The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-12-09

l II. IL
4 rur M, or FIVE FORKS
From the night OF the 2sth 10 the morning Of tho
the rain fell IN such torre hts as To make impossible
| laid In front Of them Du, ing the 3oth sheridan q
vanced from Dnwddie Coun House towards FIVE Torl
-here he found the enemy iorce' 1ghera war; an
road 70 the White Oak road with view OF gct
across che hitter; but finding the en- my strong IN
front am. extending beyond his LETT was ac.ea 70 nc
on where 70 aud fortfy. Genera humphreys dro
the enemy from his front into his iain line on =
Hatcher, near Burgess mills. GeDeA Us oru, VIII
and parke "a on N ,ne" the enemy
lines The lat 'Sr reported favorabfy. rue TIem n
confronting us as ne f1 at every podns ON mn NM
mond To our extreme left conceived his EA o. lhu
be weakly held and could be penetrassd u ~
estimate Of his forces was correct l dctSn hihs
snescfore 70 extend my une no lurtAer Sur 70 ' an
titus enable nina TO cut loCve and turn the cncmv
right flank and with the other corps Assault the enemy
lines The of the offensive effort OF the enemy ~
week before whom no assaulted FORT Steadrnan parttck
lary favored this The enemys <ntrenched picket ina
captured by US ut that Se lines occupied by
the gercnts close together az some points that u
was but . moments run from one TO She other freph.
raons were at made 10 relieve General Humphreys
CORPS report General Sheridan but the condition
OF the rosas prevented immediate movement. On the
morning u the 3lst General Warren reported favsraby
possession Of the White OAK 0sa ana ws az,
dvision Instead Of his whole CORPS which was
BY the enemy in superior force and driven back onthe
Second division before had time 10 fesm, and W IN
turn forced back upon the third DIVISION when the ese-
my was checsed A division or the Second corps wss
immediately soma 70 his support the enemy drvcn Daek
with heavy loss and possession OF the White Oak roaa
gained sheridan advanced and with portion oil his
cavalry got possession OF the Five Forks but the enemy
after the AFFAIR with the Fifth reinforced the rebe
cavalry defending that point with infantry, and forced
him back towards Dnw ddbe Court House. Here Gen
Displayed grea. "
to tell the story OF superior forces encountered he de-
ployed his cavalry on foot leaving only mountet men
enough TO take charge Of the horses This compeled
the enemy to deplOy vast extent OF woods and
broken country, and made his progress slow AT th's
juncture he despatched to what had taken place,
and that he was dropping back slowly on Dinwiddie
Court House. General McKenzics cavalry and one d.
vision Of the Fifth corps Immediately ordered to
General Meade that Humphreys could hold our position
on the Boydon road and that the other two divisions OF
dered once Thus the operations Of the day neces
STATED the sending OF Warren, because OF his
accessibility, instead Of Humphreys, as was in
tended and precipitated intended movements On the
morning Of the LIST OF April General Sheridan reinforced
by General Warren, drove the enemy back on Five
Forks where late in the evening" he assaulted and car
red his strongly fortified position, capturing all his art
lery and between 200 and 900 prisoners About the
close Of this battle Brevet Major General Charles Grimm
relieved Major General Warren in command OF the Fth
corps The report OF this reached me after nightail
Some apprehensi0ns filled my mind lest the enemv
upon General Sheridan before assistance could reach
him drive him from his position and open the way lot
retreat To guard against this General Miles division OF
Humphreys corps was sent to reinforce him, and nom
bardmen commenced and kept up until four CLOCK
in the morning april ~ when assault was ordered on
the enemy's lines General Wright penetrated the ines
with his whole corps, sweeping everything before him
and to his left toward Hatchers rum capturing many
guns and several thousand prisoners. He was
closely followed by two divisions OF General Ords com
mand until he met the other division of General Ords
that had succeeded in forcing the enemys lines near
Hacners run Generals Wright and ora Immediately an ss
pushed forward with two divisions and joined General
Wright on the left General Parke succeeded in carrying
but unable to carry his inner line General Sheridan
beng advised of the condition OF affairs returned Gene
raj Miles TO his proper command On reaching the
enemys lines Immediately surrounding Petersburg,
portion Of General Gibbons corps by most gallant
salient and commanding south OF Petersburgthus ma
eraly shortening the line Of investment necessary for
taking in the city. The enemy south OF Hatcher's
where they were overtaken by Miles dlvi
sion. engagement ensued and lasted until both
his ana s Mere hn as moving s
Fords station towards Petersburg, and division sent
by General Meade from the front of Petersburg when he
broke the utmost confusion leaving In our hands his
guns many prisoners This force reiterated by the
main road along the Appomattox river. During the
night Of the % the enemy evacuated Petersburg anu
morning OF the Sd pursuit was commenced. General
Sheridan pushed for the Danville road keeping the
Appomattox followed by General Meade with the Second
and sixth corps while General Ord moved for Burkes
vile along the Southsde road the Ninth corps stretched
Sheridan struck The Dsnvils road near Jettersville
where he learned that Lee was At Amelia Court House.
He Immediately entrenched himself and awaited the
arrival Of General Meade who reached there the next
day General Ord reached Burkesvlic ON the evening
OF the 5th
On the morning of the 5th addressed Major General
Sherman the following communicated
WILSON'S STATION, April 8, 1855.
GrSERArAll indications that Lee VIII attempt TO
who was up with him last night ali that left
to rsas sad h' ans at
e % DC
JOB with Lees and Joh1sons armies Whether vii be
Se y eSr mi Se better able to when receive this
Rebel armies now are he only sHs eSe1s
Major General W. T. SHERMAN
PURSUIT OF LIEF.
On the morning Of the 9th il was found that General
Lee was moving west of Jettersve, towards Danvillc
General Sheridan moved with his cavalry he Fifth corps
Jettcrsvic) TO strike his flank, followed by the Sixth
corps while the Second and Fifth corps pressed hard
AFTER forcing him TO abandon several hundred wagons
and several pieces of artillery. General Ord advanced
from Burkcsvie toward Farmve, sending two regi-
ments Of infantry and squadron OF cavay under Brevet
Brirader General Theodore Read reach and destroy
the bridges This advance met the head Of Lees column
Farmvc which hcroicay attacked and detained
until General Read killed and his small force over
powered This caused q delay in the encmy's move
ments and enabled General Ord TO get well up with the
remainder OF his force meeting which the enemy I'M
medaicy enircnchcd himself In the afternoon General
sheridan struck the enemy south OF Sailors creek, cap
tured sixteen pieces of artillery and about 400 wagons
and detained him unh the Sixth corps got up, when
general attack Of infantry and cavalry made which
resulted In the capture Of 600 900 prisoners among
whom were many general ofReers. The movcmenss Of
the Second corps and General rd command contributed
greatly TO the days success.
On The morning OF the eth the pursuit was renewed,
the cavalry except one division, and the Ffth corps
moving by Prince Edwards Court House; the Sixth
corps General Ords command and one division OF cav
airy on Farmville and the second corps by the High
Bridge road II was soon found thas the enemy bad
crossed the north side Of tho Apposttox but 90 Close
n the pursuit that the Second corps rot p0ssoea0n 0
the common bridge 1t High Bridge before the enemy
could destroy n, and immediately crossed over the
Sixth corps and division Of cavalry crossed q Fsvm
vile 70 it, support tteNef X
n TEE srRRKxpm-conREsPoxDsSc WIN Ixs ~
Feeling nov that General Lees chance or escape was
utterly hopeless addressed him The following commu
nication from Farmyilie;- IT'D y aols.. eaa..
The result Of lie last week conyincs you
Of The hopelesansss 81 further sssAnce ON ne part OF
riny OF Northern Virginia In this struggle feel het
%, ressrd ny duty " shtt Rom myssn the ~
Surrender o. q Ne 0cnfsdsrass ssasss army
4. / -,9it. q. g. GRANT, Lieutenant General