Benson J. Lossing, Pictorial Field Book of the Civil War. Volume 3.

[541] on the White Oak road, after a heavy loss, especially in men made prisoners. In this charge, Chamberlain's brigade of the Fifth Corps was. Specially distinguished. Humphreys tried to carry the Confederate works covering the intersection of the Boydton and White Oak roads, and also those on Hatcher's Run, but failed.

Lee now sought to strike another blow, quickly, at a supposed weaker Point, which was the extreme left of Grant's line, held by Sheridan, who, while Warren and the Confederates were battling farther to the right, had boldly pushed forward the troops of Devin and Davies to the five Forks. They captured the works there, and so held the key to the whole region that Lee was striving to protect. Lee sent the divisions of Pickett and Bushrod Johnson to regain this key-point. They struck the Union cavalry holding it, so severely, that they were driven out, and hurled back in confusion toward Dinwiddie Court-House. By a vigorous pursuit, with cavalry and infantry, but with much difficulty, the Confederates interposed between the troops of Devin and Davies and Sheridan's main body, at Dinwiddie Court-House. This compelled Devin to make a long, circuitous March, by the Boydton road, to rejoin his chief. The movement was mistaken by the Confederates for a forced retreat, and they attempted pursuit, when Sheridan, with the brigades of Gregg and Gibbs, charged upon their flank, and compelled them to give up the chase. Devin soon rejoined the main body, upon which the Confederates fell with vigor, expecting to drive them. They were foiled by Sheridan, who dismounted his men and placed them behind light breastworks, from which they gave their antagonists such a deadly musket fire that the latter recoiled. Before the Confederates could rally for another attack, darkness came and fighting ceased.

before midnight, Sheridan was satisfied that Lee was withdrawing his troops¹ from the front of the Union cavalry, and felt quite at ease. The feeling at Headquarters was quite otherwise. It was an anxious night there. Only the fact, that the cavalry had been driven back from the five Forks, and had been attacked at Dinwiddie in force, was known. It was supposed that Sheridan could not maintain his position, and Warren was directed to hasten to his relief, with the Fifth Corps. Ayres's division was First started, but in consequence of the destruction of a bridge over Gravelly Run, it did not reach Dinwiddie Court-House until dawn,

April 1, 1865.

just as the rear guard of the retreating Confederates was leaving.

on the arrival of Ayres, Sheridan started in pursuit, directing the former to follow in support. At seven o'clock he was joined by Warren, with the other two divisions of the Fifth Corps. Ranking Warren, Sheridan became commander of the whole. Leaving the Fifth Corps at the Point where he had joined the cavalry, about half way between Dinwiddie Court-House and the five Forks, Sheridan pressed boldly on toward that Point, with cavalry alone, and by two o'clock had driven the Confederates into their works there, where they were enveloped by the overwhelming number of horsemen. While thus holding them, he ordered Warren forward to the White Oak road, on his right, so as to be fully on the Confederate left, and directed