a particle," or words to that effect. Wright similarly advanced on his front, to the right of Humphreys, and also captured the enemy's entrenched picket-line there, but, like Humphreys, could make no impression on the works in the rear of it. Humphreys remarks as to this advance, that the capture of the enemy's advanced line at this point was what enabled the Sixth Corps, on the 2d of April, to carry the enemy's main line along that front.

The maturely prearranged final movement on the enemy's right flank began on the 29th of March. The entrenchments of the Second Corps, on the left, were to be held by two divisions of the Twenty-fourth Corps, a division of colored troops, of the Twenty-fifth Corps, and a cavalry division, all of the Army of the James, under the command of General Ord, while the Second marched out of them by the Vaughan Road to the south side of Hatcher's Run, and the Fifth Corps, passing beyond to the west, was to form a line southwestwardly, facing at an angle the enemy's previously described winter extension of his entrenchments towards the west. Sheridan, with between thirteen and fourteen thousand cavalry, was to push for Dinwiddie Court House, several miles to the southwest of the positions occupied by the Second and Fifth Corps. About midday the Fifth Corps, in swinging forward its left up the Quaker Road, a branch to the south of the Boydton Plank Road, brushed away a force of the enemy's, wholly unable to cope with it.

It is impossible for the reader, without examination of a map on a large scale, to obtain here a precise idea of the ground involved in the present movement. The sketch accompanying this volume will sufficiently serve the purpose of following the movements understandingly. Such slight indication as a verbal description may afford, is, however, not to be neglected. The first plan for the movement looked to the cavalry's cutting off Lee's lines of supply and

retreat. The first point of attack was to be the nearest vulnerable one, the Petersburg and Lynchburg Railroad, running there south of west from Petersburg, and beyond that, the Richmond and Danville Railroad, running southwest from Richmond and crossing the other at Burkesville Junction. The White Oak Road, running east and west, is four or five miles south of the Petersburg and Lynchburg Railroad at the point here in question. Five miles south of the White Oak Road is Dinwiddie Court House, at the apex of an angle, open towards the north, formed by the Boydton Plank Road and the road leading from the Court House to Five Forks, on the extension of the White Oak Road to the west. General Parke, with the Ninth Corps, now holding from the extreme right of the Army of the Potomac to Fort Sedgwick, on the Jerusalem Plank Road, was at the proper time to extend his flank to the left, to hold the line to be vacated by the Sixth Corps when ready to move from its entrenchments. The enemy was now concentrating on his right to meet these movements. During the 29th the plan of operations was modified. Sheridan's orders to make for the railroads at once was countermanded, and he was instructed to get on the enemy's right-rear. Heavy rain on the night of the 29th delayed movements of artillery and trains while the roads were being corduroyed. On the 30th Sheridan was advancing from Dinwiddie Court House towards the enemy's entrenchments at Five Forks. The whole line was pivoting on its right,-the Second Corps, the right, the Fifth Corps, the centre, Sheridan's cavalry, the left, from a line drawn southwest to a line drawn east and west. The Second and Fifth Corps were in position on the night of the 30th, on the left of the enemy's entrenchments, with the intention of capturing and holding the White Oak Road there, which operation, if successful, would cut off communication between the enemy at this

point and his force holding the entrenchments at Five Forks, four miles off to the left. During the day Sheridan had made a considerable advance towards Five Forks, opposed only by cavalry, the enemy's infantry not arriving there in force until nightfall.

On the morning of the 31st the enemy marched out of his works to attack Warren on his left flank, just as he was advancing with a reconnoissance in force. Humphreys, on his right, detached Miles with two brigades, which attacked the enemy on his left flank, and followed him up with two other brigades of Miles's, the enemy in his turn retreating, as Warren's advance also had been obliged to do. Further to the right, at the Boydton Plank Road crossing of Hatcher's Run, unsuccessful attempts were made by the Second Corps to carry the enemy's works there. Between two and three o'clock the Fifth Corps, now well in hand, renewed its attempt to take possession of the White Oak Road on its front. In this it proved successful, driving the enemy into his entrenchments. In the mean while the enemy was slowly pressing Sheridan back towards Dinwiddie Court House from the direction of Five Forks. The enemy had both cavalry and infantry, but Sheridan only cavalry. Here Grant says that Sheridan displayed great generalship. So far, however, as can be discerned at this day, the generalship consisted of nothing more nor less than that frequently exhibited by himself and other cavalry leaders during the war, when they advanced or stubbornly held a position, or slowly beat a retreat with the aid of dismounted cavalrymen. The cavalry was a fine body of troops, finely officered, from the commanding-general down, but as there was no special opportunity for the display of anything more than the tactical skill which was amply possessed by Sheridan and his subordinates, one may be permitted to doubt if there was on the occasion display of great