FIVE FORKS, Battle of. At the close of the battle of Dinwiddie Court House, 31 March 1865, General Sheridan was holding a position in front of the place, General Pickett, with in fantry and cavalry, confronting him. At 12 P.M. Pickett, threatened by Warren's Fifth corps on his left, ordered a retreat to Five Forks, some 15 miles to the southeast, to protect his communications with the South Side Railroad. Sheridan followed him at daylight with Devin's and Custer's divisions, Crook's division being thrown on roads to the left. Pickett was found entrenched at Five Forks. By 1 P.M. Sheri dan's cavalry had worked •close up to Pickett's lines, and Sheridkn ordered up the Fifth corps. MacKenzie's cavalry division, advancing on the extreme right, drove back Robert's cavalry and gained the White Oak road.
At 4 P.M. Warren had formed his lines, Ayres' and Crawford's divisions in double lines, with one brigade in reserve, on the left and right respectively of the Gravelly Run Church road. A few *moments brought Warren to the White Oak road, and Ayres, whose right had crossed it, received a severe fire upon his left, and at once changed front and attacked the return of the entrenchments. Crawford kept straight on through the woods and, receiving fire from Munford's cavalry, swerved to the right, thus isolating his division from Ayres, and Griffin followed Crawford. But Griffin and his bri gade commanders, taking in the situation, soon marched by the left flank and protected Ayres' flank, which had been thrown into some con fusion. Ayres meanwhile, connecting with the cavalry on his left, had made a gallant charge, carried the left of the Confederate works and, with support on the left and right, swept down inside them to and beyond Five Forks, captur ing many prisoners. The only stand the Con federates tried to make was on the road leading to the railroad, and at this point they were pressed so closely by Griffin and Crawford that they soon gave way. On the right Warren took
Crawford's division in hand, changed its direc tion to the left and, advancing in rear of the Confederate infantry line, with MacKenzie's cavalry on the right, drove Munford's cavalry, continually turning the left of the Confederates opposing Ayres and Griffin, gained the road leading to the South Side Railroad, forced Munford north of Hatcher's Run, and took four guns and many prisoners. On the extreme left Custer had a severe fight with cavalry and in fantry, and gained but little ground until Devin and Ayres advancing behind the works drove the infantry out. The Confederate cavalry made no further stand, save to cover the retreat, and just before dark Custer, in connection with an attack by a small body of the Fifth corps, led by Warren in person, drove the last of the Con federates westward on the White Oak road, and followed them until long after dark. The bat tle was one of the most decisive of the war. The Confederates were totally routed, losing over 5,000 men captured, 6 guns and 11 colors. The Union loss was 830 killed and wounded, of which the Fifth corps lost 634. The Confed erate loss in killed and wounded is not defi nitely known. Consult Humphreys, A. A., 'The Virginia Campaign of '64 and '65, (New York 1883); Powell, W. H., 'The Fifth Army Corps' (New York 1896); Sheridan, P. H., 'Personal Memoirs> (2 vols., New York 1:::); United States War Department, 'The War of the Rebellion. Official Records' (Ser. I, Vol. XLVI, part 3, Washington 1893; Atlas, Wash ington 1891-95). E. A. CARMAN.