return failed, he ran great risk of capture.  Warren could not be found, so I then sent for Griffin—­first by Colonel Newhall, and then by Colonel Sherman—­to come to the aid of Ayres, who was now contending alone with that part of the enemy’s infantry at the return.  By this time Griffin had observed and appreciated Crawford’s mistake, however, and when the staff-officers reached him, was already faced to the left; so, marching across Crawford’s rear, he quickly joined Ayres, who meanwhile had rallied his troops and carried the return.

When Ayres’s division went over the flank of the enemy’s works, Devin’s division of cavalry, which had been assaulting the front, went over in company with it; and hardly halting to reform, the intermingling infantry and dismounted cavalry swept down inside the intrenchments, pushing to and beyond Five Forks, capturing thousands of prisoners.  The only stand the enemy tried to make was when he attempted to form near the Ford road.  Griffin pressed him so hard there, however, that he had to give way in short order, and many of his men, with three pieces of artillery, fell into the hands of Crawford while on his circuitous march.

The right of Custer’s division gained a foothold on the enemy’s works simultaneously with Devin’s, but on the extreme left Custer had a very severe combat with W. H. F. Lee’s cavalry, as well as with Corse’s and Terry’s infantry.  Attacking Terry and Corse with Pennington’s brigade dismounted, he assailed Lee’s cavalry with his other two brigades mounted, but Lee held on so obstinately that Custer gained but little ground till our troops, advancing behind the works, drove Corse and Terry out.  Then Lee made no further stand except at the west side of the Gillian field, where, assisted by Corse’s brigade, he endeavored to cover the retreat, but just before dark Custer, in concert with some Fifth Corps regiments under Colonel Richardson, drove ihe last of the enemy westward on the White Oak road.

Our success was unqualified; we had overthrown Pickett, taken six guns, thirteen battle-flags, and nearly six thousand prisoners.  When the battle was practically over, I turned to consider my position with reference to the main Confederate army.  My troops, though victorious, were isolated from the Army of the Potomac, for on the 31st of March the extreme left of that army had been thrown back nearly to the Boydton plank-road, and hence there was nothing to prevent the enemy’s issuing from his trenches at the intersection of the White Oak and Claiborne roads and marching directly on my rear.  I surmised that he might do this that night or early next morning.  It was therefore necessary to protect myself in this critical situation, and General Warren having sorely disappointed me, both in the moving of his corps and in its management during the battle, I felt that he was not the man to rely upon under such circumstances, and deeming that it was to the best interest of the service as well as but just to myself, I relieved him, ordering him to report to General Grant.