Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-22

Bartlett's brigade took q hand in this action.
The Union loss was 367 killed and wounded :;
rebel loss probably greater.
FITZHUGH LEE ORDERED Up.
Upon discovering the Union movement
toward his right Gen. Lee had quickly sent
Gen. Anderson, with Bushrod Johnson's divis-
ion and Wise's brigade. in that direction. Gen.
Pickett's division was also ordered down as
soon as news of AnGerson's engagement reached
headquarters. Lee recognized where his weak
point was and OWNED his Union antagonists
plans. When ne heard that sheridan was on
the road he also ordered Fitzhugh Lees di-
vision OF cavalry over from the extreme left Of
the confederate army to Five Forks,
where he was TO assume command, and with
infantry supports attack and drive Sheridan
back. Fitz Lee had arrived within four
the goth. when Sheridan was at Din
viddie Court House. Gen. A. P. Hill ex-
tended to the right, occupying the intrench-
ments about Burgess mill, and further to the
west, connecting with Anderson. Thus all eyes
were turned toward the point of attack before
Grant had his headquarters moved down to
Gravellv run that night, four or five miles from
Dinwiddie, and sent modification of Sheridan's
instructions-he was not to strike out on the
raid under any circumstances until further
orders.
II
was hard country to campaign in-fat and
heavily covered with woods and thickets and
much cut up by swampy streams, but no worse
for one beligeront than the other. At daylight
on the 3Oth, still pouring, Sheridan began max
Ing dispositions with the design Of taking pos
session of Five Forks, a commanding point as
to roads four miles to the northwest Of Dim
widdie and presumed TO be not yet fortified by
the enemy. But tho rain and consequent sorry
plight of the troops had dismayed Grant, who
sent word to Sheridan To discontinue operations
until the roads settled.
Sheridan having started out thought this
would be unfortunate. He rode over to Grants
headquarters and expostulated with him, max
Ing such representations "a finally prevailed,
and the lieutenant general. who was more
anxious than anybody to advance, at last said:
I'VE will go on" Sheridan told the general
he confident that he could break the
enemy's lines with tho help Of the sixth corps,
which had successfully campaigned with him In
] the valley But il was impossible to relieve
} that corps from the lines; Grant told him he
! would have 20 seize Five Forks with the cavalry
/ alone.
! Returning to near Dinviddie an advance was
made to near Five Forks that night. On the
| night OF the 30th Sheridan's advance camped
between Dinwiidie and Five Forks. At Five
4 Forks the enemy had concentrated the cavalry
| forces OF Fitzhugh Lee. W. II. F. Leo and
I Kosser and five brigades of infantry under Gen.
Pickett, and intrenched all under command OF
Pickett. On the morning Of the 3lst the rain
had ceased.
Sheridan's dispositions now faced everything
toward Five Forks, but Pickett had a scheme OF
his own and force enough to carry il into eye.
! cution: lie marched out on the Offensive tc
open the ball himself on the morning Of the
3lst. b. attempt to get into thu Union rea,
down SnambeIlain's creek to the asss @; Hir:
Forks, brought on series OF hs<vy epssxe-
ments, LASTING throughog. E,r cay, in which
the Union cavsElg, pcset on front ard flank b,
ec-e snIantry and cavalry. was badly worsted
At pm Sheridan's position was extremely
critical Pickett had driven hin. back to thu
vicinity Of Dinwiddie and about shutdown at
tackled all along the line, but the fcderals, nov
fully concentrated and covered by barricadcs
repulsed it dccisively and held all their lines a
nightfau Sanding uoEd to Grant az IL sitna,