personal memoirs-2-第18部分

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against　Pickett；　I　resolved　to　destroy　him；　if　it　was　within　the

bounds　of　possibility；　before　he　could　rejoin　Lee。



In　a　despatch；　dated　10：05　p。m。；　telling　me　of　the　coming　of　Warren

and　Mackenzie；　General　Grant　also　said　that　the　Fifth　Corps　should

reach　me　by　12　o'clock　that　night；　but　at　that　hour　not　only　had　none

of　the　corps　arrived；　but　no　report　from　it；　so　believing　that　if　it

came　all　the　way　down　to　Dinwiddie　the　next　morning；　our　opportunity

would　be　gone；　I　concluded　that　it　would　be　best　to　order　Warren　to

move　in　on　the　enemy's　rear　while　the　cavalry　attacked　in　front；　and；

therefore；　at　3　o'clock　in　the　morning　of　April　1　sent　this　despatch

to　General　Warren：



〃CAVALRY　HEADQUARTERS；　DINWIDDIE　C。　H。；

〃April　1；　18653。　A。M。



〃MAJOR…GENERAL　WARREN；

〃Commanding　Fifth　Army　Corps。



I　am　holding　in　front　of　Dinwiddie　Court　House；　on　the　road　leading

to　Five　Forks；　for　three…quarters　of　a　mile　with　General　Custer's

division。　　The　enemy　are　in　his　immediate　front；　lying　so　as　to　cover

the　road　just　this　side　of　A。　Adams's　house；　which　leads　across

Chamberlain's　bed；　or　run。　　I　understand　you　have　a　division　at　J。＇G＇

Boisseau's；　if　so；　you　are　in　rear　of　the　enemy's　line　and　almost　on

his　flank。　　I　will　hold　on　here。　　Possibly　they　may　attack　Custer　at

daylight；　if　so；　attack　instantly　and　in　full　force。　　Attack　at

daylight　anyhow；　and　I　will　make　an　effort　to　get　the　road　this　side

of　Adams's　house；　and　if　I　do；　you　can　capture　the　whole　of　them。

Any　force　moving　down　the　road　I　am　holding；　or　on　the　White　Oak

road；　will　be　in　the　enemy's　rear；　and　in　all　probability　get　any

force　that　may　escape　you　by　a　flank　movement。　　Do　not　fear　my

leaving　here。　　If　the　enemy　remains；　I　shall　fight　at　daylight。



〃P。　H。　SHERIDAN；　Major…General。





With　daylight　came　a　slight　fog；　but　it　lifted　almost　immediately；

and　Merritt　moved　Custer　and　Devin　forward。　　As　these　divisions

advanced　the　enemy's　infantry　fell　back　on　the　Five　Forks　road；　Devin

pressing　him　along　the　road；　while　Custer　extended　on　the　left　over

toward　Chamberlain's　Run；　Crook　being　held　in　watch　along　Stony

Creek；　meanwhile；　to　be　utilized　as　circumstances　might　require　when

Warren　attacked。



The　order　of　General　Meade　to　Warren　the　night　of　March　31a　copy

being　sent　me　alsowas　positive　in　its　directions；　but　as　midnight

came　without　a　sign　of　or　word　from　the　Fifth　Corps；　notwithstanding

that　was　the　hour　fixed　for　its　arrival；　I　nevertheless　assumed　that

there　were　good　reasons　for　its　non…appearance；　but　never　once

doubted　that　measures　would　be　taken　to　comply　with　my　despatch　Of

3　A。　M。　and　therefore　hoped　that；　as　Pickett　was　falling　back　slowly

toward　Five　Forks；　Griffin's　and　Crawford's　divisions　would　come　in

on　the　Confederate　left　and　rear　by　the　Crump　road　near　J。＇G＇

Boisseau's　house。



But　they　did　not　reach　there　till　after　the　enemy　had　got　by。　　As　a

matter　of　fact；　when　Pickett　was　passing　the　all…important　point

Warren's　men　were　just　breaking　from　the　bivouac　in　which　their　chief

had　placed　them　the　night　before；　and　the　head　of　Griffin's　division

did　not　get　to　Boisseau's　till　after　my　cavalry；　which　meanwhile　had

been　joined　by　Ayres's　division　of　the　Fifth　Corps　by　way　of　the

Boydton　and　Dabney　roads。　　By　reason　of　the　delay　in　moving　Griffin

and　Crawford；　the　enemy　having　escaped；　I　massed　the　Fifth　Corps　at

J。＇G＇　Boisseau's　so　that　the　men　could　be　rested；　and　directed　it　to

remain　there；　General　Warren　himself　had　not　then　come　up。　　General

Mackenzie；　who　had　reported　just　after　daybreak；　was　ordered　at　first

to　stay　at　Dinwiddie　Court　House；　but　later　was　brought　along　the

Five　Forks　road　to　Dr。　Smith's；　and　Crook's　division　was　directed　to

continue　watching　the　crossings　of　Stony　Creek　and　Chamberlain's　Run。



That　we　had　accomplished　nothing　but　to　oblige　our　foe　to　retreat　was

to　me　bitterly　disappointing；　but　still　feeling　sure　that　he　would

not　give　up　the　Five　Forks　crossroads　without　a　fight；　I　pressed　him

back　there　with　Merritt's　cavalry；　Custer　advancing　on　the　Scott

road；　while　Devin　drove　the　rearguard　along　that　leading　from　J。＇G＇

Boisseau's　to　Five　Forks。



By　2　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　Merritt　had　forced　the　enemy　inside　his

intrenchments；　which　began　with　a　short　return　about　three…quarters

of　a　mile　east　of　the　Forks　and　ran　along　the　south　side　of　the　White

Oak　road　to　a　point　about　a　mile　west　of　the　Forks。　　From　the　left　of

the　return　over　toward　Hatcher's　Run　was　posted　Mumford's　cavalry；

dismounted。　　In　the　return　itself　was　Wallace's　brigade；　and　next　on

its　right　came　Ransom's；　then　Stewart's；　then　Terry's；　then　Corse's。

On　the　right　of　Corse　was　W。　H。　F。　Lee's　division　of　cavalry。　　Ten

pieces　of　artillery　also　were　in　this　line；　three　on　the　right　of　the

works；　three　near　the　centre　at　the　crossroads；　and　four　on　the　left；

in　the　return。　　Rosser's　cavalry　was　guarding　the　Confederate　trains

north　of　Hatcher's　Run　beyond　the　crossing　of　the　Ford　road。



I　felt　certain　the　enemy　would　fight　at　Five　Forkshe　had　toso；

while　we　were　getting　up　to　his　intrenchments；　I　decided　on　my　plan

of　battle。　　This　was　to　attack　his　whole　front　with　Merritt's　two

cavalry　divisions；　make　a　feint　of　turning　his　right　flank；　and　with

the　Fifth　Corps　assail　his　left。　　As　the　Fifth　Corps　moved　into

action；　its　right　flank　was　to　be　covered　by　Mackenzie's　cavalry；

thus　entirely　cutting　off　Pickett's　troops　from　communication　with

Lee's　right　flank；　which　rested　near　the　Butler　house　at　the　junction

of　the　Claiborne　and　White　Oaks　roads。　　In　execution　of　this　plan；

Merritt　worked　his　men　close　in　toward　the　intrenchments；　and　while

he　was　thus　engaged；　I　ordered　Warren　to　bring　up　the　Fifth　Corps；

sending　the　order　by　my　engineer　officer；　Captain　Gillespie；　who　had

reconnoitred　the　ground　in　the　neighborhood　of　Gravelly　Run　Church；

where　the　infantry　was　to　form　for　attack。



Gillespie　delivered　the　order　about　1　o'clock；　and　when　the　corps　was

put　in　motion；　General　Warren　joined　me　at　the　front。　　Before　he

came；　I　had　received；　through　Colonel　Babcock；　authority　from　General

Grant　to　relieve　him；　but　I　did　not　wish　to　do　it；　particularly　on

the　eve　of　battle；　so；　saying　nothing　at　all　about　the　message

brought　me；　I　entered　at　once　on　the　plan　for　defeating　Pickett；

telling　Warren　how　the　enemy　was　posted；　explaining　with　considerable

detail；　and　concluding　by　stating　that　I　wished　his　troops　to　be

formed　on　the　Gravelly　Church　road；　near　its　junction　with　the　White

Oak　road；　with　two　divisions　to　the　front；　aligned　obliquely　to　the

White　Oak　road；　and　one　in　reserve；　opposite　the　centre　of　these　two。



General　Warren　seemed　to　understand　me　clearly；　and　then　left　to　join

his　command；　while　I　turned　my　attention　to　the　cavalry；　instructing

Merritt　to　begin　by　making　demonstrations　as　though　to　turn　the

enemy's　right；　and　to　assault　the　front　of　the　works　with　his

dismounted　cavalry　as　soon　as　Warren　became　engaged。　　Afterward　I

rode　around　to　Gravelly　Run　Church；　and　found　the　head　of　Warren's

column　just　appearing；　while　he　was　sitting　under　a　tree　making　a

rough　sketch　of　the　ground。　　I　was　disappointed　that　more　of　the

corps　was　not　already　up；　and　as　the　precious　minutes　went　by　without

any　apparent　effort　to　hurry　the　troops　on　to　the　field；　this

disappointment　grew　into　disgust。　　At　last　I　expressed　to　Warren　my

fears　that　the　cavalry　might　expend　all　their　ammunition　before　the

attack　could　be　made；　that　the　sun　would　go　down　before　the　battle

could　be　begun；　or　that　troops　from　Lee's　right；　which；　be　it

remembered；　was　less　than　three　miles　away　from　my　right；　might；　by

striking　my　rear；　or　even　by　threatening　it；　prevent　the　attack　on

Pickett。



Warren　did　not　seem　to　me　to　be　at　all　solicitous；　his　manner

exhibited　decided　apathy；　and　he　remarked　with　indifference　that

〃Bobby　Lee　was　always　getting　people　into　trouble。〃　　With　unconcern

such　as　this；　it　is　no　wonder　that　fully　three　hours'　time　was

consumed　in　marching　his　corps　from　J。＇G＇　　Boisseau's　to　Gravelly　Run

Church；　though　the　distance　was　but　two　miles。　　However；　when　my

patience　was　almost　worn　out；　Warren　reported　his　troops　ready；

Ayres's　division　being　formed　on　the　west　side　of　the　Gravelly　Church

road；　Crawford's　on　the　east　side；　and　Griffin　in　reserve　behind　the

right　of　Crawford；　a　little　different　from　my　instructions。　　The

corps　had　no　artillery　present；　its　batteries；　on　account　of　the　mud；

being　still　north　of　Gravelly　Run。　　Meanwhile　Merritt　had　been　busy

working　his　men　close　up　to　the　intrenchments　from　the　angle　of　the

return　west；　along　the　White　Oak　road。



About　4　o'clock　Warren　began　the　attack。　　He　was　to　assault　the　left

flank　of　the　Confederate　infantry　at　a　point　where　I　knew　Pickett's

intrenchments　were　refused；　almost　at　right　angles　with　the　White　Oak

road。　　I　did　not　know　exactly　how　far　toward　Hatcher's　Run　this　part

of　the　works　extended；　for　here　the　videttes　of　Mumford's　cavalry

were　covering；　but　I　did　know　where　the　refusal　began。　　This　return；

then；　was　the　point　I　wished　to　assail；　believing　that　if　the　assault

was　made　with　spirit；　the　line　could　be　turned。　　I　therefore　intended

that　Ayres　and　Crawford　should　attack　the　refused　trenches　squarely；

and　when　these　two　divisions　and　Merritt's　cavalry　became　hotly

engaged；　Griffin's　division　was　to　pass　around　the　left　of　the

Confederate　line；　and　I　personally　instructed　Griffin　how　I　wished

him　to　go　in；　telling　him　also　that　as　he　advanced；　his　right　flank

would　be　taken　care　of　by　Mackenzie；who　was　to　be　pushed　over　toward

the　Ford　road　and　Hatcher's　Run。



The　front　of　the　corps　was　oblique　to　the　White　Oak　road；　and　on

getting　there；　it　was　to　swing　round　to　the　left　till　perpendicular

to　the　road；　keeping　closed　to　the　left。　　Ayres　did　his　part　well；

and　to　the　letter；　bringing　his　division　square　up　to　t