personal memoirs-2-第16章

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

the　rear　slowly　and　steadily；　took　up　in　the　woods　a　line　which

covered　the　Boydton　Road　some　distance　to　the　right　of　Capehart；　the

intervening　gap　to　be　filled　with　Pennington's　brigade。　　By　this　time

our　horse…artillery；　which　for　two　days　had　been　stuck　in　the　mud；

was　all　up；　and　every　gun　was　posted　in　this　line。



It　was　now　near　sunset；　and　the　enemy's　cavalry　thinking　the　day　was

theirs；　made　a　dash　at　Smith；　but　just　as　the　assailants　appeared　in

the　open　fields；　Capehart's　men　opened　so　suddenly　on　their　left

flank　as　to　cause　it　to　recoil　in　astonishment；　which　permitted　Smith

to　connect　his　brigade　with　Custer　unmolested。　　We　were　now　in　good

shape　behind　the　familiar　barricades；　and　having　a　continuous　line；

excepting　only　the　gap　to　be　filled　with　Pennington；　that　covered

Dinwiddie　and　the　Boydton　Road。　　My　left　rested　in　the　woods　about

half　a　mile　west　of　the　Court　House；　and　the　barricades　extended　from

this　flank　in　a　semicircle　through　the　open　fields　in　a　northeasterly

direction；　to　a　piece…of　thick　timber　on　the　right；　near　the　Boydton

Road。



A　little　before　the　sun　went　down　the　Confederate　infantry　was　formed

for　the　attack；　and；　fortunately　for　us；　Pennington's　brigade　came　up

and　filled　the　space　to　which　it　was　assigned　between　Capehart　and

Gibbs；　just　as　Pickett　moved　out　across　the　cleared　fields　in　front

of　Custer；　in　deep　lines　that　plainly　told　how　greatly　we　were

outnumbered。



Accompanied　by　Generals　Merritt　and　Custer　and　my　staff；　I　now　rode

along　the　barricades　to　encourage　the　men。　　Our　enthusiastic

reception　showed　that　they　were　determined　to　stay。　　The　cavalcade

drew　the　enemy's　fire；　which　emptied　several　of　the　saddlesamong

others　Mr。　Theodore　Wilson；　correspondent　of　the　New　York　Herald；

being　wounded。　　In　reply　our　horse…artillery　opened　on　the　advancing

Confederates；　but　the　men　behind　the　barricades　lay　still　till

Pickett's　troops　were　within　short　range。　　Then　they　opened；　Custer's

repeating　rifles　pouring　out　such　a　shower　of　lead　that　nothing　could

stand　up　against　it。　　The　repulse　was　very　quick；　and　as　the　gray

lines　retired　to　the　woods　from　which　but　a　few　minutes　before　they

had　so　confidently　advanced；　all　danger　of　their　taking　Dinwiddie　or

marching　to　the　left　and　rear　of　our　infantry　line　was　over；　at　least

for　the　night。　　The　enemy　being　thus　checked；　I　sent　a　staff…officer…

…Captain　Sheridanto　General　Grant　to　report　what　had　taken　place

during　the　afternoon；　and　to　say　that　I　proposed　to　stay　at

Dinwiddie；　but　if　ultimately　compelled　to　abandon　the　place；　I　would

do　so　by　retiring　on　the　Vaughn　road　toward　Hatcher's　Run；　for　I　then

thought　the　attack　might　be　renewed　next　morning。　　Devin　and　Davies

joined　me　about　dark；　and　my　troops　being　now　well　in　hand；　I　sent　a

second　staff…officerColonel　John　Kelloggto　explain　my　situation

more　fully；　and　to　assure　General　Grant　that　I　would　hold　on　at

Dinwiddie　till　forced　to　let　go。



By　following　me　to　Dinwiddie　the　enemy's　infantry　had　completely

isolated　itself；　and　hence　there　was　now　offered　the　Union　troops　a

rare　opportunity。　　Lee　was　outside　of　his　works；　just　as　we　desired；

and　the　general…in…chief　realized　this　the　moment　he　received　the

first　report　of　my　situation；　General　Meade　appreciated　it　too　from

the　information　he　got　from　Captain　Sheridan；　en　route　to　army

headquarters　with　the　first　tidings；　and　sent　this　telegram　to

General　Grant　：



〃HEADQUARTERS　OF　THE　ARMY　OF　THE　POTOMAC；

〃March　31；　1865。　　9：45　p。m。



〃LIEUTENANT…GENERAL　GRANT：



〃Would　it　not　be　well　for　Warren　to　go　down　with　his　whole　corps　and

smash　up　the　force　in　front　of　Sheridan？　　Humphreys　can　hold　the　line

to　the　Boydton　plank…road；　and　the　refusal　along　with　it。　　Bartlett's

brigade　is　now　on　the　road　from　G。　Boisseau's；　running　north；　where

it　crosses　Gravelly　Run；　he　having　gone　down　the　White　Oak　road。

Warren　could　go　at　once　that　way；　and　take　the　force　threatening

Sheridan　in　rear　at　Dinwiddie；　and　move　on　the　enemy's　rear　with　the

other　two。



〃G。　G。　MEADE；　Major…General。〃





An　hour　later　General　Grant　replied　in　these　words：



〃HEADQUARTERS　ARMIES　OF　THE　UNITED　STATES；

〃DABNEY'S　MILLS；　March　311；　1865。　　10：15　P。　M。



〃MAJOR…GENERAL　MEADE；

〃Commanding　Army　of　the　Potomac。



Let　Warren　move　in　the　way　you　propose；　and　urge　him　not　to　stop　for

anything。　　Let　Griffin　（Griffin　had　been　ordered　by　Warren　to　the

Boydton　road　to　protect　his　rear）　go　on　as　he　was　first　directed。



〃U。　S。　GRANT；　Lieutenant…General。〃





These　two　despatches　were　the　initiatory　steps　in　sending　the　Fifth

Corps；　under　Major…General　G。　K。　Warren；　to　report　to　me；　and　when　I

received　word　of　its　coming　and　also　that　Genera　Mackenzie's　cavalry

from　the　Army　of　the　James　was　likewise　to　be　added　to　my　command；

and　that　discretionary　authority　was　given　me　to　use　all　my　forces

against　Pickett；　I　resolved　to　destroy　him；　if　it　was　within　the

bounds　of　possibility；　before　he　could　rejoin　Lee。



In　a　despatch；　dated　10：05　p。m。；　telling　me　of　the　coming　of　Warren

and　Mackenzie；　General　Grant　also　said　that　the　Fifth　Corps　should

reach　me　by　12　o'clock　that　night；　but　at　that　hour　not　only　had　none

of　the　corps　arrived；　but　no　report　from　it；　so　believing　that　if　it

came　all　the　way　down　to　Dinwiddie　the　next　morning；　our　opportunity

would　be　gone；　I　concluded　that　it　would　be　best　to　order　Warren　to

move　in　on　the　enemy's　rear　while　the　cavalry　attacked　in　front；　and；

therefore；　at　3　o'clock　in　the　morning　of　April　1　sent　this　despatch

to　General　Warren：



〃CAVALRY　HEADQUARTERS；　DINWIDDIE　C。　H。；

〃April　1；　18653。　A。M。



〃MAJOR…GENERAL　WARREN；

〃Commanding　Fifth　Army　Corps。



I　am　holding　in　front　of　Dinwiddie　Court　House；　on　the　road　leading

to　Five　Forks；　for　three…quarters　of　a　mile　with　General　Custer's

division。　　The　enemy　are　in　his　immediate　front；　lying　so　as　to　cover

the　road　just　this　side　of　A。　Adams's　house；　which　leads　across

Chamberlain's　bed；　or　run。　　I　understand　you　have　a　division　at　J。＇G＇

Boisseau's；　if　so；　you　are　in　rear　of　the　enemy's　line　and　almost　on

his　flank。　　I　will　hold　on　here。　　Possibly　they　may　attack　Custer　at

daylight；　if　so；　attack　instantly　and　in　full　force。　　Attack　at

daylight　anyhow；　and　I　will　make　an　effort　to　get　the　road　this　side

of　Adams's　house；　and　if　I　do；　you　can　capture　the　whole　of　them。

Any　force　moving　down　the　road　I　am　holding；　or　on　the　White　Oak

road；　will　be　in　the　enemy's　rear；　and　in　all　probability　get　any

force　that　may　escape　you　by　a　flank　movement。　　Do　not　fear　my

leaving　here。　　If　the　enemy　remains；　I　shall　fight　at　daylight。



〃P。　H。　SHERIDAN；　Major…General。





With　daylight　came　a　slight　fog；　but　it　lifted　almost　immediately；

and　Merritt　moved　Custer　and　Devin　forward。　　As　these　divisions

advanced　the　enemy's　infantry　fell　back　on　the　Five　Forks　road；　Devin

pressing　him　along　the　road；　while　Custer　extended　on　the　left　over

toward　Chamberlain's　Run；　Crook　being　held　in　watch　along　Stony

Creek；　meanwhile；　to　be　utilized　as　circumstances　might　require　when

Warren　attacked。



The　order　of　General　Meade　to　Warren　the　night　of　March　31a　copy

being　sent　me　alsowas　positive　in　its　directions；　but　as　midnight

came　without　a　sign　of　or　word　from　the　Fifth　Corps；　notwithstanding

that　was　the　hour　fixed　for　its　arrival；　I　nevertheless　assumed　that

there　were　good　reasons　for　its　non…appearance；　but　never　once

doubted　that　measures　would　be　taken　to　comply　with　my　despatch　Of

3　A。　M。　and　therefore　hoped　that；　as　Pickett　was　falling　back　slowly

toward　Five　Forks；　Griffin's　and　Crawford's　divisions　would　come　in

on　the　Confederate　left　and　rear　by　the　Crump　road　near　J。＇G＇

Boisseau's　house。



But　they　did　not　reach　there　till　after　the　enemy　had　got　by。　　As　a

matter　of　fact；　when　Pickett　was　passing　the　all…important　point

Warren's　men　were　just　breaking　from　the　bivouac　in　which　their　chief

had　placed　them　the　night　before；　and　the　head　of　Griffin's　division

did　not　get　to　Boisseau's　till　after　my　cavalry；　which　meanwhile　had

been　joined　by　Ayres's　division　of　the　Fifth　Corps　by　way　of　the

Boydton　and　Dabney　roads。　　By　reason　of　the　delay　in　moving　Griffin

and　Crawford；　the　enemy　having　escaped；　I　massed　the　Fifth　Corps　at

J。＇G＇　Boisseau's　so　that　the　men　could　be　rested；　and　directed　it　to

remain　there；　General　Warren　himself　had　not　then　come　up。　　General

Mackenzie；　who　had　reported　just　after　daybreak；　was　ordered　at　first

to　stay　at　Dinwiddie　Court　House；　but　later　was　brought　along　the

Five　Forks　road　to　Dr。　Smith's；　and　Crook's　division　was　directed　to

continue　watching　the　crossings　of　Stony　Creek　and　Chamberlain's　Run。



That　we　had　accomplished　nothing　but　to　oblige　our　foe　to　retreat　was

to　me　bitterly　disappointing；　but　still　feeling　sure　that　he　would

not　give　up　the　Five　Forks　crossroads　without　a　fight；　I　pressed　him

back　there　with　Merritt's　cavalry；　Custer　advancing　on　the　Scott

road；　while　Devin　drove　the　rearguard　along　that　leading　from　J。＇G＇

Boisseau's　to　Five　Forks。



By　2　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　Merritt　had　forced　the　enemy　inside　his

intrenchments；　which　began　with　a　short　return　about　three…quarters

of　a　mile　east　of　the　Forks　and　ran　along　the　south　side　of　the　White

Oak　road　to　a　point　about　a　mile　west　of　the　Forks。　　From　the　left　of

the　return　over　toward　Hatcher's　Run　was　posted　Mumford's　cavalry；

dismounted。　　In　the　return　itself　was　Wallace's　brigade；　and　next　on

its　right　came　Ransom's；　then　Stewart's；　then　Terry's；　then　Corse's。

On　the　right　of　Corse　was　W。　H。　F。　Lee's　division　of　cavalry。　　Ten

pieces　of　artillery　also　were　in　this　line；　three　on　the　right　of　the

works；　three　near　the　centre　at　the　crossroads；　and　four　on　the　left；

in　the　return。　　Rosser's　cavalry　was　guarding　the　Confederate　trains

north　of　Hatcher's　Run　beyond　the　crossing　of　the　Ford　road。



I　felt　certain　the　enemy　would　fight　at　Five　Forkshe　had　toso；

while　we　were　getting　up　to　his　intrenchments；　I　decided　on　my　plan

of　battle。　　This　was　to　attack　his　whole　front　with　Merritt's　two

cavalry　divisions；　make　a　feint　of　turning　his　right　flank；　and　with

the　Fifth　Corps　assail　his　left。　　As　the　Fifth　Corps　moved　into

action；　its　right　flank　was　to　be　covered　by　Mackenzie's　cavalry；

thus　entirely　cutting　off　Pickett's　troops　from　communication　with

Lee's　right　flank；　which　rested　near　the　Butler　house　at　the　junction

of　the　Claiborne　and　White　Oaks　roads。　　In　execution　of　this　plan；

Merritt　worked　his　men　close　in　toward　the　intrenchments；　and　while

he　was　thus　engaged；　I　ordered　Warren　to　bring　up　the　Fifth　Corps；

sending　the　order　by　my　engineer　officer；　Captain　Gillespie；　who　had

reconnoitred　the　ground　in　the　neighborhood　of　Gravelly　Run　Church；

where　the　infantry　was　to　form　for　attack。



Gille