Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 12.djvu/276

262 right flank at Five Forks began on April ist, is not far from a true statement. In this battle at Five Forks the divisions of Pickett and Bushrod Johnson were overwhelmed by Warren, Humphreys and Sheridan, at a loss to the Confederate army in killed, wounded and prisoners of 7,000 men; and in the fighting of April 26., which resulted in the fall of Petersburg and Richmond, other losses, not less than 5,000 or 6,000, had been sustained. On deducting from 45,000 these casualties of all kinds which occurred on the 1st and 2d of April, it becomes clear that the general estimate, made by many calculations, that Lee began his retreat with not more than 32,000 men of all arms, is a close approximation to the actual number.

On the 1st of March, General Grant's armies, under Meade, Ord and Sheridan, all of which were available in the attack on Lee, contained an effective total of over 162,000, according to the official reports. It has been stated that Grant moved upon Lee April 1st with an actual force of 120,000. His cavalry, commanded by Sheridan, was the best that had been put in the field on the Federal side, and doubled the force under Hampton and Fitzhugh Lee. His infantry, freshly uniformed and equipped, made a superb appearance in their compact and well-supported advance against the gallant foe which had so long and well defended the land they loved. It was not physically possible for the reduced army of Northern Virginia to resist on April 2d the Federal heavy columns which assailed them along the entire front from the Appomattox river to the exposed flank which had been turned on the day before. The ratio of physical force on that day was fully four to one.

Lee withdrew from all the defenses of the Confederate capital, and sought the way for junction with Johnston, but while delayed at Amelia Court House by the necessity of securing rations for his small army, was overtaken and turned from his chosen course. The fighting in re-