Wichita eagle., 1890-03-16

FIVE FORKS AND PETERSBURG.
Sheridan joined the army on the 27th Of
March, and the movement to the left around
Lees right flank began on the 30th, having
been delayed one day by rain The left wing
OF the Army Of the Potomac had also been re-
enforced by Ord's Army Of the James, from
the north side of the Appomattox. The Army
of the Potomac numbered Il, goo for duty;
Sheridan added 1900 and Ord about 17,000,
making a total of about les, 600 The Army
of the James had reserve north of the APP
pomattox of about % 900, making q grand
total under Grant at this point of I25,000
Lee had a total at Petersburg and Richmond
on his twenty miles of defensive lines of 81 600.
The several movements on the Union left
had crowded the ConfederateS back TO one
road running III q general direction south
west and lying between the Union positions
and Hatcherfs Run Hatcber's Run IS
swampy stream and made a good barrier
when defended al the fordS About thirteen
miles west by south of Petersburg there is a
good road crossing the run and leading to the
South Side railroad This railroad has
Lynchburg and Danville connections and
was of highest Importance TO Lee in Peters
burg. At Five Forks this road was defended
from the Union positions by intrenchments,
and at Dinwiddie Court House, five miles
southeast, there were outpost5 and defenses TO
guard against a surprise al Five Forks
Sheridan and the corps OF Warren, Wright
and Humphreys moved together toward the
Union left, and Lee sent out Gen. r. II. An
derson, with detached divisions, TO cope with
this strong force. Fitzhugb Lee was in COM
mand of the Confederate cavalry in this
vicinity, and his chief ordered him to defend
Five Forks.
Fitz Lee advanced to Diuwiddie Court
House with his cavalry, aud fought Sheridan
there on the Both. On the Slst Sheridan'S
entire force fought Fitz Lee, Rosser and ".
H. +. Lee, with some infantry under Gen
George II. Pickett, who commanded the force
in the trenches at Five Forks. That night
Fitz Lee retired all of his force to the forks
and on the Union side Warren's Fifth CORPS
was added to Sderidan's command and
marched to the left to join him Dispositions
were now made to attack the iutrenchments
at Five Forks, where Pickett had five bri-
gades of infantry and ten guns The cavalry
of Gen. T. T. Mumford and OF ". T. F.
Lee was on the right and left flaniss
Sheridan's plan was TO move his cavalry up
so as to threaten the position and engage tho
enemy, while Warren's troops should assault
and carry the point of the works on the
White Oak road. Owing TO ignorance Of the
ground and the confusion of names Of roads
and farms, the lines were not formed until
o'clock in the afternoon, April l, when the
assault was made. Warren found the point
of the line much farther to the west than
Sheridan supposed 1t to be, but he carried it,
and in a short time had placed Crawford's
division squarely i'll the rear Of Pickett's,
across the coveted ford road. The Confed-
crates lost six guns, 500 prisoners and thir-
teen flags Warren took 3, IA prisoners, four
guns and eleven flags His loss was ga kill
ed wounded and missing. Tie cavalry loss
was slight 1t was for an alleged want Of
activity in this battle that Gen. Sheridan