New-York tribune., 1880-10-06
JUSTIFYING SHERIDAN.
THE CAVALRY AT FIVE FORKS.

IHE CANALh1 Al rlN Il TViN''
TESTIMONY BEFORE THE WARREN COURT OF IN
CURRY IN CONTRADICT HON OF STATEMENTS
MADE by wARREN's WITNESSES.
Before the Warren Court of Inquiry yesterday
Major Vanderbilt Allen, who testified on Monday,
was reexamued briefly.
Colonel f. NJ. Baker, Major of the I'd Cavalry sta
toned at Fort Keogh. IN Montana, was next exam
ined At the time OF the battle of Five Forks he
was Captain of the 1st Cavalry and Adiutant of the
military division under command OF Geperal Cooh.
He testified as follows:
On the morning April IL was at the headquarters
OF neral Merritt near DnwGdle Court House he "a.
daylight We began to move toward rive Foths' me
enemy fell back and we followed them up closely ee.
ing with some heavy sklrmisDlng we advanced I'D tue
forenoon. Our advance along the man ROAD lead,
ing Five Forks which point we reachcd Detween .
and O'Clock. During the afternoon we sklrmshe1 III
termtIeny with The encmys forces Late IN tne sI'SI
fences Tae instructions, as heard General Shedan
give To General Merritt were TO make the assaut
Of the White Oak road. | had seen some OF
Ayres's DIVISION during the morning but can,
went over the works took our pieces o. the enemy 5
artillery and large number OF prisoners. As rs, our ,,
fantry and cavalry mingled together. NO Ieal IeSst
re reaed The pursuit brought to end by dark
ness, ana returned 10 point IN the rear wheie the
infantry was ralyiug dId not notice any OF The III
right, General sheridan and the infantry Weal %
we did There was no stand made by the
enemy as far as saw, AT the west side of the Gillian
field. saw General Griffin when ne came up 70 Gen.tal
Sheridan and was gwen the command Of the FINN
Corps TINS just after sundown, before we had
crossed the Gillian field.
Tho next witness examined was Nlaior-General
Wesley Merritt, Colonel of the 9th Cavalry. After
some statements respecting the cavalry advance on
April l, he said:
After advancing some distance ii found neces-
sary o dismouut and laVe horses in the rear most
of them left the left OF me main road tnough
OF them were left on the right. 90 mol Ienrm-
ber seeing any horses the vicinity OF Gravely Run
Church. Complaints had been previously made about
horses beng lett III the way OF the infantry, ana care
was used dispose OF them properly The main wagon
train al DlnwldGle Court House Inc alhuhnltloh
train. think, was ahead Inc ammunition nihi We
brought To PROBABLY brought 10 us on hor>eDack
When we had come together To receive flna lnsiIuc
ton, and during tne formation OF Ine rum ,p C,ips
saw General sheridan ana General warren loEtthcI'
General Sheridan appeared To be impatient. restless
ana anxious General warren, as ueary as Gan rtCo @
lcct appeared reluctant aud unucicscd ana olu HOl
seem Impressed with the importance of what was To
take place am not now able to repeat any Of the con
vcrsaton that took place. bu what heard may have
crossed tue redoubt at FIVE Forks The infantry
came down ON The nghi; dld no, n"t
the north as passed along the euemy's works After
The taking of Five Forks there was no resistance on me
paii Of except Ccsulory hghilng a. hty re-
treated The euenys guns Five Forks were Kept In
acuon untn the, were t,Krn We were unGeI the I'm I'M
prrsslon that cucdys forces were maSsed III lfonl
Ol cavalry ana tia tIe enemy expected tue attack
from us on eir nsnt wig. Ia my " oP,0n, Il Pdn Ie
tne drecuonoi o. lne White OK Road ana attacked M g,
the infantry the ter II had wheeled 10 inc ieii'
they would have put me latter 10 fOut'
The witness. questioned by Mr. Stickney, the ap-
plicaut's counsel. continued:
This was the only tine was thrown with General
Warren Guuug d engagement aln not able 10 recall
ANYTHING particular n General Warrcns manner al the
tne hc aud General sheridan were together
Nj. Sic .ncy-C5u You recall any VI General ShcIl-
dams u,er-atiou az tIdt time
General IeTnt-lie expressed impatience at the TAR
dimes, coming up ana forming INTO me
Mr. ~ ckucy-Was there nOi SHADE OF feeling Dc
tive u tn. cavalry and infantry
General McIutt-NJ bitter feeling existed IAe
cavalry knew that they made themselves liable to
manners than others,
General Henry f. Davies. Of NcwYork, was the
last witness cXamlued. At the request OF MI
Gardner be Ie ID hI~ official report of his engage
meut near D.nwiddie Court House March 81.
On April lis blgade, he SAID, was encamped near
UnHlddle Court House. There was nOt much
CiIiculiy III getting over the ground on March 81
and on Aprl the roads were - good If not better.
The inquiry VIII be resumed to-day at ii a. III.