tour of Crawford's battles at five forks
site number one is located east of the gravelly run Church Road and north of the White Oak Road. This is where Munford‘s cavalry opened fire on Crawford infantry.as the infantry crossed white oak road and entered the woods on the north side of the road.
Site number two was at the syndor house. There was a fight here between some of Munford’s cavalry who were in the house versus one battalion of the 91st New York infantry which drove them from the house and captured some prisoners.
Kellogg's 1st Brigade
Kellogg testimony
Page 220 – – I recollect that there was a house in an open field; but my brigade was formed so that my left passed it; we received quite a severe fire from this house [being the Louis Sydney, house} and there was a detachment of the enemy in there. Tarbell through command of the second lime consisting of the 91st. New York, reported to me that he was having trouble with his men on account of the fire received from the house; I directed him to detach one battalion from this regiment, which was divided into three battalions, being a large regiment, and just watch them, which he did, and afterwards
Captain G. M. Laughlin commissary of muster griffin's staff
Page 541 That house was where we first received a fire from the enemy. They retired in these woods, firing from the White Oak road; and our men charged across this field, and they (the enemy) threw down their arms [in the Sidney or Sydnor field]. We then changed direction and went up along this way. [Indicates along the line of the works at the southwest convex of the Sidney or Sydnor field, where it strikes the White Oak road.]
Site number three was a bit west of the house where there was a ravine. This is where the Dunn house was built after the war. Kellogg and coulter tried to cross this ravine, and were opposed by Munford. The two brigades were repulsed twice, but managed to cross the ravine on the third attempt.
Kellogg's 1st brigade
Kellogg's testimony
Page 220. we then moved on in a westerly direction until we came to the ravine; I think that was it [indicating on map], and here we met quite is quite severe fire. I lost one officer there in several men. And then changed my front around and here is where I think. Colonel Forsyth came to me again somewhere at this point witness indicates near the Ford Road question was in there that ravine answer yes knew that ravine on the Ford Road
Testimony of Brevet Lient. Col. West Funk commanding the consolidated 121st and 142nd Pa. Inf. of Coulter's Brigade Crawford's Division:
Q. At any point from the White Oak road to the Ford road, did you have any particularly sharp engagement ?—A. Yes.
Q. Where was that ?—A. I should jndge it was where that small open space is, marked F. [On Cotton Map No. 3.]
Q. State what took place there ?—A. There is a ravine in that opening—that being the spot—where the enemy were very strongly posted. I went down into the ravine, but they drove me back twice. I fought them behind trees. They were behind trees, so was I. We fought foot by foot across that ravine. The third time we drove them back and kept them back.
Q. How much of Coulter's brigade was engaged there ?—A. That is more than I can tell; all I know is my two regiments; I judge, though, that the whole brigade was engaged.
Site number four was on the Ford road on the banks of hatchers run. This is where confederate sharpshooters under Breckenridge fought against some of Crawford's infantry. They fought at the request of Pickett who asked them to hold the federal back while he rode south on the Ford road.
Site number five was also on the banks of hatchers run on the Ford Road. This is where later in the afternoon Warren sent Elias spear and two regiments from Baxter's brigade of griffin's, first division to guard the ford. They became engaged against Confederates on the north bank of hatchers run. Fitz lee was trying to cross the run by attacking with some of Thomas rosser's regiments. He failed.
James hodam
The 17th Virginia Cavalry of McCausland's Brigade guarded the ford, Capt.Crawford enticed some members of a maine infantry regiment into crossing to the north bank. Capt. Crawford ordered,'fire on those boys' and the whole line was lit up by a flame,. The Journal of james w. hodam page 150.
Elias spear
page 404. Well, I was springing up these two regiments, moving them towards the fire of the enemy, I saw general Warren ride out of the woods with some of his staff, towards the end of his works. I immediately wrote up to him, and advised him of these two regiments, which I found going off on a tangent, and of what movement I was making?
Q Did you receive any orders from him
answer I did
question state what they were
answer. He directed me to take those two regiments and placed them across the road facing to the rear.
Q ? And what further orders did he give you
answer? I understood him to say that he supposed a force of the enemy to be in the rear and a desire to guard against any attack from the rear tha I place two regiments across the road and gave instructions to the senior officer and then turned to follow general warrant… He immediately changed the order so far as the person was concerned and directed me to go. I went at once; took the two regiments and went north toward Hatcher's run
page 405? You found it was a Ford there, and not a bridge?
Answer: Yes I did I did
Question Where did you go? With the two regiments
Answer: I moved until I saw moving down the road – – – it was not very light at that time, the road was very shady, in the woods, coming in very close upon the road – – – I saw a dismounted man on a rising ground by a fire in the road; He wheeled suddenly and disappeared over the hill. I had two companies in front as a skirmish line, and the balance of the battalions in the rear. As we came near the fire, we found it was a wagon; the mules were thrown in the mud; the wagon was burning. We went down the hill, the skirmishers being in front and the balance of the two battalions in the rear. As we came near the fire we found it was a wagon; and the mules were thrown in the mud; the wagon was burning We wet down the hill, the skirmish Ine being in front, and the enemy opened fire on us.
Fitzhugh Lee
Page 471. Question were you still north of Hatcher's run when you first heard firing.
Q. Were you still north of Hatcher's Run when you first heard firing?—A. I was with General Rosser, north of Hatcher's Run, and I think that is one the incidents of the contest, so far as I was personally concerned, for as soon as I got information of the attack on the left I immediately mounted my horse, and before I could get to where the road crosses Hatcher's Run to go to Dinwiddie Court-House, from my position north of it, I found that that road was in possession of the enemy's infantry. I saw the infantry myself. I rode up and was shot at by tbeni while trying to cross the run with my staff. I saw the Federal infantry in the woods and tried to cross and was shot at, and rode back and moved General Rosser's command up and attempted to force the division across, and was repulsed.
Site number 6
Munford's headquarters were near the C.Bosseau hoiuse and five forks. (Waterloo of the Confederacy page 24. Hutter and Hubard fought Crawford between five forks and this house.
n attempting now to fall back and keep connected as well as possible with the troops on right and left, the latter doubling back towards our rear, it happened that the irregularity of the country, the bogs, and the suddenness of the movement divided our regiment in half; the left half with which I was and the captain commanding soon fell back on the road on which we had camped in about halfway between the camp and the forks.
between us and the camp the enemy were now in the road in force and a portion of their force had gone 1/4 mile west of it (this road on [page 218 ends] which we were on ran north) and they swung around, forming a line facing south, whilst William Lee's right having been turned, the federal cavalry corps formed facing north on his front, occupying thus three sides of a square, leaving only the western one open to us
The 11th Virginia infantry major [james risque] Hutter commanding, came down to the place we were at, and one fragment of a regiment formed on their right, and we faced north confronting the left pointing column of the federals, with our right resting on the road.
The critical situation, the complication of matters, the absence of Pickett, had so demoralized the troops that as soon as the Yankees opened a Hot fire, at a distance of 100 yards, our line gave way. Captain Jesse Jones, Captain Carrington, Captain Boyd, all of my regiment, and myself, by great exertions, restored the line. We were tolerably sheltered by a thicket of young pines. And trying to turn back this stout infantry man he told me I'll stop with my captain will but there he goes ahead of me. I went up to the captain and told him we must hold on so that our center could fall back or they would all be taken, and he must return to his position and keep his man and in place Thus I got them both back
Taking my place in line and bending on one knee to see where the enemy position was, I was shot down by a scalp wound over my right temple with a musket ball, pages 218 to 219 the Civil War memories memoirs of a Virginia cavalryman, Lieutenant Robert T Hubbard, junior edited by Thomas P Nanzig
Site number seven is further south along the Ford road.
200 yards north [about two-thirds of the way to the
southern end of the Young-Boisseau field].
This is where funk attacked mayo€˜s brigade and two pieces of horse artillery. He captured the artillery and drove back the Confederate infantry.
testimony of joseph mayo
page 499
Q. Was your line in front carried about t11i8 time Iâ€"A. No, sir. Soon after I sent this
regimentâ€"how long I could not tell, everything was passing very rapidlyâ€"Major
Pickett, General Pickett's brother and adjutant-general, rode up to me and told me that
the general said I must draw the rest of my brigade out and bring it to hill), leaving
one regiment until General Corse could extend the intervals and occupy my place, leaving
one regiment in the original line on the White Oak road. I left the Third there and filed
off by the left flank with the others down the Ford road at right angles to my original
line. I had not gone over 200 yards; I did not get to that open space indicated on this
map [Young-Boisseau fieldâ€"Il did not get as far as that; there I met General Pickett in
the
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page 500
woods, and he told me, remarked, verbatim: "Colonel, the enemy are in our rear, and
if we do not drive them out we are gone up." said that was perfectly apparent to
everybody. He said: " File Off to the left and, with your right resting 01k this
road, advance until you strike them."
Q. [Cotton map No. 3 shown witness.] Show to the court the line of battle your brigade
took up there, and the direction.â€"A. My left was resting on the Ford road at Five
Forks; and my impression is that the right of the brigade was a little in front of the
Gilliam field because I know I rode down there to my skirmish-line when I wanted to
re-establish it. But, to begin at the point I left off, I filed off down the Ford road; I
moved down there smne distance, about 200 yards north [about two-thirds of the way to the
southern end of the Young-Boisseau field].
At that point I met General Pickett in tbe road on his horse. I Btonce directed Col.
Flowery to file the Seventh Regiment to the west of the Ford road. That regiment, and the
First Virginia next to it, had gotten in position when onr people gave way over here.
[Indicates in tbe direction of the clearing marked F to the east of the Ford road.] The
other regiment, the Twenty-Fourth, had not gotten in line. I immediately faced it front,
and General Pickett and I together pushed it in there very rapidly with some of the men
of the Ninth Virginia. I recollect seeing Colonel Phillips, and some other officers who
rallied some of those, men behind us; and we succeeded in re-establishing the line that
they fell from. And then it was for the first time I saw that we were engaged in front,
as our line then was.
Q. Will you draw the positions, as nearly as you can, of your line it was then formed;
give us the position of it as well as the direction 2-A. [The witness then marks the
positions.] Two regiment" First and Seventh Virginia, wele on the right, resting on
the Ford load about two-thirds of the way fronu Five Forks to the Young-Boisseau field,
on a line perpendicular to the Ford road. The Twenty-Fourth Regiment was moved over,
facing northeast, towards that open place marked F, to repair the loss of the line of
battle there. I would not be mathematically accurate in that statement.
Q. Where did you first see Federal infantry at the northeast of the forks f-â€"A. In our
front here at the clearing marked F. Then, in that direction I could see distinctly his
line of men moving, without noticing us, with their guns upon their shoulders; moving
around in thia way, in a westerly direction towards the Ford road. They were moving
across the C. Young field; I could see their line moving; but I did not know of this open
field. I was all the time in the woods. That line that I could see through the woods,
that was marching with their arms upon their shoulders, apparently not observing my line
of battle, was marching westwardly.
By the COURT :
-------------------------------
page 501
woods, and he told me, remarked, verbatim: "Colonel, the enemy are in our rear, and
if we do not drive them out we are gone up." said that was perfectly apparent to
everybody. He said: " File Off to the left and, with your right resting 01k this
road, advance until you strike them."
Q. [Cotton map No. 3 shown witness.] Show to the court the line of bat',le your brigade
took up there, and the direction.â€"A. My left was resting on the Ford road at Five
Forks; and my impression is that the right of the brigade was a little in front of the
Gilliam field because I know I rode down there to my skirmish-line when I wanted to
re-establish it. But, to begin at the point I left off, I filed off down the Ford road; I
moved down there smne distance, about 200 yards north [about two-thirds of the way to the
southern end of the Young-Boisseau field].
At that point I met General Pickett in tbe road on his horse. I Btonce directed Col.
Flowery to file the Seventh Regiment to the west of the Ford road. That regiment, and the
First Virginia next to it, had gotten in position when onr people gave way over here.
[Indicates in tbe direction of the clearing marked F to the east of the Ford road.] The
other regiment, the Twenty-Fourth, had not gotten in line. I immediately faced it front,
and General Pickett and I together pushed it in there very rapidly with some of the men
of the Ninth Virginia. I recollect seeing Colonel Phillips, and some other officers who
rallied some of those, men behind us; and we succeeded in re-establishing the line that
they fell from. And then it was for the first time I saw that we were engaged in front,
as our line then was.
Q. Will you draw the positions, as nearly as you can, of your line it was then formed;
give us the position of it as well as the direction 2-A. [The witness then marks the
positions.] Two regiment" First and Seventh Virginia, wele on the right, resting on
the Ford load about two-thirds of the way fronu Five Forks to the Young-Boisseau field,
on a line perpendicular to the Ford road. The Twenty-Fourth Regiment was moved over,
facing northeast, towards that open place marked F, to repair the loss of the line of
battle there. I would not be mathematically accurate in that statement.
Q. Where did you first see Federal infantry at the northeast of the forks f-â€"A. In our
front here at the clearing marked F. Then, in that direction I could see distinctly his
line of men moving, without noticing us, with their guns upon their shoulders; moving
around in thia way, in a westerly direction towards the Ford road. They were moving
across the C. Young field; I could see their line moving; but I did not know of this open
field. I was all the time in the woods. That line that I could see through the woods,
that was marching with their arms upon their shoulders, apparently not observing my line
of battle, was marching westwardly.
By the COURT :
---------------------------------
Testimony of west funk
Q. Could you give us your jndgment about how far north of the Five Forks those guns were posted ?—A. To the best of my recollection, I jndge they were 50 or 60 yards from the breastworks east of the Five Forks road. They opened upon me as I crossed that Ford road.
Q. Did you make a charge upon those guns ?—A. Yes. Not just at that time; I came up the road, on both sides of the road. I had only a part of one regiment go across the road, on account of those guns opening on us. I came up with one regiment to the right, to within 10U feet of the guns; I posted my men behind those trees that were felled across the road, and kept up a continual fire on the guns, so that they conld not use the guns on me or am body else.
Q. Did you make a charge ?—A. I then made a charge on the guns.
Q. By whose command was that ?—A. No direct command.
Q. Where was General Coulter at that time?—A. I had not seen him until after I had captured the guns.
Q. Did you see General Warren on the Ford road?—A. I saw him after we got over to this Gilliam field.
Q. Iint not anywhere on the Ford road ?—A. No, sir.
Q. When did you again see Kellogg's brigade ?—A. Not until after we got over to this Gilliam field.
Q. You saw them again there?—A. Yes.
Cross-examination by Maj. Asa Bird Gardner, counsel for respondent:
Q. Then you didn't receive any orders to capture those guns. You did it upon your own motion ?—A. There was a staffofficer—I jndged him to be a staff officer—rode up, and he asked who was in command; I stated I was in command. He asked me why I didn't take those guns. I told him I was waiting for orders from my immediate commander. He asked me who that was, and I told him General Coulter. There was a very heavy infantry fire just at that time. He started away and left me. Then I took—about ten or fifteen minutes, I jndge, afterwards—I took the responsibility upon myself of charging the guns, without any orders from Coulter or anybody else.
Q. Did you know to whose staff that officer belonged?—A. No, sir; I asked the qnestion after he left, and I understood he belonged to General Sheridan's staff; I also understood that he was ''Mike" Sheridan. But I have seen "Mike" Sheridan to-day, and know that one was not "Mike" Sheridan.
Q. (By the Court.) Was he in cavalry uniform, or infantry?—A. I don't recollect.
Q. You captured some prisoners at the same time you took the guns?—A. Yes; some ambulances near me. One of my regiment cap tared a flag. I captured three or four ambulances and four or five forage wagons.'
Site number seven is a bit further down the road. This is where Confederates west of the road opened fire on Crawford˜s division, demoralizing it
Kellogg's testimony
Page 225 Q. Did you see any cavalry off to the west of the Ford Church road on a road running into it from White Oak road?—A. No, sir; I have Do recollection of it.
Q. These breastworks that you refer to, were they not some little works thrown up to the north of the main or Five Forks works which you ran across as you moved down the Ford road ?—A. I think there were some breastworks in there, but I have reference to the main Five Forks works.
Q. Were the enemy, at the time you got down towards those works, on the southerly side ?—A. My impression is that there was a detachment in there; still they might have been firing from the works themselves.
Q. Not from the outside of their own works?—A. No; I say they might have been inside their own works, but they might have been outside, both.
Q. Where was the cavalry that had assanlted those works ?—A. I have no idea; I don't know anything about it; I did not see them.
page 221 where the enemy had their breastworks. It was in front of them a detachment of the enemy that was outside question, abreast words that you speak of you were supposed to be at this long line along the white Oak Road answer yes, I had probably been in the feet I probably had in the field 1500 men and I lost in the neighborhood of 75 men and I think eight officers showed in wounded
Site number eight is located in the eastern woods, a few hundred yards east of the Gilliam farm. This is where the demoralized federal took cover from confederate rifle fire and refused to leave the cover of the woods. Warren rode down to the Gilliam field west of the woods carrying the fifth army corps flag, and he shamed the infantry into leaving the woods and following him westward across the Gilliam field. Custer sent an aide to Warren and asking if he could form his mounted troopers on warren's left flank and join his attack across the field. Warren gave him permission. Together the two bodies of troops advanced westward across the field. They were opposed by1200 dismounted confederate cavalry under Munford who were in the edge of the woods on the western boundary of the Gilliam property, and contested the federal advance. Warren, drove the Confederates away, sweeping The battle Field clean of the last of the Confederates Who fought at five forks,. Warren stopped his advance Where the V is located on the cotton map. This was a graveyard on the western edge of the Gilliam property. It was here after his greatest victory in the war that he learned that Sheridan had relieved him of command
Warren's testimony
Somewhere there I gave instructions to General Crawford—somewhere to the west of Five Forks—that lie must change his direction again and pursne the enemy in a westerly direction. I think I did that before I came in sight of the Gilliam field. 1 had no idea that there was such a field there until I came to the east edge of it. When I came there, there was considerable many of our men ranged along that woods, and the firing that came across from the other side—west side—against them was considerable, so that there was no advancing out from the shelter the timber gave. There were a great many men shouting to go forward, but there was no advance at all. I saw that the only way to get the troops to advance was to get the color-bearers out, which ought to have been done when the command ;' Forward!" was given. I encouraged them to do that. I took my own flag, went out into the field; then the color-bearers went out with me. The firing at that point was not very heavy, but it was enough to stop the men who did not have some one to lead them, in their disorganized condition. We then began to move across the field, everybody coming on with a great deal of eagerness again; and the firing was comparatively mild until we got more than half way across the field. About half way across it a staff officer came to me from General Custer, who was south of me. This officer told me that General Custer's line would advance with me. By that time the firing was beginning to be very lively. As we kept moving on, we moved steadily—no double-quick—when we approached the angle in the northwest part of the field, there was, behind the breastworks, a regular line of battle that held its fire until we were close to the angle; then it gave us a volley whichkilled a good many men. That was very severe at that point, but before they could load their arms again we were inside of their works; and we captured many men. The line, to my eye, was full, some facing southward on a line extending half-way through that woods—and a good many along the return across the road. I think that there were in line fully 500 or 600 men, with arms in their hands, and two or three battle flags. As the men fired their volley at us they threw down their arms and ran into our lines and went ou to the rear. None of us took any notice of them as we pushed on after them.
Ravine
We then moved across the field, parenthesis center field, parenthesis as rapidly as we could, beginning of page 351 question near the Sydney or Cinder house? Answer, I don't recollect that house; we cross the field and came into our wood. We were skirmishing through these woods, the entire distance until we got into this prentices clearing march F on the map number three and parenthesis. I should have said it was the same clearing with the chimneys, except that it was the second clearing after I lost my horse. It was a piece of rice and ground. We were met by a severe fire from the woods; and I know my line broke there, and I had some little Warren court of inquiry, volume one pages 350-351
guns
I struck the four road. I cannot tell where, except that I said at the time in my report about 400 yards from where the enemies guns work. Was it north or south of them answer north of the guns. Which way did the guns fire? Which way was the fire of the guns then answer I don't think more than two or three shots were fired Answer, and the guns were in which direction from you answer I said at the time in my report that I was following the white oak road all the time. That is not true I must have taken one of the wood roads. And growing going through those woods Change direction here and I suppose it was this road. I knew no road but the white oak road and I knew that from which direction general Warren told us. I follow this road parenthesis the Ford Road parenthesis whichever direction it went. I only recollect by this map ? Then those guns we're south of you answer yes, by this map, I have no other means of knowing.
did part of your command have any engagement there? Answer yes, General Warren. In general Crawford were both in the open ground on the Ford Road brackets March is being beat. Boys shows end parenthesis I met general Crawford in general worn on the road in general Crawford directed me to charge to change my directions and charge those guns we did so; we did we had some difficulty getting information made, I had to regiments on the left of the road or Roger one consolidated regiment and the 140th and 142nd Pennsylvania. They were in advance of the others and had gotten undercover and by means of skirmishers has stopped the fire of those guns, the musketry fire probably was more than the artillery but with the other regiments on
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