. Popular history of the civil war . still in the ShenandoahValley, was ordered to take Lynchburg. The attempt wasmade; but, finding it too well defended to attack, he madehis way to Grant, at Petersburg, where he arrived on the27th of March. On the 25th Lee had made an effort tofree himself by a sudden attack upon the Union works, inwhich he captured Fort Steedman with five hundred prison-ers. He then turned the Federal guns upon the Federallines, and for a Httle while the enemy was master of thesituation. It did not take long, however, to mass the Unionbatteries on all sides against Fort Ste
. Popular history of the civil war . still in the ShenandoahValley, was ordered to take Lynchburg. The attempt wasmade; but, finding it too well defended to attack, he madehis way to Grant, at Petersburg, where he arrived on the27th of March. On the 25th Lee had made an effort tofree himself by a sudden attack upon the Union works, inwhich he captured Fort Steedman with five hundred prison-ers. He then turned the Federal guns upon the Federallines, and for a Httle while the enemy was master of thesituation. It did not take long, however, to mass the Unionbatteries on all sides against Fort Steedman, which was soonretaken with two thousand prisoners. Grant then sent 1865. At Close Quarters. 517 Sheridan around to the south and west of Petersburg tocapture the Southside Raihvay. With a force of twenty-five thousand men, he started on the 29th of March, reach-ing Dinwiddie Court-House that night. It rained veryhard all night and the next day (Thursday) ; so that Sheri-dan could do but little. Lee, on the other hand, lost no. SHERIDANS CHARGE. time in arranging his troops to meet the attack, of whichhe had been duly informed. On Friday, the 3Tst, Sheridanpushed on to a place where five roads meet, called FiveForks. Here he found Generals Picket and Johnson, atthe head of a large Confederate force. In order to protecthis base of supplies, Lee had wisely left his defences atPetersburg, nearly ten miles in extent, under the care of 5i8 Young Folks^ History of the Civil War. [1S65, ten thousand men. Sheridans advance was stoutly resisted,and after a sharp battle he was forced back beyond theposition which he had occupied in the morning. The nextday, Saturday, April i, Sheridans cavalry assaulted theenemy behind his earthworks, wliile Warren attacked onhis left. Late in the day the brunt of the battle fell uponAyers troops. Sheridan inspired them with courage by hisown example. Seizing the battle-flag, he led them in a furi-ous charge, ordering the bands at the same time to
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