Adam Badeau, Military history of Ulysses S. Grant from April 1861 to April 1865. Volume 2

[476] told. At such times judgment and instinct with him were identical. Armies, indeed, are like individual men, and the bravest generally wins. Neither skill nor strength is to be despised, but courage counts for more than all.

There was some delay in the transmission of this order, for the telegraphic wires were working badly, but at nine o'clock Meade sent word to Warren: ‘You will, by direction of the major-general commanding, draw back at once to your position within the Boydton plank road, and send a division down to Dinwiddie court-house, to report to General Sheridan; this division will go down the Boydton plank road. Send Griffin's division.’ This was received by Warren at 9.17 P. M., and at 9.35 he repeated the order to Griffin.

Grant, however, was not content with a single effort in Sheridan's behalf. At 9.15, he said to Meade: ‘I wish you would send out some cavalry to Dinwiddie to see if information can be got from Sheridan;’ and at 9.45, he directed Ord to forward the cavalry of the army of the James: ‘Send Mackenzie at once to Dinwiddie, to the support of Sheridan. He has been attacked by cavalry and infantry, and driven into Dinwiddie. Fighting was still going on, when I last heard from him, which was after dark.’ At the same hour he telegraphed to Meade: ‘If you can get orders to Mackenzie to move his cavalry to the support of Sheridan by way of the Vaughan road, do so. I have sent the same directions to General Ord. Please let me know when Griffin gets started. If he pushes promptly, I think there may he a chance for cutting off the infantry the enemy have intrusted so far from home. Urge prompt ’