| Headquarters Army of the Potomac |
| April 24, 1865 -- 9:30 p.m. |
| |
| Major-General Halleck |
| |
| As soon as the Sixth Corps moved
yesterday I sent a small construction party, with an escort of
twenty mounted men and an operator, to put the telegraph line in
order between this and the Staunton River. The operator reached this
p.m., Clover Station, three miles beyond the Staunton River; there
he found two rebel operators and the line working to Danville. He
also found nine locomotives and some fifty cars
{Richmond & Danville RR}. He took
possession of the telegraph office, and I directed him to notify
General Wright, who was then laying a bridge some three miles above
the railroad crossing, to send a guard to take possession of the
train and hold it till the arrival of Brigadier-General Benham with
the Engineer Brigade, whom I have sent to rebuild the railroad
bridge. In the meantime a message was sent from Danville directing
the train to return tomorrow at 5 a. m., to which I ordered no reply
to be made. The accompanying message was then sent: |
| Have you any knowledge of any such
armistice as is here referred to? |
| I have directed a reply to be sent to
the effect that the party at Clover Station are acting under my
orders. |
| Geo. G. Meade |
| Major-General Commanding |
|