DINWIDDIE COURT-HOUSE and WHITE OAK ROAD, Battle of. General Grant, besieging Petersburg, issued orders 24 March 1865 for a movement on the 29th to destroy the railroads leading into the city from the south to force Lee to come out of his entrenchments and fight on open ground, or so far attenuate his line that a successful assault could be made. The result was the battle of Five Forks (q.v.), the fall of Petersburg and Richmond, the surrender at Appomattox, 9 April and the close of the Civil War. The movement to the left was led by Warren's fifth corps and Sheridan's cavalry, and the first en counter was near the Boydton road, where War ren's leading division (Griffin's) defeated two brigades sent out from Lee's right, driving them back to White Oak road. On the 30th the second and fifth corps closed in on the White Oak road on Lee's right, and Wilcox's Con federate division, coming out of the entrench ments, attacked Warren and was driven back. Warren's advance division was now within 600 yards of the road, and, on the 31st, Lee ordered another attack. Hunton's and Wise's brigades attacked in front, and McGavan's and Gracie's on the left flank. Ayres' and Crawford's di visions were driven back in disorder upon Griffin's division, which checked the Confederate advance. General Miles, with two brigades of the second corps, struck Wise's brigade on the left flank, drove it back with severe loss in killed and wounded, and the entire Confederate attacking party retreated, and Warren, resum in g the offensive, pushed his advance across the White Oak road. It cost the second and fifth Union corps, on the 31st, 1,311 killed and wounded, and 556 missing.
Meanwhile Sheridan had reached Dinwiddie Court-House, 12 miles southwest of Petersburg, and on the 30th Devin's division and Davies' brigade were pushed 10 miles in advance in the direction of Five Forks, where they encountered the Confederate cavalry under Gen. Fitzhugh Lee. At night Gens. W. H. F. Lee and Rosser joined Fitzhugh Lee and General Pickett, with five brigades of infantry, marched down the White Oak road to Five Forks, and assumed command of all the troops operating against Sheridan. Munford's cavalry division engaged
Devin in front and Pickett moved with infantry and the other two divisions of cavalry to gain Sheridan's left, crossed Chamberlain's Creek, struck Davies' brigade in flank and drove it back on Devin, interposed between Devin and Crook, and with the assistance of Munford drove both Davies and Devin nertheastwardly across the country. Fitzhugh Lee moved up and formed his cavalry on Pickett's flanks. In following Devin and Davies, Pickett had ex posed the rear of his column and it was at tacked by the brigades of Gibbs and Gregg, which attack forced Pickett to face about. He drove back the two brigades and advanced upon Dinwiddie Court-House. Sheridan had called up Custer with his two brigades, some artillery had come up, and a barricade was thrown up about three-fourths of a mile northwest of the courthouse, behind which Gibbs and Gregg rallied, and Smith's brigade, slowly driven back by the Confederate cavalry, formed on the left. It was now near sunset, andas Pickett advanced, artillery opened upon him, and when within short range the cavalry from behind the bar ricades poured such a shower of bullets upon him that he was quickly repulsed, and the battle of Dinwiddie Court-House was over. Sheridan says his loss was about 450. The Union forces engaged at Dinwiddie Court-House and White Oak road numbered about 42,000; the Con federates about 20,000. The Union loss, 29-31 March, was 2,198 killed and wounded, and 583 missing. The Confederate loss is unknown. Consult 'Official Records' (Vol. XLVI) ; Hum phreys, The Virginia Campaign of 1864-65); Walker, 'History of the Second. Army Corps'; Powell, of the Fifth Army Corps' ; Grant, Personal Memoirs' (Vol. 11) ; Sheri dan, (Personal Memoirs) (Vol. II) ; and Leaders of the Civil War) (Vol. IV).