personal memoirs-2-第15章

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purpose；　and　send　the　remainder　back　to　Humphrey's　Station　where　they

can　get　hay　and　grain。　　Fifty　wagons　loaded　with　forage　will　be　sent

to　you　in　the　morning。　　Send　an　officer　back　to　direct　the　wagons

back　to　where　you　want　them。　　Report　to　me　the　cavalry　you　will　leave

back；　and　the　position　you　will　occupy。　　Could　not　your　cavalry　go

back　by　the　way　of　Stony　Creek　depot　and　destroy　or　capture　the　store

of　supplies　there？



〃U。　S。　GRANT；　Lieut。…General。〃





When　I　had　read　and　pondered　this；　I　determined　to　ride　over　to

General　Grant's　headquarters　on　Gravelly　Run；　and　get　a　clear　idea　of

what　it　was　proposed　to　do；　for　it　seemed　to　me　that　a　suspension　of

operations　would　be　a　serious　mistake。　　Mounting　a　powerful　gray

pacing　horse　called　Breckenridge　（from　its　capture　from　one　of

Breckenridge's　staff…officers　at　Missionary　Ridge）；　and　that　I　knew

would　carry　me　through　the　mud；　I　set　out　accompanied　by　my　Assistant

Adjutant…General；　Colonel　Frederick　C。　　Newhall；　and　an　escort　of

about　ten　or　fifteen　men。　　At　first　we　rode　north　up　the　Boydton

plank…road；　and　coming　upon　our　infantry　pickets　from　a　direction

where　the　enemy　was　expected　to　appear；　they　began　to　fire　upon　us；

but　seeing　from　our　actions　that　we　were　friends；　they　ceased；　and

permitted　us　to　pass　the　outposts。　　We　then　struggled　on　in　a

northeasterly　direction　across…country；　till　we　struck　the　Vaughn

road。　　This　carried　us　to　army　headquarters；　which　were　established

south　of　Gravelly　Run　in　an　old　cornfield。　　I　rode　to　within　a　few

yards　of　the　front　of　General　Grant's　tent；　my　horse　plunging　at

every　step　almost　to　his　knees　in　the　mud；　and　dismounted　near　a

camp…fire；　apparently　a　general　one；　for　all　the　staff…officers　were

standing　around　it　on　boards　and　rails　placed　here　and　there　to　keep

them　from　sinking　into　the　mire。



Going　directly　to　General　Grant's　tent；　I　found　him　and　Rawlins

talking　over　the　question　of　suspending　operations　till　the　weather

should　improve。　　No　orders　about　the　matter　had　been　issued　yet；

except　the　despatch　to　me；　and　Rawlins；　being　strongly　opposed　to　the

proposition；　was　frankly　expostulating　with　General　Grant；　who；　after

greeting　me；　remarked；　in　his　quiet　way：　〃　Well；　Rawlins；　I　think　you

had　better　take　command。〃　　Seeing　that　there　was　a　difference　up

between　Rawlins　and　his　chief；　I　made　the　excuse　of　being　wet　and

cold；　and　went　outside　to　the　fire。　　Here　General　Ingalls　met　me　and

took　me　to　his　tent；　where　I　was　much　more　comfortable　than　when

standing　outside；　and　where　a　few　minutes　later　we　were　joined　by

General　Grant。　　Ingalls　then　retired；　and　General　Grant　began　talking

of　our　fearful　plight；　resulting　from　the　rains　and　mud；　and　saying

that　because　of　this　it　seemed　necessary　to　suspend　operations。　　I　at

once　begged　him　not　to　do　so；　telling　him　that　my　cavalry　was　already

on　the　move　in　spite　of　the　difficulties；　and　that　although　a

suspension　of　operations　would　not　be　fatal；　yet　it　would　give　rise

to　the　very　charge　of　disaster　to　which　he　had　referred　at　City

Point；　and；　moreover；　that　we　would　surely　be　ridiculed；　just　as

General　Burnside's　army　was　after　the　mud　march　of　1863。　　His　better

judgment　was　against　suspending　operations；　but　the　proposition　had

been　suggested　by　all　sorts　of　complaints　as　to　the　impossibility　of

moving　the　trains　and　the　like；　so　it　needed　little　argument　to

convince　him；　and　without　further　discussion　he　said；　in　that　manner

which　with　him　meant　a　firmness　of　purpose　that　could　not　be　changed

by　further　complainings；　〃We　will　go　on。〃　　I　then　told　him　that　I

believed　I　could　break　in　the　enemy's　right　if　he　would　let　me　have

the　Sixth　Corps；　but　saying　that　the　condition　of　the　roads　would

prevent　the　movement　of　infantry；　he　replied　that　I　would　have　to

seize　Five　Forks　with　the　cavalry　alone。



On　my　way　back　to　Dinwiddie　I　stopped　at　the　headquarters　of　General

Warren；　but　the　General　being　asleep；　I　went　to　the　tent　of　one　of

his　staff…officers。　　Colonel　William　T。　Gentry；　an　old　personal

friend　with　whom　I　had　served　in　Oregon。　　In　a　few　minutes　Warren

came　in　and　we　had　a　short　conversation；　he　speaking　rather

despondently　of　the　outlook；　being　influenced　no　doubt　by　the

depressing　weather。



》From　Warren's　headquarters　I　returned；　by　the　Boydton　road　to

Dinwiddie　Court　House；　fording　Gravelly　Run　with　ease。　　When　I　got　as

far　as　the　Dabney　road　I　sent　Colonel　Newhall　out　on　it　toward　Five

Forks；　with　orders　for　Merritt　to　develop　the　enemy's　position　and

strength；　and　then　rode　on　to　Dinwiddie　to　endeavor　to　get　all　my

other　troops　up。　　Merritt　was　halted　at　the　intersection　of　the　Five

Forks　and　Gravelly　Church　roads　when　Newhall　delivered　the　orders；

and　in　compliance　moving　out　Gibbs's　brigade　promptly；　sharp

skirmishing　was　brought　on；　Gibbs　driving　the　Confederates　to　Five

Forks；　where　he　found　them　behind　a　line　of　breastworks　running　along

the　White　Oak　road。　　The　reconnoissance　demonstrating　the　intention

of　the　enemy　to　hold　this　point；　Gibbs　was　withdrawn。



That　evening；　at　7　o'clock；　I　reported　the　position　of　the

Confederate　cavalry；　and　stated　that　it　had　been　reinforced　by

Pickett's　division　of　infantry。　　On　receipt　of　this　despatch；　General

Grant　offered　me　the　Fifth　Corps；　but　I　declined　to　take　it；　and

again　asked　for　the　Sixth；　saying　that　with　it　I　believed　I　could

turn　the　enemy　（Pickett's）　left；　or　break　through　his　lines。　　The

morning　of　the　31st　General　Grant　replied　the　the　Sixth　Corps　could

not　be　taken　from　its　position　in　the　line；　and　offered　me　the

Second；　but　in　the　mean　time　circumstances　had　changed；　and　no　corps

was　ordered。









CHAPTER　VI。



BATTLE　OF　DINWIDDIE　COURT　HOUSEPICKETT　REPULSEDREINFORCED　BY　THE

FIFTH　CORPSBATTLE　OF　FIVE　FORKSTURNING　THE　CONFEDERATE　LEFTAN

UNQUALIFIED　SUCCESSRELIEVING　GENERAL　WARRENTHE　WARREN　COURT　OF

INQUIRYGENERAL　SHERMAN'S　OPINION。



The　night　of　March　30　Merritt；　with　Devin's　division　and　Davies's

brigade；　was　camped　on　the　Five　Forks　road　about　two　miles　in　front

of　Dinwiddie；　near　J。　Boisseau's。　　Crook；　with　Smith　and　Gregg's

brigades；　continued　to　cover　Stony　Creek；　and　Custer　was　still　back

at　Rowanty　Creek；　trying　to　get　the　trains　up。　　This　force　had　been

counted　while　crossing　the　creek　on　the　29th；　the　three　divisions

numbering　9；000　enlisted　men；　Crook　having　3；300；　and　Custer　and

Devin　5；700。



During　the　30th；　the　enemy　had　been　concentrating　his　cavalry；　and　by

evening　General　W。　H。　F。　Lee　and　General　Rosser　had　joined　Fitzhugh

Lee　near　Five　Forks。　　To　this　force　was　added；　about　dark；　five

brigades　of　infantrythree　from　Pickett's　division；　and　two　from

Johnson'sall　under　command　of　Pickett。　　The　infantry　came　by　the

White　Oak　road　from　the　right　of　General　Lee's　intrenchments；　and

their　arrival　became　positively　known　to　me　about　dark；　the

confirmatory　intelligence　being　brought　in　then　by　some　of　Young's

scouts　who　had　been　inside　the　Confederate　lines。



On　the　31st；　the　rain　having　ceased；　directions　were　given　at　an

early　hour　to　both　Merritt　and　Crook　to　make　reconnoissances

preparatory　to　securing　Five　Forks；　and　about　9　o'clock　Merritt

started　for　the　crossroads；　Davies's　brigade　supporting　him。　　His

march　was　necessarily　slow　because　of　the　mud；　and　the　enemy's

pickets　resisted　with　obstinacy　also；　but　the　coveted　crossroads　fell

to　Merritt　without　much　trouble；　as　the　bulk　of　the　enemy　was　just

then　bent　on　other　things。　　At　the　same　hour　that　Merritt　started；

Crook　moved　Smith's　brigade　out　northwest　from　Dinwiddie　to

Fitzgerald's　crossing　of　Chamberlain's　Creek；　to　cover　Merritt's

left；　supporting　Smith　by　placing　Gregg　to　his　right　and　rear。　　The

occupation　of　this　ford　was　timely；　for　Pickett；　now　in　command　of

both　the　cavalry　and　infantry；　was　already　marching　to　get　in

Merritt's　rear　by　crossing　Chamberlain's　Creek。



To　hold　on　to　Fitzgerald's　ford　Smith　had　to　make　a　sharp　fight；　but

Mumford's　cavalry　attacking　Devin；　the　enemy's　infantry　succeeded　in

getting　over　Chamberlain's　Creek　at　a　point　higher　up　than

Fitzgerald's　ford；　and　assailing　Davies；　forced　him　back　in　a

northeasterly　direction　toward　the　Dinwiddie　and　Five　Forks　road　in

company　with　Devin。　　The　retreat　of　Davies　permitted　Pickett　to　pass

between　Crook　and　Merritt；　which　he　promptly　did；　effectually

separating　them　and　cutting　off　both　Davies　and　Devin　from　the　road

to　Dinwiddie；　so　that　to　get　to　that　point　they　had　to　retreat　across

the　country　to　B。　Boisseau's　and　then　down　the　Boydton　road。



Gibbs's　brigade　had　been　in　reserve　near　the　intersection　of　the　Five

Forks　and　Dabney　roads；　and　directing　Merritt　to　hold　on　there；　I

ordered　Gregg's　brigade　to　be　mounted　and　brought　to　Merritt's　aid；

for　if　Pickett　continued　in　pursuit　north　of　the　Five　Forks　road　he

would　expose　his　right　and　rear；　and　I　determined　to　attack　him；　in

such　case；　from　Gibbs's　position。　　Gregg　arrived　in　good　season；　and

as　soon　as　his　men　were　dismounted　on　Gibbs's　left；　Merritt　assailed

fiercely；　compelling　Pickett　to　halt　and　face　a　new　foe；　thus

interrupting　an　advance　that　would　finally　have　carried　Pickett　into

the　rear　of　Warren's　corps。



It　was　now　about　4　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　and　we　were　in　a　critical

situation；　but　having　ordered　Merritt　to　bring　Devin　and　Davies　to

Dinwiddie　by　the　Boydton　road；　staff…officers　were　sent　to　hurry

Custer　to　the　same　point；　for　with　its　several　diverging　roads　the

Court　House　was　of　vital　importance；　and　I　determined　to　stay　there

at　all　hazards。　　At　the　same　time　orders　were　sent　to　Smith's

brigade；　which；　by　the　advance　of　Pickett　past　its　right　flank　and

the　pressure　of　W。　H。　F。　Lee　on　its　front；　had　been　compelled　to　give

up　Fitzgerald's　crossing；　to　fall　back　toward　Dinwiddie　but　to

contest　every　inch　of　ground　so　as　to　gain　time。



When　halted　by　the　attack　of　Gregg　and　Gibbs；　Pickett；　desisting　from

his　pursuit　of　Devin；　as　already　stated；　turned　his　undivided

attention　to　this　unexpected　force；　and　with　his　preponderating

infantry　pressed　it　back　on　the　Five　Forks　road　toward　Dinwiddle；

though　our　men；　fighting　dismounted　behind　barricades　at　different

points；　displayed　such　obstinacy　as　to　make　Pickett's　progress　slow；

and　thus　give　me　time　to　look　out　a　line　for　defending　the　Court

House。　　I　selected　a　place　about　three…fourths　of　a　mile　northwest　of

the　crossroads；　and　Custer　coming　up　quickly　with　Capehart's　brigade；

took　position　on　the　left　of　the　road　to　Five　Forks　in　some　open

ground　along　the　crest　of　a　gentle　ridge。　　Custer　got　Capehart　into

place　just　in　time　to　lend　a　hand　to　Smith；　who；　severely　pressed；

came　back　on　us　here　from　his　retreat　along　Chamberlain's　〃bed〃the

vernacular　for　a　woody　swamp　such　as　that　through　which　Smith

retired。　　A　little　later　the　brigades　of　Gregg　and　Gibbs；　falling　to

the　rear　slowly　and　steadily；　took　up