riiAP. xxviii.] AMERICAN CIVIL WAR, 1861-1865. 



479 



works from the west, now prepared to make a simul- 

 taneous assault upon the lines from that direction. 



Three brigades were dismounted and made the attack 

 vehemently. The slaughter was terrific, and several 

 times the men, appalled by the carnage, staggered back ; 

 but they were urged and cheered on untU the enemy, 

 exhausted and attacked on three sides, rushed to the 

 rear, which was the only escape open to them. 



The dismounted cavalry swarmed over the works at 

 many points, meeting their comrades of the 5 th corps 

 of infantry, who had entered on the opposite side. The 

 rout was complete. Merritt's mounted reserve brigades 

 dashed forward in pursuit at once, "and riding into 

 their broken ranks so demoralized them that they made 

 no serious stand after their works were carried, but fled 

 in disorder." Five thousand or six thousand prisoners 

 were taken, and the fugitives cut oflf from Lee's army. 

 This caused a total loss of about 13,000 to the already 

 weakened legions of the Confederate cause. The battle 

 of Five Forks virtually decided the fate of the war. 



General Lee was now compelled either to evacuate 

 Richmond and Petersburg and retreat into the western 

 part of Virginia and endeavour to maintain the war 

 there, or else to submit to be entirely invested and cut 

 oflF from all communication with the surrounding country, 

 which would in a very short time have necessitated his 

 surrender from want of food. 



He decided, therefore, to retreat in the direction of 

 Dan\iUe, or, if that were impossible, then towards 

 Lynchburg, where the mountainous nature of the 

 country would ^ e facilities for defence to his greatly 

 over-matched army. 



In this pursuit the cavalry performed the most import- 

 ant part, and it may fairly be said that Sheridan was 

 able to cut off Lee's retreat solely from the fact of his 

 cavalry being capable of dismounting and occupying 

 and holding defensive positions. As these operations 

 were conducted in a late war, and under the condition 

 of very good firearms on both sides, the details will be 

 instructive and interesting. 



