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divisions of infantry, about 6600 men, and two of
Lee's divisions of cavalry, about 5760 men, for an expedition against
Sheridan.
They attacked him on the 31st, and drove him back in much confusion nearly to Dinwiddie C. H. Night ended the fighting, with
Pickett so far in advance that he would have been cut off by
Warren's corps, during the night, had he waited until morning.
But he fell back, and took position in the morning at
Five Forks, four miles from our right at Burgess Mills.
Here he made the fatal mistake of halting and proceeding to intrench, as well as the time and the scarcity of intrenching tools would permit.
He was four miles away from where other troops could help him or they could be helped by him. He should never have stopped until he had connected with our right flank.
Longstreet writes:—
‘The position was not of Pickett's choosing but of his orders, and from his orders he assumed that he would be reenforced.’
As it was, in the morning, April 1,
Sheridan, reenforced now by the 5th corps, some 15,000 men, followed, and massing a force of cavalry on
Pickett's right, with the 5th corps he turned his left flank and routed him, capturing, as stated by
Warren, 3244 men, 11 colors, and 4 guns, with a loss of only 634 men. The Federal
Gen.,
Winthrop, was killed, and on the
Confederate side
Col. Pegram, a brother of the
Gen.
Pegram killed Feb. 6, and highly distinguished as an artillerist.
This battle was fought between four and six in the afternoon, and
Humphreys notices a peculiar phenomenon of acoustic shadows, such as has been spoken of before in telling of other battles.
He writes: —
‘A singular circumstance connected with this battle is the fact that Gen. Pickett was, all of this time and until near the close of the action, on the north side of Hatchers Run where he had heard no sound of the engagement, nor had he received any information concerning it.’
The distance was but little over a mile, and Fitz-Lee and
Pickett were in company.
Neither were on the field until the action was decided.
