From Warren’s headquarters I returned, by the Boydton road to Dinwiddie Court House, fording Gravelly Run with ease.  When I got as far as the Dabney road I sent Colonel Newhall out on it toward Five Forks, with orders for Merritt to develop the enemy’s position and strength, and then rode on to Dinwiddie to endeavor to get all my other troops up.  Merritt was halted at the intersection of the Five Forks and Gravelly Church roads when Newhall delivered the orders, and in compliance moving out Gibbs’s brigade promptly, sharp skirmishing was brought on, Gibbs driving the Confederates to Five Forks, where he found them behind a line of breastworks running along the White Oak road.  The reconnoissance demonstrating the intention of the enemy to hold this point, Gibbs was withdrawn.

That evening, at 7 o’clock, I reported the position of the Confederate cavalry, and stated that it had been reinforced by Pickett’s division of infantry.  On receipt of this despatch, General Grant offered me the Fifth Corps, but I declined to take it, and again asked for the Sixth, saying that with it I believed I could turn the enemy (Pickett’s) left, or break through his lines.  The morning of the 31st General Grant replied the the Sixth Corps could not be taken from its position in the line, and offered me the Second; but in the mean time circumstances had changed, and no corps was ordered.

CHAPTER VI.

Battle of Dinwiddie court house—­Pickett repulsed—­reinforced by the
fifth corps—­battle of five forks—­turning the Confederate left—­an
unqualified success—­relieving general Warren—­the Warren court of
inquiry—­general Sherman’s opinion.

The night of March 30 Merritt, with Devin’s division and Davies’s brigade, was camped on the Five Forks road about two miles in front of Dinwiddie, near J. Boisseau’s.  Crook, with Smith and Gregg’s brigades, continued to cover Stony Creek, and Custer was still back at Rowanty Creek, trying to get the trains up.  This force had been counted while crossing the creek on the 29th, the three divisions numbering 9,000 enlisted men, Crook having 3,300, and Custer and Devin 5,700.

During the 30th, the enemy had been concentrating his cavalry, and by evening General W. H. F. Lee and General Rosser had joined Fitzhugh Lee near Five Forks.  To this force was added, about dark, five brigades of infantry—­three from Pickett’s division, and two from Johnson’s—­all under command of Pickett.  The infantry came by the White Oak road from the right of General Lee’s intrenchments, and their arrival became positively known to me about dark, the confirmatory intelligence being brought in then by some of Young’s scouts who had been inside the Confederate lines.