This was partly due to the fact that the enemy sent a division past Dabney's and attacked my left at the same time that the front attack was made. I then endeavored to form the troops along a ravine which ran north and south along the eastern edge of the field, but in this I also failed. The result was that the troops fell back to the position occupied the day before, behind the swamp, and where the First Division, with artillery, was in line of battle. My three brigade commanders deserve credit for extricating their little brigades from their difficult positions, threatened by overwhelming numbers. Bvt. Brigadier General A. W. Denison, commanding the Second Brigade, was wounded, but did not leave the field till he had formed his brigade on the left of the First Division, where it engaged the enemy. The Third Brigade was formed on the right and left and joined in the engagement. Later in the day the entire corps moved forward over the field on the White Oak road finding no obstacle but some of the enemy's skirmishers, his main body having moved off.

For additional details I refer to the accompanying reports of brigade commanders. List of casualties accompany this.

I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. B. AYRES,

Brevet Major-General, Commanding Division.

Colonel FRED. T. LOCKE,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Headquarters Fifth Army Corps.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND DIVISION, FIFTH CORPS,
April 12, 1865.

COLONEL: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of this division on April 1, 1865:

The division was ordered to move down the Boydton pike during the night of March 31, and report to General Sheridan at Dinwiddie Court-House. Before arriving there it was met by a staff officer of General Sheridan with instructions to turn off on a road leading west into a road leading from Dinwiddie Court-House to the White Oak road, and thus come upon the left and rear of the enemy, who was facing General Sheridan's command, near Dinwiddie. As we approached, just after daylight, the enemy hastily decamped. The cavalry pursued, and this corps, having united, followed northward about 2 p. m. Arriving near the White Oak road the enemy were found in line of battle, with breast-works along that road facing south. Our troops were formed in line of battle for the attack - two cavalry divisions on the left, my division on the left of the corps line, the Second and Third Brigades in two lines (the Second on the left), the First Brigade in support. Advancing through the woods into an open the skirmishers engaged those of the enemy, pushing them back. Soon after crossing the White Oak road, finding the enemy's fire to come from the left, I changed front to the left by facing the Second Brigade to the left and filing it to the left. Not to lose time, I also threw the First Brigade into the front line, on the left of the Second. The Third Brigade, soon after engaging the enemy, finding its right flank in the air (I must confess that I experienced anxiety also on this account), portions of it were very unsteady, but subsequently moved up and bore their part in the action in a handsome manner. After this change of front the troops were pushed forward, and soon came upon the left flank of the enemy, which was thrown back at right angles with his main line and covered by a