Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1892-02-06
WAR "REMINISCENCES.
SHERIDAN AT FIVE FORKS.
A Thrilling Description OF One OF tho Hot
test Battles of tho War.

Five Forks was Sheridan's last fight,
and was the elimination of n series ot
the most brilliant personal exploits
that the record of the civil war bears
upon it pages.
When asked on one occasion II he
never felt fear, Sheridan replied: "Yes
i never went into battle without feel.
ting afraid, but l soon got too busy to
think of it" 1t was this power of sub.
ordinating his emotions to his deter.
mination to succeed-his bulldog te.
nacity of purpose, that made him the
hero he was, and gave him rank with
the greatest warriors of the world.
When once in a fight he was to win,
and nothing gave him greater satisfac.
tion than to receive the flags of his
enemy, and send prisoners to the rear
under charge of the provost guard. AT
Five Forks he was in his element, and
no more thrillingly interesting OF
picturesque incident occurred during
the four years of the war than the
capture of the enemy's works at this
point
Lee, in preparing to leave his i'm
pregnable lines before Petersburg, had
ordered series of field works con-
structed at Five Forks, where Juno
tion of several roads offered a way
around his left flank and to his rear.
1t was an important strategic position,
recognized as such equally by both
armies. and its capture by the union
army meant retreat and disaster to the
confederates. It was indeed, "the last
ditch" term oft used by the southern
people during the war to signify their
intention to hold out to the last Sheri-
dan, fully alive to the Importance of
position, had asked for more troops;
Grant had sent him the Fifth corps, and
his plan of battle was soon arraigned.
The enemy's works were parallel to
the White Oak road and extended for n
mile and three quarters, in somewhat
irregular line, with re-entering angle
on the left-flank.
part of the infantry force was to
swing around and strike the confeder-
ates in the rear, while the remainder
were to attack and epcircle the angle.
The cavalry were deployed in front to
attract the attention of the enemy,
and when they heard the firing of the
infantry were to charge the works and
capture the guns.
At four o'clock the formation was
complete, and Sheridan, who had been
chatting like a wounded tiger, gave the
order to ''go in" The fighting of the
two previous days had gradually forced
the confederates back into their in
renchments, where it was Sheridan's
intention to 'gobble" them. Not
dreaming of the force in their rear. the
gray line fought with irresistible cour-
age and stubbornness A continuous
and deadly fire poured over their
breastwerks, cutting down the advanc-
ing line of union, troops who charged
and were driven back, rallied and
were again forced to retreat by the
whitening fusillade of nusketry and
artillery, until these veterans of the
Fifth corps paused almost in dismay at
the task before them.
Sheridan was ubiquitous. Mounted
on Rienzi, his powerful black horse
which had borne him twenty Uiles
away" from Winchester, he rode in
front of his wavering lines, the bullets
pattering around him like raindrops in
heavy shower, cheering his men to
another attempt. His officers fall on
every side, his horse plunges madly un-
der the awful strain, he entreats, he
scolds, he swears
"Where is my battle fag?" he de-
mands, as the orderly rides up and de-
livers the starry, CRIMSON and white
banner, he is shot and falls from his
horse, which gallops fiercely along the
line. Sheridan seizes the flag and
dashes madly along the front of his
veterans, exhorting, expostulating, en-
treating and cursing. the very persona
ication of the spirit of war. 1t must be
= mean-spirited coward who could re-
sist his appeals. They rally shoulder
to shoulder, align their front. and
once more start out for those formid-
able breastworss.
Meantime the enemy had discovered
the blue line of Ayres', Crawford's and
Griffin's troops, which were closing in
upon them like barn door, shutting in
every chance of escape, and when the
Union troops poured in their murder
GUS volleys, they threw down their
arms in token of surrender, but when
they discovered that they were not out
mum bered, they rallied at the command
of their officers, resumed their guns
and then began a scene of the widest
confusion, and the severest hand-to-
hand fighting that the war had ever
witnessed. Mingled inextricably, the
opposing forces fought with despera-
ton uncqualled on any field. Men
thrust each other through with the bay
onet or dashed out each others brains
with the butts of their muskets, curses
and yells rang out on every side,
mingled with the dying, which, with
the sounds OF the firing formed Babel
of noises far beyond the power of
description. The cavalry dis
mounted) dashes over the breast
work and seizing the artillery turns
the guns against the huddled and
disorganized ranks of the foe. Sheri-
dan, dashing in front of his line, ex-
Saims ''Smash 'em, boys, smash 'em!"
nd Al ~, I, - -