The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-12-07
ate on their left, their hearts beat high
with the prospect of

WAN uuO pIoopCSo VI
Rolling Up the Rebel Left
and driving it back towards the right.
But before the movement began Sheri-
dan sent word to Grant that heavy
Forks, and that it would take all his
(Sheridan's) efforts to meet them.
So Warren was notified by Grant that
no support could be expected on the left
from Sheridan.
Lee was alive to the opportunity, and
massing heavy forces against The Fifth
corps, he launched them against its left.
With a tremendous blow he shattered the
brigades opposed and drove them back
in great disorder to their position of the
day before. They came back to point
where General amberlain's brigade
was posted. 1t was a serious crisis Gen
erals Griffin and Warren came riding up
in hot haste, out of breath and greatly
excited. Their words were as follows:
ffin-"General Chamberlain, the
Fifth corps is eternally damned"
Warren" General Chamberlain, can
you save the honor of the Fifth CORPSE"
Warren's words were despairingsplea.
Chamberlain's brigade was the smallest
in the army, it had fought bloody
battle the day before. Yet he promised
to retake the lost ground and led his
men across the morass-like stream in
their front. His brigade drove the
enemy mile and half and was pre-
pairing to charge piece of woods in
front when he received word from
Warren to stop and intrench. Warren had
seen intrenchments at the point where
chamberlain was preparing to charge
These were the White Oak road works.
Chamberlain said he could take these
works and vindicate Warren's promise,
tn to ho Wbito Ooh This
charge was calamity made and success
full; and the position was intrenched.
The White Oak road was in our pos
session. We were intrenched on the
enemy's extreme right. Now came the
passionate hope that we could strike
along that enemy's flank. The Second
and Sixth corps were on our right. If
we only could have had Sheridan with
one of his splendid corps, and his dash
and assistance, on our left to support usl
But Sheridan was on our rear and right
at Dinwiddie, where he had placed him
self i'll accordance with Grants first
idea Instead of coming to the support
Of the Fifth corps, he was asking help
from the infantry to take Five Forks.
Then we heard the sound of heavy
firing.in the direction of Sheridan at Dim
widdie, where he was attacked and
driven back by Fitz Hugh Lee and
Pickett.
Night came on. General Chamber
lain's men bivouacked on the line which
they had established on the White Oak
road. 1t was an anxious night. Griffin
and Warren rode up repeatedly.
Warren did not know what to do.
Should he send help to Sheridan? Then
contradicting and perplexing orders
began to pour in from Grants and
Meade's headquarters,ss and everyone
got very mad, especially Sheridan, be-
fore morning.
Bartlett's force, which Warren sent to
Sheridan on his own responsibility,
really had the result of frightening the
Confederates back from Sheridan s front.
General Chamberlain was of sthe
opinion that the defeat inflicted on the
Confederates on the White Oak road
made the Five Forks victory possible
the next day.
Where was the impetuous Sheridan on
the 29th and 30th, when he could have
readily taken Five Forks, and by lend
ing assistance to the Fifth corps, have
made possible the defeat and ruin of Lee
in the Petersburg intrenchments.
Warren was deposed from his command
after White Oak road because he was
accounted slow in getting from White
Oak road to support Sheridan; but he
was menaced by Lee in person on one
side, by Pickett's splendid force on the
other. And when on the morning after
the battle he rode out to receive Sheri
dams ungracious greeting to the Fifth
corps, he withdrew his rear brigades
from the front of ranks commanded by
Lee himself.
But after all. it was the glory of the
old Fifth corps to be present and particle
pate in the final successful event of APP
pomattox.
At
The Business Meeting
preceding the dinner, Genearl Beal
presided. The following were elected
members of the first class: Andrew
Robinson Giddings Smith. Entered the
service of the United States, Decem Der
8, 1868, as hospital steward, Second
Maine Cavalry; assistant surgeon, May
1885, date of muster, December 1, 1865;
served in Louisiana, Florida and Ala
bama; mustered out December g. 1866.
North Whitefeld, Me.
Joseph Augustus Titcomb. Acting
master U.S.N., August IA, 1861; ordered
to U. SIS. S. Water Witch, Pensacola,
IS, 1861; on blockade service in the Gulf
squadron; resigned July 5, 1862. Kenne-
bunkport, Me.
Daniel Libby Warren Enlisted in Six
tenth Maine Volunteer Infantry, June
2, 1862; first sergeant of company F,
August IA, 1867; second lieutenant,
March II, 1868; mustered to rank from
January l., 1868; discharged on surgeons
certificate of disability, October ~, 1868;
served in the second division, first army
corps, Army of the Potomac Thomas
ton, Me.
Gen. Selden Conner presented a
memorial OF Commander Oliver Ambrose
Batchelder, us. N.
Lieut.. Col. D. J. Stafford was transferred
to the Commandery of the District of
Columbia.