April 1, 1865
The Battle of Five Forks, VA, as Maj. Gen. Philip H. Sheridan’s Cavalry and Maj. Gen. Gouverneur K. Warren’s, 5th US Army Corps attack and overwhelm and separate Maj. Gen. George E. Pickett, CSA from the rest of the Army of Northern Virginia, almost completely surrounding Petersburg, VA, in the process. Lee realizes that both Petersburg and Richmond are now lost to the Confederacy.
Bvt. Maj. Gen. Charles Griffin, USA, relieves Maj. Gen. Gouverneur K. Warren, USA, of the command of the 5th US Army Corps, VA, as Maj. Gen. Philip H. Sheridan, USA, removes Warren from command during the height of the Battle of Five Forks for being slow in reacting to Sheridan’s orders. Warren will later be acquitted but the damage to his military career had already been done.
Skirmish at the White Oak Road, near Petersburg, VA, with Maj. Gen. Andrew A. Humphreys, USA, and his 2nd US Army Corps under Lieut. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, USA, the Richmond, VA, Campaign.
Note: All “Today In The Petersburg Campaign” blog entries are used with permission from Ronald A. Mosocco’s Chronological Tracking of the American Civil War per the Official Records of the War of the Rebellion. Order the book HERE.
Copyright © 1993, 1994 by Ronald A. Mosocco
Mentions of This Date at The Siege of Petersburg Online:
- Actions Around Petersburg Wikipedia Map: March 29-April 1, 1865
- The Battle of Five Forks NPS Map: Prelude
- The Battle of Five Forks NPS Map: April 1, 1865 4 PM
- The Battle of Five Forks NPS Map: April 1, 1865 4:30 PM
- The Battle of Five Forks NPS Map: April 1, 1865 5 PM
- The Battle of Five Forks NPS Map: April 1, 1865 5:30 PM
- The Battle of Five Forks NPS Map: Aftermath
- The Battle of Five Forks CWPT Map
- SHS Papers: Volume 16: The Thirty-eighth Virginia (Steuart’s Brigade) at Battle of Five Forks by Colonel George K. Griggs
- Flights of Angels Sing Thee to Thy Rest: Carlos E. Rogers, Killed April 1, 1865
- Map No. 4 Battle-Field of Five Forks Va. Fought Saturday April 1 1865 (OR Atlas 68:3)
- The Battle of Five Forks: April 1, 1865