No. 91. Report of Major General Governeur K. Warren, U. S. Army, commanding Fifth Army Corps, of operations February 5-7.

HEADQUARTERS FIFTH ARMY CORPS,
February 15, 1865.

COLONEL: I have the honor to make the following report of the operations intrusted to me in the late movement. My instructions, received on the 4th instant, say:

The commanding general directs that you move with your corps to-morrow morning at 7 o'clock down the Halifax road to Rowanty Post-Office, then by the road direct to the crossing of Rowanty Creek, at W. Perkins', thence to J. Hargrave's, on the road leading from Dinwiddie Court-House, taking position at or near that point, to support General Gregg's cavalry. General Gregg has been ordered to strike the Boydton plank road at Dinwiddie Court-House. He is to endeavor to intercept and capture any wagon trains carrying supplies from Belfield, and to take advantage of any opportunity of inflicting injury on the enemy.

I set out, as directed, at 7 a.m. on the 5th. My divisions were in the following order: First, General Ayres'; second, General Griffin's; third, twelve field pieces (with eight horses to each piece and to each caisson); fourth, General Crawford's division; fifth, train, consisting of half my ambulances, fifty wagons of infantry ammunition, and fifty-six wagons heavily loaded with forage and ammunition for the cavalry. We took four days' rations. The column was preceded by three squadrons of the Sixth Ohio Cavalry, commanded by Captain Saxon. We reached the crossing of Rowanty Creek, at W. Perkins', about 10 a.m., and found the place defended by about 100 of the enemy's infantry. A squadron of cavalry, dismounted, was unable to keep down their fire so as to cross, and General Gwyn's brigade was at once ordered up. This silenced the enemy's fire, and a crossing was made by swimming and wading, beside a few on the ice.

About twenty-five prisoners were taken. This was about 11 a.m. We lost eight wounded, among whom was Major D. H. Kent, of the Fourth Delaware.

The stream was about sixty feet wide, and could not be forded by men or horses, but tree were soon cut for the men to scramble over. The horses were able to cross on a bridge we made for them about a quarter to 1 p.m., and a bridge practicable for the artillery and trains was completed about 3.45 p.m. The column, as fast as it crossed, moved out to the Vaughan road and toward Dinwiddie Courth-House, and took up the position assigned it, by the orders of the preceding day, without any opposition. We communicated with General Gregg's column on reaching the Vaughan road, and learned he had gone on to Dinwiddie Court-House. At 4.30 p.m. I was informed by Major H. E. Tremain, aide-de-camp to General Gregg, that he had reached Dinwiddie Court-House and was on his way back to the Malone crossing of the Rowanty Creek, where he should bivouac for the night. Immediately after this I met some of the enemy's cavalry coming down the quite unexpected to them from the way they scampered off, and to me, as I had supposed General Gregg would send information to me as soon as he uncovered the road leading to my position. The enemy's cavalry thus picket up or two stragglers and caught sight of our infantry; this was all.