Victory or Death by Keith Rocco.

For many who study the American Civil War, April 6, 1865, has come to be known as Black Thursday for the Confederacy. Three days earlier, General Robert E. Lees Army of Northern Virginia had evacuated the defenses protecting Richmond and Petersburg with the intention of heading towards North Carolina. Unfortunately for the Southern army, such plans were not meant to be. On April 5, as Lee departed Amelia Court House with his army, he found the Federal army entrenched across his path at Jetersville station on the Richmond & Danville Railroad. Choosing not to bring on an engagement, instead the Confederate commander determined he would make a night march around the Union roadblock. The Confederate army now began heading in a westward direction toward Farmville. At this point he was told, rations would be available for his men before they continued on with their journey to North Carolina. All went well through most of the morning of the 6th. Finally in mid-afternoon, while the army was crossing a small watercourse known as Little Sailors Creek, Union cavalry began a series of hit and run tactics on the Confederate column. Confederate General Ewells corps was preparing for an impending attack by Union infantry which was now arriving on the scene. The two armies would first come in contact around the farmhouse of James Moses Hillsman which overlooked the creek. After brief skirmishing around the house, the Confederate forces fell back and across the creek, digging in on the high ground overlooking it. Shortly after 5:00 P.M., Union artillery now positioned around the Hillsman house opened fire on Ewells line. The Confederates, having no artillery with which to reply, were on the receiving end of a bombardment which would last approximately a half-hour. Upon its deadly completion, two divisions moved down to and over the creek, reforming to assault Ewells position on the heights. As the Federal infantry moved up the slope against the Southern battleline, some of the Union soldiers would actually wave handkerchiefs as an invitation for Ewells men to surrender. In response to this Ewells men rose and fired a volley into the enemy ranks, breaking a portion of the Federal line. Those Confederate forces in front of this breach then made a counter-attack, pushing some of the Union soldiers all the way back to the creek. Leading this impromptu offensive was Colonel Crutchfield, formerly Stonewall Jacksons Chief of Artillery. In the ensuing struggle, Crutchfield would be killed and Major Robert Stiles of the Chaffins Bluff Garrison would assume command. Eventually General Custis Lee would order these men back to their original post as the Federal army was now preparing for a second major assault upon their line. With both of Wrights divisions now across Little Sailors Creek and reassembled, the Southerners prepared for another attack. This time the Union battleline actually overlapped both flanks of the Confederate position. As the two forces locked themselves in deadly hand-to-hand combat, slowly groups of Ewells men began surrendering. The scene being depicted in this painting shows the last stand of the Savannah Volunteer Guards as it is about to receive the final Federal attack. By this time, the Guards can only muster eighty-five men. With the colors being planted on the road side, Union soldiers of the 121st New York Infantry are reaching the crest of the ridge. Sergeants Richard Millen and Simeon Morton rally the Guards around the battalion flag. Soon, both men will be shot down. Finally, Major Basinger, seeing the hopelessness of the situation, signals for surrender. It was shortly thereafter, that Harris S. Hawthorne of the 121st would retrieve the battalion's flag; he is also credited with the capture of General Custis Lee. In the 1870s the flag would be returned to the surviving Guards, a member writing, it was lost without dishonor and recovered without humiliation.

One print available only - an ex-display print with a slight dent on the image which would not be noticeable once framed.

Signed limited edition of 950 prints.

Image size 24 inches x 16.5 inches (61cm x 42cm)