American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-04-12

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which lacks confirmation, that Con. Hill
is killed.
1t has been generally remarked by
surgeons that the proportion ofkilled and
severely wounded among our men, to the
number of slight injuries, is unusually
small. -
New YoRK, April 4,
The World account of Sheridan S bat
tie of Five Forks, says: Sheridan's for
ces on last Saturday morning were three
divsonsof infantry, under Griffin, Ayers
and Crawford's two divisions of cavalry,
formerly constituting the Army of the
Shenandoah, now commanded by Mer-
ritt, under Devin and Custer; one divis-
ion of cavalry of the army of the Poto-
mac, under Gen. Crooks, and q brigade or
more of cavalry from the Army of the
James, under Mackenzie. In this com
position, the infantry was to the cavalry
in the proportion of two to one.
Sheridan was absolute. He visited ev-
cry part of his line, though it stretched
from Dinwiddie Court House to Quaker
road, and along the Boydton plank road
and its adjuncts. At daybreak, on Sat
urday, he fred four signal guns to admon-
sh Warren he was off, and his cavalry,
by diverging roads, struck their camps
just south Of Culpepper to certain Stony
creek tributaries which wind northward
aud control roads over Stony creek west,
Crooks making the longest detour. Gus
ter took the bottom, called the ambulance
bed, and Devin advanced from Little Five
Forks, the whole driving the rebels to-
ward the left of their works, on the White
Oak Road. Our men far outnumbered
the rebels. 1t was part of our scheme
to push the rebels into observation-disclosures
This work was delegated to cavalry en-
tirely.
Mounted carbineers were no match for
infantry, so when the horsemen were close
I'up to the rebels they were dismounted,
and acted as infantry. A portion of them,
under Gregg, and Mackenzie, still adher-
cd to the saddle, that they might be put
in rapid motion for fankinga and charging
purposes, but fully FIVE thousand indura-
ted men, who had seen service in the She
nandoah and elsewhere were formed in
line of battle on foot, and by charge and
deploy essayed the difficult work of press
iLg back the entire rebel column. This
they were to do so very ipgeniously that
the rebels should 90 no further than their
works, either to escape eastward or to dis
cover the whereabouts of Warreu's for
ces, which were already forming. Sheri-
dams object was 60 capture, as well as to
rout them so all the afternoon the caval-
ry pushed them hard, and the strife went
uniuterruptedly and terrifficalIy, with the
horses within CALL The cavalrymen in
line Of battle, stood together like walls of
stone, and yelling onwafd like gradually
elevating ridges. Now and then de-
tachment of rebels would charge down
upon the swaying lines, threatening to
annihilate us. Thropgh wood and brake,
and swamp, across field and trench, we
pushed after, fighting the defenders stead
lily,
Part OF the time Sheridan himself was
there, short and broad and active, wav-
ing his hat, giving orders, seldom out of
fire but never stationary, and close by fell
the long yellow looks Of Custer, saber ex-
tended, though he was worn with much
work, At four o'clock the rebels were
were behind their wooden walls at Five
Forks, and still the cavalry pressed them
hard in front, while the battalion dis
mounted and charged squarely upon the
face of their breastworks, which lay in
the main on the northside of White Oak
road Then, while the cavalry worked
round towards the rear of the infantry of
Warren, though commanded by Sheridan
prepared to take part in the battle. The
left was the division of General Ayers
Crawford had the centre, and Griffin the
right. They advanced from the Boydton
plankroad at ten o'clock, while Sheridan
was laundering away with cavalry, mount
ed and dismounted, and deluded the reb-
els with the idea that he was the sole at
tacking party. They lay concealed in
the woods beyond Gravelly Run Meeting
House, but their left was not half mile
distant from the rebel works.
Little by little Sheridan, extending his
lines, drove the whole rebel force into
their breastworks. Then be dismounted
the mass of his cavalry, charged the
works straight in front, still thnnderiDg
on their flanks. At last every rebel was
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