The National tribune., 1904-08-18

battle was for the possession of the Five
Forks-an isolated position four miles to
the west of the Federal left and COnfed
crate right. Hither Sheridan was moving.
and here, as for the defense of a point of
force he could spare.
In thus massing upon his right, Lee ran
. great risk; for the Petersburg defenses
were left SO inadequately defended, that
they were incapable of withstanding a
serious attack. But necessity left no al
tentative. 1t is worthy Of note that there
was no imperative need of delivering bat
tie at Five Forks, for Sheridan's manu-
vers by the left, together with the pressure
Of the Second and Fifth Corps, had had
20 fully the effect of drawing the Confed-
crate strength to q head at that flank,
that it was open to the Union force to
break directly through the Petersburg de-
fenses. Indeed, both Wright and Ord, as
certaining from their reconnoissances the
comparative nakedness Of the Confederate
works, reported favorably to assault on
the 1st. But it was otherwise determined.
There is, however, no occasion to note,
otherwise than as contingency of the
need not necessarily have been fought in
order to have gained the capture of Peters
burg. That, nevertheless, it was fortu-
nate it was fought, will not be doubtful
after the recital of the events of that bril-
liant action.
SHERIDAN DROVE REBELS INTO FIVE
FORKS.
Pressing forward his cavalry, Sheridan,
by spirited charges, drove the Confeder-
ates from two temporary lines, until at
+. NJ, April j, he had confined them
within their works at the Five Forks.
The admirable method in which Sheridan
combined the operations of cavalry and in
fantry-using the former as an impene-
trable mask behind which he manuyered
with the latter-has already been seen in
the history of the Valley campaign. This
combination was now 10 receive a new and
splendid illustration.
In pressing back the enemy into his
works Sheridan had employed only his
powerful body of horse, leaving the Fifth
Corps behind. at the point where il had
joined the cavalry in the morning. Now
however. that the Confederates were con
hned within the defenses on the White
Oak road, where they were closely envel
oped by his numerous sduadrons, he di
rected Gen. Warren to bring forward the
Fifth Corps, for the employment Of which
he devised a beautiful tactical manuyer
He ordered Gen. Merritt, while holding
the enemy in front with the cavalry t.
demonstrate as though he aimed to turr
the Confederate right. and he directed
Warren to form the infantry so that its
full pressure would fall directly on th,
enemy's left flank. At the same time h.
sent Mckenzie's Division of Cavalry
which had Joined him that day. to iii,
White Oak road TO cover the right fanl
from any hostile force moving westward
from the direction of Petersburg. Nc
kenzie executed his orders with skill anG
vigor, attacking a body of the enemy ant
driving it towards Petersburg, after whicl
he countermarched and rejoined Sheridan
in time to participate in the action
SHERIDAN ENvIRoNs THEM
Warren formed his corps before movin,
forward. He disposed Ayres's Division
on the lett and Crawford's on the right
With Grifin's in reserve behind the right
Each OF the two front divisions placed tw.