The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-04-14
RICHMOND.
THE BATTLE OF FIVE FORKS.
Graphic Account of the En-
gagement that Won
Richmond.
The Turning Point Of the Giant
COnfliCt--NOble Phil. Sheridan
Deals the Fatal Blow.
of the New York World.

Correspondence OF the New York World.
FIVE FORKS BATTLE FIELD,l
Saturday, April Ill Pm.
On Friday night Gen. Grant, dissatisfied, like
most observers, with the days business,
placed Gen. Sheridan in the supreme command
Of the whole of Warren's corps and all the
cavalry. Gen. Warren reported to him at
nightfall and the little army was thus COM
posed:
Three divisions of infantry, under Generals
Griffin, Ayres and Crawford.
Two divisions of cavalry, formerly CONSTITUTE
ing the Army of the Shenandoah, now COM
manded by Gen. Merritt, under Gems. Devin
and Custer.
One division of cavalry of the Army of the
Potomac, under Gen. Crook.
One brigade or more of cavalry of the Army
of the James. under Gen. Mackenzie.
In this composition the infantry was to the
cavalry in the proportion of about two to one,
and the entire force, which l am forbidden to
enumerate, would be considerable army, far
up with the teens. Sheridan was absolute, and
his odly-shaped body began to bob up and
down straightway; he visited every part OF
the line, though it stretched from Dinwiddie
Court House to the Quaker road, along the
Boydton Plank and its adjuncts. At daybreak
on Saturday he fired four signal guns to ad-
monish Warren he was cut off; and his cav
airy, by diverging roads, struck their camps.
just south of Culpepper is o certain Stony
STeek, Luo tTlOuC8Ilco W WHICH Wl0Q 0OrtnWaTO
and control the roads, Over Stony Creek went
Crook, making the longest detour. Custer
took bottom called Chamberain's bed ; and
Devin advanced from Little Five Forks, the
whole driving the rebels towards the left of
their works on'White Oak Road.
sHRRIDAN'S CAVALRY DISMoUNrRD.
We must start with the supposition that our
own men far outnumbered the rebels. The
latter were widely separated from their com.
rades before Petersburg and the adjustment of
our infantry as we'll as the great movable
force at Sheridans disposal, renders it doubtful
that they could have returned. At any rate
they did not do so, whether from choice or
necessity, and it was part OF our scheme to
push them back into their entertainments.
This work was delegated to the cavalry entirely.
but as l have said before, mounted carbineers
are no match for stubborn, bayoneted infantry
| So when the horsemen were close Up to the
rebels they were dismounted, and acted as in.
| fantry to all intents. A portion of them, under
Gregg and Mackenzie, still adhered to the sad.
| de- that they might be put in rapid motion fol-
| ianking and charging purposes; but fully five
Thousand indurated men, who had seen service
| in the Shenandoah and elsewhere. were formed
| in line of battle on foot, and by charge and de
plov essayed the difficult work of pressing bach
| the rebel column. This they were to do 81
evenly and ingeniously that the rebels should
90 no farther than their works, either to escap,
eastward or to discover the whereabouts @
Warren's forces which were already forming
Had they espied the latter they might hay,
become so discouraged as to break and take Il
the woods; and Sheridan's object was to cap
ture them IS well IS to rout them. So al