At noon the Third division, Fifth corps, moved to the right from the Duncan road toward the Boydton plank road. The skirmishers were soon engaged, and a running fight ensued, the main body following up closely as the enemy retired. In the vicinity of Dabney’s mill the enemy took position under cover of temporary works. From these he was soon dislodged. The two lines now engaged in an irregular interchange of bullets through the timber in front. On the part of the enemy the fire gradually grew more continuous and heavy. It now became evident that he was strengthening his lines for a determined stand, and an offensive strike at the proper moment. It was five o’clock, P. M. To prepare for emergencies, Ayres’ division was ordered up to the support of Crawford, and while moving in column was suddenly assailed, in large force, and driven back. At the same time a brigade of Griffin’s division moved to the support of Gregg’s cavalry. Subsequent movements of the enemy developed an intention to cut off Crawford. A column of the enemy was swung around to envelop him. Crawford, simultaneously, was heavily engaged on his front.
At six P. M. comparative order prevailed, and preparations were made to receive the enemy, who, it was evident, felt no disposition to abandon a slight advantage he had secured. Gregg, during this time, was fighting his cavalry on foot, and held his own on the Vaughn road against Mahone’s division.
The enemy had already engaged Pegram’s, Gordon’s and Heth’s divisions. Mahone, unable to gain any advantage over Gregg, suddenly withdrew in a northwesterly direction, and fell upon the left of the Fifth corps. The flank resisted for a moment, but to no avail. It was crumbled on the centre. The ammunition of part of Crawford’s division at this critical moment became exhausted. This portion of the line broke off, and in a few minutes the entire line became a wreck. The Third division (Wheaton’s) of the Sixth corps, which left its camp that morning, crossed Hatcher’s run during the height of Crawford’s confusion, and also lost its self-possession. The fighting now became desultory but desperate, and both forces entered into the work in earnest—as a matter of life or death. The country between Hatcher’s run and the mill is covered with a heavy wood, the ground softened by numerous swamps and cut up by ravines. The road upon which the columns and trains were obliged to move was narrow, filled with stumps, and, above all, knee-deep with mud. A slight crust of frozen surface only multiplied the difficulties. The column moved forward with the most exhausting exertions, and, instead of being fresh for battle, was used up by its conflict with the mud. The men lost their shoes, their clothing was dampened, and their arms in many instances were rendered unfit for immediate use. The artillery and trains suffered more than the men. Animals tossed about in their useless exertions to extricate themselves and their burdens. This being the case, the operations of the troops off the road were infinitely worse. The ground was fresh. The timber was thick and netted with a web of undergrowth. As the men advanced through this maze many were laid low by the deliberate fire of an unseen musketeer or rifleman. When they retired the roads and the woods were alive with disorder. The lines were much broken in the advance; it would be impossible to convey the formations on the retreat. The men fought single-handed through the timber from tree to tree. Their alarm was greatly increased by fear of being intercepted on their rear. No efforts on the part of officers could stay the men. They were unmanageable. They were determined to abandon the wood, and only upon reaching the open country on the Vaughn road and finding the bridges all entire and the guards perfectly calm, did they recover their presence of mind. The lines were hastily reformed, and, under protection of the temporary works thrown up by the Third division of the Second corps the day before, the men awaited the onslaught of the enemy. A few minutes of suspense and their anticipations were realized. The skirmishers fell back hastily. The woods in front were soon bristling with bayonets, and the enemy dashed undaunted upon the cleared space in front. From their works the Fifth corps met him with a terrible fire. The opposition was trifling. The enemy made no persistent effort to carry the works. He soon withdrew, and was lost in the obscurity of the wood.
During the action of the Fifth corps the left of the Second corps sustained and repelled an attack near the Armstrong House, on the Duncan road.
The Union losses, on the second day, were upwards of eleven hundred men, killed, wounded, and missing. The enemy’s loss was equally heavy. One hundred and eighty rebel prisoners were taken.
On the 7th, a reconnoissance of Crawford’s division encountered the rebels, about half a mile from the Union bivouac. The division now deployed in line, the right on Hatcher’s run and the left supported by Wheaton’s division of the Sixth corps. The whole line felt its way carefully. The enemy soon discovered himself in force. The conflict which ensued was spirited, but brief. The enemy gave way, though contesting his ground with vigor, and finally took up his position in the works at Dabney’s mill. The two forces indulged in a spirited exchange of musketry. The enemy evinced no desire to repeat the assault of the day before, and at night Crawford rejoined the main body on the Vaughn road.
During the next few days the National lines were greatly strengthened throughout the territory of Hatcher’s Run, which had thus been gained and occupied. The dense woods were converted into hostile defences, and the Union line was extended, in safety and strength, over a distance of five miles.
CLOSE OF THE CAMPAIGN. BATTLE OF FIVE FORKS, VA.
April 1–3, 1865.
In March, 1865, General Canby was moving an adequate force against Mobile and the army defending it, under General Dick Taylor; Thomas was pushing out two large and well appointed cavalry expeditions—one from Middle Tennessee under Brevet Major-General Wilson against the enemy’s vital points in Alabama, the other from East Tennessee under Major-General Stoneman towards Lynchburg—and assembling the remainder of his available forces, preparatory to offensive operations from East Tennessee; General Sheridan’s cavalry was at White House; the armies of the Potomac and James were confronting the enemy under Lee in his defences of Richmond and Petersburg; General Sherman with his armies reinforced by that of General Schofield, was at Goldsboro’; General Pope was making preparations for a spring campaign against the enemy under Kirby Smith and Price, west of the Mississippi; and General Hancock was concentrating a force in the vicinity of Winchester, Virginia, to guard against invasion or to operate offensively, as might prove necessary.