“After having accomplished the destruction of the two railroads, which are now the only avenues of supply to Lee’s army, you may return to this army, selecting your road further south, or you may go on into North Carolina and join General Sherman.  Should you select the latter course, get the information to me as early as possible, so that I may send orders to meet you at Goldsboro’.

“U.  S. Grant, Lieutenant-General. 
“Major-general P. H. Sheridan.”

On the morning of the 29th the movement commenced.  At night the cavalry was at Dinwiddie Court House, and the left of our infantry line extended to the Quaker Road, near its intersection with the Boydton Plank Road.  The position of the troops from left to right was as follows:  Sheridan, Warren, Humphreys, Ord, Wright, Parke.

Everything looked favorable to the defeat of the enemy and the capture of Petersburg and Richmond, if the proper effort was made.  I therefore addressed the following communication to General Sheridan, having previously informed him verbally not to cut loose for the raid contemplated in his orders until he received notice from me to do so: 

“Gravelly creek, March 29, 1865.

“General:—­Our line is now unbroken from the Appomattox to Dinwiddie.  We are all ready, however, to give up all, from the Jerusalem Plank Road to Hatcher’s Run, whenever the forces can be used advantageously.  After getting into line south of Hatcher’s, we pushed forward to find the enemy’s position.  General Griffin was attacked near where the Quaker Road intersects the Boydton Road, but repulsed it easily, capturing about one hundred men.  Humphreys reached Dabney’s Mill, and was pushing on when last heard from.

“I now feel like ending the matter, if it is possible to do so, before going back.  I do not want you, therefore, to cut loose and go after the enemy’s roads at present.  In the morning push around the enemy, if you can, and get on to his right rear.  The movements of the enemy’s cavalry may, of course, modify your action.  We will act all together as one army here, until it is seen what can be done with the enemy.  The signal-officer at Cobb’s Hill reported, at half-past eleven A.M., that a cavalry column had passed that point from Richmond towards Petersburg, taking forty minutes to pass.

“U.  S. Grant, Lieutenant-General. 
“Major-general P. H. Sheridan.”

From the night of the 29th to the morning of the 31st the rain fell in such torrents as to make it impossible to move a wheeled vehicle, except as corduroy roads were laid in front of them.  During the 30th, Sheridan advanced from Dinwiddie Court House towards Five Forks, where he found the enemy in full force.  General Warren advanced and extended his line across the Boydton Plank Road to near the White Oak Road, with a view of getting across the latter; but, finding the enemy