As the enemy had been feeling us ever since morning—­to learn what he was up to I directed Crook to send Davies’s brigade on a reconnoissance to Paine’s crossroads.  Davies soon found out that Lee was trying to escape by that flank, for at the crossroads he found the Confederate trains and artillery moving rapidly westward.  Having driven away the escort, Davies succeeded in burning nearly two hundred wagons, and brought off five pieces of artillery.  Among these wagons were some belonging to General, Lee’s and to General Fitzhugh Lee’s headquarters.  This work through, Davies withdrew and rejoined Crook, who, with Smith and Gregg, was established near Flat Creek.

It being plain that Lee would attempt to escape as soon as his trains were out of the way, I was most anxious to attack him when the Second Corps began to arrive, for I felt certain that unless we did so he would succeed in passing by our left flank, and would thus again make our pursuit a stern-chase; but General Meade, whose plan of attack was to advance his right flank on Amelia Court House, objected to assailing before all his troops were up.

I then sent despatches to General Grant, explaining what Davies had done, and telling him that the Second Corps was arriving, and that I wished he himself was present.  I assured him of my confidence in our capturing Lee if we properly exerted ourselves, and informed him, finally, that I would put all my cavalry, except Mackenzie, on my left, and that, with such a disposition of my forces, I could see no escape for Lee.  I also inclosed him this letter, which had just been captured: 

“AMELIA C. H., April 5, 1865.

“DEAR MAMMA: 

“Our army is ruined, I fear.  We are all safe as yet.  Shyron left us sick.  John Taylor is well—­saw him yesterday.  We are in line of battle this morning.  General Robert Lee is in the field near us.  My trust is still in the justice of our cause, and that of God.  General Hill is killed.  I saw Murray a few minutes since.  Bernard, Terry said, was taken prisoner, but may yet get out.  I send this by a negro I see passing up the railroad to Mechlenburg.  Love to all.

“Your devoted son,

“Wm. B. TAYLOR, Colonel.”

General Grant, who on the 5th was accompanying General Ord’s column toward Burkeville Junction, did not receive this intelligence till nearly nightfall, when within about ten miles of the Junction.  He set out for Jettersville immediately, but did not reach us till near midnight, too late of course to do anything that night.  Taking me with him, we went over to see Meade, whom he then directed to advance early in the morning on Amelia Court House.  In this interview Grant also stated that the orders Meade had already issued would permit Lee’s escape, and therefore must be changed, for it was not the aim only to follow the enemy, but to get ahead of him, remarking during the conversation that, “he had no doubt Lee was moving right then.”  On this same occasion Meade expressed a desire to have in the proposed attack all the troops of the Army of the Potomac under his own command, and asked for the return of the Fifth Corps.  I made no objections, and it was ordered to report, to him.