The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-06-26

culties An officer of high rank soon after
the war, with reference 10 this night, gives
this description of il in detail:
THE roads and paths the staff officers and
messengers would have TO take were often
filled with troops and were as bad as ciayey
soil at the breaking up Of Winter could make
them. These routes were mostly shut in by
the evergreen forests through which they
passed. rendering the nights darkness rs
nrofound as that Of the deepest caverns
The horse. exhausted for want of food and
wearied with life-and-death eXertons, car
ried his rider slowly through the mud and
staggered and stumbled over the ohStruc-
fions The messenger disappeared on has
mission the instant he moved, and once out
of call Of the voice could not be stopped or
found till he had made The tour his instruc-
tions required OF him and returned to the
place OF departure On arriving at has des-
tinatlon the messenger. though perhaps IA
miliar with ii in the daylight just closed,
could scarcely recognize it in the light OF
the campiires which burned around him on
every side. showing everything in dispropor-
toned and unreal forms. BY these fires the
exhausted soldiers slept heavily, almost deaf
TO the questions addressed 10 ascertain the
locality. or answered half IN their sleep.
The commanding officers TO escape The noise
OF drivers urging their struggling teams
along ihe muddy roads and the Struggling
of men over them as they slept, Were COM
PEELED. in seeking repose, TO establish their
headquarters little away from the main
routes. and this alone many times caused
vexaiious delays in getting orders to them.
Added 10 these were the viciSsitudes OF
battle, which always left the commands and
detachments scattered. more or less, as the
day closed. and much increased the difficult
ties Of getting the orders for a general move
ment in the night, sometimes causing some
detachmeuts 10 be left entirely without
orders when all the rest of their commands
had moved away. Knowing all these things,
every precautiOn was used 10 provide Tor
them, but yet they always existed. And IL
must be remembered that our troops, so near
the enemy. could not he reused by drums and
hucles or loud commands, but each order
had TO be communicated from each COM
lnandeT 20 his subordinate, from the General
tail IL reached the non-commissioned officers,
which latter only could arouse each man by
a shaking
At about o'clock The bridge was made pass
able FOR Ayre's Division, and before daylight
he had opened communications with Gen.
Sheridan, near Dinwiddie, and il was soon
after ascertained that
THE ENEMY HAD WITHDRAWN
his troops back to the Five Forks. leaving
bat s skirmish-lne, which was soon forced
back hy the cavalry. Early in the morning
the divisions Of the Fifth Corps were all un-
der The command Of Sheridan, and halted
by bis orders On the road leading from Dim
widdie Courthouse to the Five Forks, and at 3
point within about three miles Of the latter
place Here the infantry remained uutil i
o'clock ?. H.. and the cavalry was fronting The
enemy in their fortified lines. keeping mp a
brisk skirnishing and thus keeping the enemy
iD ignorance OF tie near presence Of our infsn-
try c the background, low waiting iof The
order 10 advance.
It IS my purpose 70 give brief account Of
this larkabe battle 50 far as my wledge
and recollection serve me. The Cannoneers 8
sketch, although very int resting, IS incorrect
in some particulars and omits so mach Of the
movements and the hattie that IL should moi be
allowed % pass without notice and effort 10
make corrections and 70 6ll mp al least some OF
the omissions. Before catering upon this how
ever WOuid touch upon the previous move
mcuts 30 tho campaign.
Tie Fifth Corps left its last Winter camp,
near Hatcher's Run, on the left Of the army, in
front Of Petersburg n~rly in the morning oi
March -. 1850. The 10y was warm and sultry,
and The soldiers forgetting their past expert
ences. from which they had suffered much, re-
liGged themselves Of what they felt at the tine
20 be burdens and the consequence was that
the way was strewn with blankets, overcoats.
and very many % them threw away their kuap-
Sacks, filed with many 0f tie soldier comforts.
retaining only their bis Of sbelter-tent and
guns blanket. They soon realized their mistak c
IN this. IS lhc next morning in arising from
their big0uac II was in snow, rain and mud.
In one tiiEE they were wise, inHsmuch as they
were car-fH TO retain their ammunition and
faithful musket and found good use for them
fn the battle Of the Quaker road that same
evening.
Now feeI cutie certain that the Cannoneer
In his interesting sketch Of these important
movements and battles of the Fifth Corps. does
not mean 70 be selfish or exclusive but rather
% be most loving and generous He feeds as
MI veteran soldiers do, that there is glory
enough for al and % spare, and 1 presume that
u has never entered his mind that in large
degree be has been ignoring Trawford's Division
nearly al the way from Bethesda Chareh "a
Five Forks. aud Up 70 the last ditch at Apo
matt0E Courthouse. Yet, Gen. Crawford
Division was there ali the time, fighting and
charging wherever ordered, vieing with the
gallant divisions Of Griffin and Ayres. IL was
on the eft Of the corps line. and exposed 20 the
enemg's hank attacks, and had inl experience
Of this exposure IN the battle Of the White Oak
road. o. the battle Of the White Oak Ridge. ,
as Warren calls 10. the 3IEt. This was
sharp hght and. with an interval Of several
houTs " the middle Of the day, did not end
Until Bear czfE.
kyress Division moved forward toward the
White Oak road early in the day, and after
some time Crawford crossed the little run then
fooled by the rains of the night and morning
and advanced Oh tie leit Of Ayres and did moi
more than get into line Of battle until AyTcsl
Division gave way, passing CTawford's night
GNgHs's Brigade making an effort 70 rally OF
B4Eters brigade, then engaged with ths ad
ganciBg
ENEMY on FULL CHARGE,
bat failed 70 make the stand. thus leaving on
night Ia the air without any support, ant
Crswford's line WIS necessarily forced back
and it seemed for lime If the left Of thi
corps was going 10 be turned and doubled back
There was half mile OF more Of good fight
ing ground in the opeu, aud effort after eGOr
wAz made 10 rally the troops. Gen. Wares
was Oh tie ground displaying his usual cool
Deas, skin and gallantry in uniting with sucl
Oficers "a rallied around him IN efforts 10 sten
the backward movement. At length a batter,
came 70 our aid on little eminence south o
the rua, and with the stimulus impaired b.
st. the enemy WIS checked ia their furthe
advance aud good position was secured Go
reforming CIR lines. This might have bee
the CaBaoBeeT's battery, and IL did the thin
that va above ali things needed at this Tim
whether il was or not IL was good thing I
have artillery about, as iis very presence CAV
life and confidence 10 the troops.
While another advance was in prepaTatio
Gen. Meade came up and gave stimulus to ID
movement IL was probably about O'Clock 1