HATCHER'S RUN (DABNEY'S Mrti. and Aaatsramc's Mitt), Battle of. It was on 5 Feb. 1865 that General Grant put in motion an expedition to interrupt the Confederate line of communication by the Boydton road, running through Dinwiddie Court House to Petersburg. Gregg's cavalry division was directed to march early in the morning by way of Ream's Station to Dinwiddie Court House and strike the road; Warren's Fifth corps was to cross Hatcher's Run and support Gregg; General Humphreys, commanding the Second corps, was ordered with two divisions to the crossing of the Vaughan road over the Run, and to Arm strong's Mill, to hold these two points and to keep up communication with Warren, four miles distant, on the one side, and with Miles' division in the Union entrenchments, three or four miles distant, on the other side. After severe skirmishing, Humphreys pushed Motts' division to the south side of Hatcher's Run and established Smyth's division at Armstrong's Mill on the north side, about 1,000• yards from the Confederate works, where two brigades were brought to Smyth's support. At 5 P.M. parts of A. P. Hill's and Gordon's corps came out of their works and, under cover of the woods, attacked Smyth, but were repulsed. Smyth's line was now further strengthened by Hartranft's division of the Ninth corps and Wheaton's of the Sixth. Gregg captured some wagons and prisoners on the Boydton road, and in the evening fell back to Malone's Bridge on Rowanty Creek, from which he moved up to the Vaughan road crossing, where he arrived early in the morning of the sixth, with Warren, who had been ordered to support Humphreys.
About 1 P.M. Warren, with two divisions, moved along the Vaughan and Dabney's Mill roads; Gregg, supported by one of Warren's divisions, going down the Vaughan road to Gravelly Run to observe the left. Gregg was attacked by a part of Pegram's division, but held his ground and, with the support given him by part of Griffin's division, drove Pe gram's men back. Warren's leading division (Crawford's) moving on the Dabney's Mill road, also encountered part of Pegram's divi sion, which was forced back to Dabney's Mill, where Evans' division came to Pegram's sup port, and Crawford in turn was driven back. Three Union brigades were now brought up to Crawford's support and, at the same tune, Mahone's division arrived and took position be tween Evans and Pegram, and the whole Con federate line advanced, driving Warren back in great disorder, but some of his men rallied upon Wheaton's division, which had crossed from the north bank of the stream, and the Confederates were checked. On the morning of the seventh Warren made a reconnoissance, but did not find the enemy in force. The Union works were now extended to Hatcher's Run at the Vaughan road crossing. The Union loss was 1,352 killed and wounded, and 187 miss ing. The Confederate loss was about 1,500, among • the killed being Gen. John Pegram. Consult 'Official Records' (Vol. XLVI) • Humphreys, 'The Virginia Campaign of 65' ; Walker, 'History of the Second Army Corps' ; Powell, 'History of the Fifth Army Corps.>