A tremendous day Part 3 The tour of High bridge

Lee's goal: To burn the bridge over the 2200 foot Appomattox River Valley so that there would be a river between him and Grant's army.

The reality: Though the Confederates had found food in Farmville, they needed to move out quickly with many men still hungry. Both armies were exhausted from marching, marching, evading, fighting.
Men walk, or more likely stumble across the bridge that is 100s of feet above the valley, hand on shoulder to keep upright.

The reality: Officers depleted, those who still stood made faulty decisions that cost them the goal and men's lives. Remember, Grant had reached out to Lee to surrender at Cumberland Church, who still had the illusion that he could make it south.

The officer charged with the plan to burn the bridge does his job to set up the plan, collect the supplies. But he doesn't light the fire because no orders have been given. He waits overnight, then is worried (!) when Union calvary is heard coming close.

And so the battle of High Bridges begins. 

I've joined this group of a dozen or so 'Realtimers', many of whom have spent the last FOUR years travelling all over the country to attend the realtime events of the 150th. To say they are knowlegable is an understatement, but Bob Pifflin, a native of the area with an obvious passion clearly can hold his own. He brings copies of photos, documents, drawings from his vast collection as a way to illustrate the drama and despair as the Confederates try to hold off the enemy.

They fail. But enough escape. Lee is still adamant to fight one more time, to the death if need be. And so the battle of Appomattox is tomorrow's story.