The Fourth Massachusetts Cavalry in the Closing Scenes of the War for the Maintenance of the Union, from Richmond to Appomatox

In Short

This volume serves as both a regimental history and a collection of personal memoirs documenting the Fourth Massachusetts Cavalry’s activities during the spring of 1865. It focuses on two specific, high-stakes events: the first entry of Union forces into a burning, evacuated Richmond and the subsequent Battle of High Bridge, a small-scale but strategically vital engagement that forced Robert E. Lee’s hand at Appomattox. Through firsthand accounts, it preserves the experiences of soldiers who witnessed the end of the conflict, balancing military tactical analysis with the raw, emotional landscape of victory and surrender.

The Story

The narrative begins with the tactical landscape of early 1865, as the Union Army of the James maneuvers to cut off Confederate escape routes. The Fourth Massachusetts Cavalry, a seasoned and highly regarded unit, is scattered across various detachments. Despite being reduced to a mere "handful" of men by previous administrative reassignments, the regiment remains a spearhead for Union operations.

The arc of the story follows two converging paths. The first is the dramatic capture of Richmond. As Confederate authorities flee and set fire to their own capital, Union scouts under Major Atherton H. Stevens arrive to find the city in a state of apocalyptic chaos. Through the smoke and explosions of the burning arsenal, the cavalrymen navigate a city of ruins to secure the Capitol building. They raise the first United States flag over the seat of the Confederacy, a symbolic act that signals the end of the rebellion’s reach.

While one detachment occupies the city, the remainder of the regiment—led by Colonel Francis Washburn—is ordered to push toward the High Bridge, a critical trestle across the Appomattox. The intelligence provided to Washburn is dangerously optimistic; he is told the bridge is undefended and the enemy demoralized. In reality, he finds himself marching into the heart of the retreating Army of Northern Virginia.

The ensuing battle at High Bridge is the emotional and tactical center of the book. Washburn, a man of "superb daring," leads his small detachment of fewer than one hundred troopers in a series of desperate charges against a much larger force. The soldiers fight with a ferocity that defies tactical logic, their actions so aggressive that Confederate commanders mistakenly believe they are the vanguard of a massive Union army. This misapprehension forces Lee to halt and entrench, a delay that ultimately allows Union forces to intercept the Confederate retreat at Sailor’s Creek and finalize the encirclement at Appomattox.

The price of this success is devastating. Colonel Washburn is mortally wounded, as are many of his officers, and the regiment suffers severe casualties. The narrative concludes with the surrender at Appomattox, where members of the Fourth Massachusetts—some of the same men who had taken Richmond—are chosen to escort General Lee after his capitulation. The book ends not with the triumph of the charge, but with a quiet, somber reflection on the cost of the war, the loss of President Lincoln, and the transition from the violence of the battlefield to the stillness of peace.

How It Unfolds

The march to Richmond The narrative establishes the atmospheric tension as Confederate authority collapses, leading to a race to occupy the city before total destruction occurs. Major Stevens and his small detachment navigate the burning capital, restoring a semblance of order amidst the "howling mob" of looters and the roar of spreading flames.

The flag-raising With the city secured, soldiers ascend the Capitol building to hoist the United States flag, replacing the symbols of the Confederacy. This moment serves as a definitive turning point, transforming the city from a fortress of rebellion into the first major victory of the final campaign.

The High Bridge engagement The focus shifts to the military catastrophe and triumph at High Bridge, where Colonel Washburn’s cavalry attempts to prevent the destruction of a vital escape route. The narrative details the tactical imbalance and the "apparent madness" of the attack, which ultimately serves as a strategic masterstroke by stalling Lee’s retreat.

The final surrender The closing chapters recount the atmosphere at Appomattox, where the regiment participates in the paroling of the defeated army. The narrative concludes with the soldiers' return to civilian life and the lingering, poignant grief following the assassination of President Lincoln.

The People

Colonel Francis Washburn stands as the book’s tragic, heroic archetype. Described as a "patrician" who abandoned a life of privilege to serve the Republic, his "valor was ever the better part of his discretion." His leadership at High Bridge is characterized by a "fury of battle" that inspires his men to fight beyond their capacity, ultimately leading to his own death in his mother’s arms back in Massachusetts.

Major Atherton H. Stevens acts as the steady hand in the chaos of Richmond. Tasked with the delicate responsibility of occupying a hostile city, he displays a blend of military discipline and civic concern, working to quench fires and maintain order where total anarchy threatens to destroy the city.

Captain A. F. Ray represents the perspective of the rank-and-file soldier. His account is grounded and observant, providing a bridge between the high-level strategy of the officers and the lived reality of the troopers.

The color sergeant, Thomas Hickey, appears as a symbol of the regiment's spirit. His decision to burn the battle flag rather than allow it to be captured by the enemy highlights the intense, almost spiritual attachment the men felt toward their unit and their cause.

In Its Own Voice

"For a few moments the air was bright with the flashing of sabres, and shattered by the explosion of carbine and pistol, while screams of rage mingled with the cries of the wounded and all the hideous sounds of a savage hand-to-hand fight."

This description captures the kinetic, sensory intensity of the charge at High Bridge.

"The flag, whose design has been accredited alike to both George Washington and John Adams, was raised over Virginia by Massachusetts, in place of the one whose kinship and likeness had not, even after renewed effort, been entirely destroyed."

This passage reflects on the historical weight of the moment when the Union flag was finally planted over the Confederate Capitol.

What It's Really About

At its core, the book examines the intersection of individual sacrifice and grand historical necessity. It explores the paradox of "useless" battles that, when analyzed through the lens of a larger campaign, become the decisive factors in victory. The text grapples with the question of whether the "apparent madness" of a small, doomed charge is a failure of leadership or the highest form of military duty. It also touches on the complex, fractured identity of a nation in the final throes of civil war, documenting the transition from the "nightmare memory" of Richmond’s destruction to the solemn, respectful interactions between former enemies at Appomattox.

Why Read It Today

Readers with an interest in the granular, tactical history of the Civil War will find this a compelling, albeit intense, read. It is not a detached, academic survey; it is a visceral collection of memories written by those who were present. The prose is earnest, often dramatic, and deeply rooted in the nineteenth-century tradition of soldierly remembrance, which can occasionally feel ornate or overly sentimental to a modern ear.

However, the book’s strength lies in its honesty about the chaotic, unglamorous, and brutal nature of the war's final days. The reader is brought into the saddle during the final, desperate charges and into the streets of Richmond as they smolder. You will encounter the period’s specific attitudes toward duty, chivalry, and the "warrior spirit," which provide a clear window into how these men conceptualized their sacrifice. Those who appreciate military history that focuses on the human element—the "nervous-strung form" of the war horse and the "fury of battle"—will find this a rewarding, if sobering, addition to their library. It remains a powerful record of how a small, determined body of men helped to close the most violent chapter in American history.