Abraham Lincoln . ^ alert. They needed no other reveille. General Wilcox,commanding the division nearest Petersburg, found only deserted forti-fications where a few hours before Confederate cannon had flashed defi-ance. I traversed the trenches, surveyed the almost impregnable works,and passed on with the troops into the city. The army was compelledto wait for the arrival of pontoons and the la3nng of a bridge acrossthe Appomattox, before it could begin the pursuit of Lee. GeneralGrant made his headquarters at the mansion of Mr. Wallace. I sawhim a few moments, and then, comprehending that Ric
Abraham Lincoln . ^ alert. They needed no other reveille. General Wilcox,commanding the division nearest Petersburg, found only deserted forti-fications where a few hours before Confederate cannon had flashed defi-ance. I traversed the trenches, surveyed the almost impregnable works,and passed on with the troops into the city. The army was compelledto wait for the arrival of pontoons and the la3nng of a bridge acrossthe Appomattox, before it could begin the pursuit of Lee. GeneralGrant made his headquarters at the mansion of Mr. Wallace. I sawhim a few moments, and then, comprehending that Richmond was theobjective point for a correspondent, hastened to Meade station, on themilitary railroad. A train came from City Point bringing President Lincoln. Justbefore reaching the station it was stopped by a procession of several. m RICHMOND. 501 thousand Confederate prisoners crossing the track. They were mostlyboys, who had been forced into the army by the remorseless Confed-erate Conscription. They were in rags, and hatl no bhmkets. Manyliad neither shoes nor hats. Mr. Lincoln watched them in silencea while, then said, as if in soliloqu}^: Poor boys ! poor boys ! If theyonly knew w^hat we are trying to do for them they would not havefought us, and they would not look as they do.() An escort awaited the President at the station. The Union soldiersgave a cheer. He thanked them for what they had accomplished,mounted a horse and rode to Petersburg. He dismounted at the man-sion of Mr. Wallace, with whom he had been acquainted when memberof Congress. Mr. Wallaces J^oung son, fired by Southern patriotismand prejudice, saw Mr. Lincoln entering the grounds. You are not going to let him come into the house, are you, father ?he said. I dont think it will be best to try to stop a man who has such anarmy, the father rep
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