John Partrick, Veteran at the Civil War
Laid Down His Weapon
At
Appomattox Court House
John Partrick enlisted as a Private in Company D of the 43rd Alabama Regiment, known as Gracie’s Brigade.
Private Partrick was present through the war till their last engagement which was of utmost importance. The history of the regiment summarizes the final days of the regiment’s involvement in the war as …
On March 15, 1865 the brigade was pulled out of the siege lines and moved southwest of Petersburg to help prevent Federal encirclement of the city. They fought several times in the area of White Oak Road and Hatcher’s Run. On April 1, they were part of a successful attack that drove back a large Federal force. But it was too little, too late. Lee could no longer prevent being encircled, and on April 2 he evacuated Petersburg and began moving his army west towards Lynchburg.
The next few days were a confusion of constant marching and skirmishing with the pursuing Federal cavalry. There was little sleep and less food. April 6 was another disaster. The Federal cavalry of General Sheridan caught the Rebel rearguard unprepared at Sayler’s Creek, and inflicted heavy losses both in casualties and captures. Included among the captured were generals Richard Ewell, Custis Lee, and Joseph Kershaw, as well as several other senior Confederate officers and 7,000 men. The 43rd was on the right (southern) flank during the action and sustained losses both to enemy fire and to capture.
Early morning on April 9 found the 43rd Alabama among the troops camped at Appomattox Court House. Those men of Gracie's Brigade who escaped Sayler’s Creek were assigned to Grimes’ Division of Major General John Gordon’s (II) Corps. During the night of April 8, General Lee and General Gordon discussed the situation. They decided that Gordon would attack in the morning. If they were able to clear a path through the enemy, the army would use it to escape further west. If the attack could not clear an escape route, that would be the end. Before dawn on April 9, Gordon formed his troops into the final line of battle. The rebel yell rose once again and the hungry, exhausted men charged with the enthusiasm of fresh troops. They drove back the lines of dismounted cavalry and even captured a pair of canon. But the victory was short lived, as two fresh Federal infantry corps appeared behind the retreating cavalry and sealed off any hope of escape.
The surrender by Lee at Appomattox Court House ensued. Private John Partrick was present at the surrender, laid down his weapon and was paroled.
To locate the final, solve:
33 16.1AB
87 37.8CD
A = Add together the two digits of the date of his birth.
B = The second digit in the year of his birth.
C = The first digit in the date of his death.
D = The first digit in the date of his birth.