining rebel forces east of the Mississippi.
A force sufficient to insure an easy triumph over the enemy under Kirby Smith, west of the Mississippi, was immediately put in motion for Texas, and Major-General Sheridan designated for its immediate command; but on the 26th day of May, and before they reached their destination, General Kirby Smith surrendered his entire command to Major-General Canby. This surrender did not take place, however, until after the capture of the rebel President and Vice-President; and the bad faith was exhibited of first disbanding most of his army and permitting an indiscriminate plunder of public property.
Owing to the report that many of those lately in arms against the government had taken refuge upon the soil of Mexico, carrying with them arms rightfully belonging to the United States, which had been surrendered to us by agreement among them some of the leaders who had surrendered in person and the disturbed condition of affairs on the Rio Grande, the orders for troops to proceed to Texas were not changed.
There have been severe combats, raids, expeditions, and movements to defeat the designs and purposes of the enemy, most of them reflecting great credit on our arms, and which contributed greatly to our final triumph, that I have not mentioned. Many of these will be found clearly set forth in the reports herewith submitted; some in the telegrams and brief dispatches announcing them, and others, I regret to say, have not as yet been officially reported.
For information touching our Indian difficulties, I would respectfully refer to the reports of the commanders of departments in which they have occurred.
It has been my fortune to see the armies of both the West and the East fight battles, and from what I have seen I know there is no difference in their fighting qualities. All that it was possible for men to do in battle they have done. The Western armies commenced their battles in the Mississippi Valley, and received the final surrender of the remnant of the principal army opposed to them in North Carolina. The armies of the East commenced their battles on the river from which the Army of the Potomac derived its name, and received the final surrender of their old antagonists at Appomattox Court House, Virginia. The splendid achievements of each have nationalized our victories removed all sectional jealousies (of which we have unfortunately experienced too much), and the cause of crimination and recrimination that might have followed had either section failed in its duty. All have a proud record, and all sections can well congratulate themselves and each other for having done their full share in restoring the supremacy of law over every foot of territory belonging to the United States. Let them hope for perpetual peace and harmony with that enemy, whose manhood, however mistaken the cause, drew forth such herculean deeds of valor.
I have the honor to be,Very respectfully, your obedient servant,U. S. GRANT,Lieutenant-General.
THE END
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UNION ARMY ON THE RAPIDAN, MAY 5, 1864.[COMPILED.]LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GRANT, Commander-in-Chief.MAJOR-GENERAL GEORGE G. MEADE, Commanding Army of the Potomac.MAJ.-GEN. W. S. HANCOCK, commanding Second Army Corps.First Division, Brig.-Gen. Francis C. Barlow.First Brigade, Col. Nelson A. Miles.Second Brigade, Col. Thomas A. Smyth.Third Brigade, Col. Paul Frank.Fourth Brigade, Col. John R. Brooke.Second Division, Brig.-Gen. John Gibbon.First Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Alex. S. Webb.Second Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Joshua T. Owen.Third Brigade, Col. Samuel S. Carroll.Third Division, Maj.-Gen. David B. Birney.First Brigade, Brig.-Gen. J. H. H. Ward.Second Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Alexander Hays.Fourth Divisin, Brig.-Gen. Gershom Mott.First Brigade, Col. Robert McAllister.Second Brigade, Col. Wm. R. Brewster.Artillery Brigade, Col. John C. Tidball.MAJ.-GEN. G. K. WARREN, commanding Fifth Army Corps.First Division, Brig.-Gen. Charles Griffin.First Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Romeyn B. Ayres.Second Brigade, Col. Jacob B. Sweitzer.Third Brigade, Brig.-Gen. J. J. Bartlett.Second Division, Brig.-Gen. John C. Robinson.First Brigade, Col. Samuel H. Leonard.Second Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Henry Baxter.Third Brigade, Col. Andrew W. Denison.Third Division, Brig.-Gen. Samuel W. Crawford.First Brigade, Col. Wm McCandless.Third Brigade, Col. Joseph W. Fisher.Fourth Division, Brig.-Gen. James S. Wadsworth.First Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Lysander Cutler.Second Brigade Brig.-Gen. James C. Rice.Third Brigade, Col. Roy StoneArtillery Brigade, Col. S. S. Wainwright.MAJ.-GEN. JOHN SEDGWICK, commanding Sixth Army Corps.First Division, Brig.-Gen. H. G. Wright.First Brigade, Col. Henry W. Brown.Second Brigade, Col. Emory Upton.Third Brigade, Brig.-Gen. D. A. Russell.Fourth Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Alexander Shaler.Second Division, Brig.-Gen. George W. Getty.First Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Frank Wheaton.Second Brigade, Col. Lewis A. Grant.Third Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Thos. H. Neill.Fourth Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Henry L. Eustis.Third Division, Brig.-Gen. James Ricketts.First Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Wm. H. Morris.Second Brigade, Brig.-Gen. T. Seymour.Artillery Brigade, Col. C. H. TompkinsMAJ.-GEN. P. H. SHERIDAN, commanding Cavalry Corps.First Division, Brig.-Gen. A. T. A. Torbert.First Brigade, Brig.-Gen. G. A. Custer.Second Brigade, Col. Thos. C. Devin.Reserve Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Wesley MerrittSecond Division, Brig.-Gen. D. McM. Gregg.First Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Henry E. Davies, Jr.Second Brigade, Col. J. Irvin Gregg.Third Division, Brig.-Gen. J. H. Wilson.First Brigade, Col. T. M. Bryan, Jr.Second Brigade, Col. Geo. H. Chapman.MAJ.-GEN. A. E. BURNSIDE, commanding Ninth Army Corps.First Division, Brig.-Gen. T. G. Stevenson.First Brigade, Col. Sumner Carruth.Second Brigade, Col. Daniel Leasure.Second Division, Brig.-Gen. Robert B. Potter.First Brigade, Col. Zenas R. Bliss.Second Brigade, Col. Simon G. Griffin.Third Division, Brig.-Gen. Orlando Willcox.First Brigade, Col. John F. Hartranft.Second Brigade, Col. Benj. C. Christ.Fourth Division, Brig.-Gen. Edward Ferrero.First Brigade, Col. Joshua K. Sigfried.Second Brigade, Col. Henry G. Thomas.Provisional Brigade, Col. Elisha G. Marshall.BRIG.-GEN. HENRY J. HUNT, commanding Artillery.Reserve, Col. H. S. Burton.First Brigade, Col. J. H. Kitching.Second Brigade, Maj. J. A. Tompkins.First Brig. Horse Art., Capt. J. M. Robertson.Second Brigade, Horse Art., Capt. D. R. Ransom.Third Brigade, Maj. R. H. Fitzhugh.GENERAL HEADQUARTERS.......Provost Guard, Brig.-Gen. M. R. Patrick.Volunteer Engineers, Brig.-Gen. H. W. Benham.CONFEDERATE ARMY.Organization of the Army of Northern Virginia, Commanded byGENERAL ROBERT E. LEE, August 31st, 1834.First Army Corps: LIEUT.-GEN. R. H. ANDERSON, Commanding.MAJ.-GEN. GEO. E. PICKETT'S Division.Brig.-Gen. Seth M. Barton's Brigade. (a)Brig.-Gen. M. D. Corse's "" Eppa Hunton's "" Wm. R. Terry's "MAJ.-GEN. C. W. FIELD'S Division. (b)Brig.-Gen. G. T. Anderson's Brigade" E. M. Law's (c) "" John Bratton's "MAJ.-GEN. J. B. KERSHAW'S Division. (d)Brig.-Gen. W. T. Wofford's Brigade" B. G. Humphreys' "" Goode Bryan's "" Kershaw's (Old) "Second Army Corps: MAJOR-GENERAL JUBAL A. EARLY, CommandingMAJ.-GEN. JOHN B. GORDON'S Division.Brig.-Gen. H. T. Hays' Brigade. (e)" John Pegram 's " (f)" Gordon's " (g)Brig.-Gen. R. F. Hoke's "MAJ.-GEN. EDWARD JOHNSON'S Division.Stonewall Brig. (Brig.-Gen. J. A. Walker). (h)Brig.-Gen. J M Jones' Brigade. (h)" Geo H. Stewart's " (h)" L. A. Stafford's " (e)MAJ.-GEN. R. E. RODES' Division.Brig.-Gen. J. Daniel's Brigade. (i)" Geo. Dole's " (k)" S. D. Ramseur's Brigade." C. A. Battle's "" R. D. Johnston's " (f)Third Army Corps: LIEUT.-GEN. A. P. HILL, Commanding.MAJ.-GEN. WM. MAHONE'S Division. (l)Brig.-Gen. J. C. C. Sanders' Brigade.Mahone's "Brig.-Gen. N. H. Harris's " (m)" A. R. Wright's "" Joseph Finegan's "MAJ.-GEN. C. M. WILCOX'S Division.Brig.-Gen. E. L. Thomas's Brigade (n)" James H. Lane's "" Sam'l McCowan's "" Alfred M. Scale's "MAJ.-GEN. H. HETH'S Division. (o)Brig.-Gen. J. R. Davis's Brigade." John R. Cooke's "" D. McRae's "" J. J. Archer's "" H. H. Walker's "_unattached_: 5th Alabama Battalion.Cavalry Corps: LIEUTENANT-GENERAL WADE HAMPTON, Commanding.(p)MAJ.-GEN. FITZHUGH LEE'S DivisionBrig.-Gen. W. C. Wickham's Brigade" L. L. Lomax's "MAJ.-GEN. M. C. BUTLER'S Division.Brig.-Gen. John Dunovant's Brigade." P. M. B. Young's "" Thomas L. Rosser's "MAJ.-GEN. W. H. F. LEE'S Division.Brig.-Gen. Rufus Barringer's Brigade." J. R. Chambliss's "Artillery Reserve: BRIG.-GEN. W. N. PENDLETON, Commanding.BRIG.-GEN. E. P. ALEXANDER'S DIVISION.*Cabell's Battalion.Manly's Battery.1st Co. Richmond Howitzers.Carleton's Battery.Calloway's Battery.Haskell's Battalion.Branch's Battery.Nelson's "Garden's "Rowan "Huger's Battalion.Smith's Battery.Moody "Woolfolk "Parker's "Taylor's "Fickling's "Martin's "Gibb's Battalion.Davidson's Battery.Dickenson's "Otey's "BRIG.-GEN. A. L. LONG'S DIVISION.Braxton's Battalion.Lee Battery.1st Md. Artillery.Stafford "Alleghany "Cutshaw's Battalion.Charlotteville Artillery.Staunton "Courtney "Carter's Battalion.Morris Artillery.Orange "King William Artillery.Jeff Davis "Nelson's Battalion.Amherst Artillery.Milledge "Fluvauna "Brown's Battalion.Powhatan Artillery.2d Richmond Howitzers.3d " "Rockbridge Artillery.Salem Flying Artillery.COL R. L.WALKER'S DIVISION.Cutt's Battalion.Ross's Battery.Patterson's Battery.Irwin Artillery.Richardson's Battalion.Lewis Artillery.Donaldsonville Artillery.Norfolk Light "Huger "Mclntosh 's Battalion.Johnson's Battery.Hardaway Artillery.Danville "2d Rockbridge Artillery.Pegram's Battalion.Peedee Artillery.Fredericksburg Artillery.Letcher "Purcell Battery.Crenshaw's Battery.Poague's Battalion.Madison Artillery.Albemarle "Brooke "Charlotte "NOTE.(a) COL. W. R. Aylett was in command Aug. 29th, and probably atabove date.(b) Inspection report of this division shows that it alsocontained Benning's and Gregg's Brigades. (c) Commanded byColonel P. D. Bowles.(d) Only two brigadier-generals reported for duty; names notindicated.Organization of the Army of the Valley District.(e) Constituting York's Brigade.(f) In Ramseur's Division.(g) Evan's Brigade, Colonel E. N. Atkinson commanding, andcontaining 12th Georgia Battalion.(h) The Virginia regiments constituted Terry's Brigade, Gordon'sDivision.(i) Grimes' Brigade.(k) Cook's "(l) Returns report but one general officer present for duty;name not indicated.(m) Colonel Joseph M. Jayne, commanding.(n) Colonel Thomas J. Simmons, commanding. (o) Fourbrigadier-generals reported present for duty; names notindicated.(p) On face of returns appears to have consisted of Hampton's,Fitz-Lee's, and W. H. F. Lee's Division, and Dearing's Brigade.* But one general officer reported present for duty in theartillery, and Alexander's name not on the original.
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