reported to me in the morning, to the White Oak road by the way of J. Boisseau's house, with instructions to advance in the direction of Five Forks. When the Fifth Corps reached the White Oak road General Mackenzie joined their right and in the attack swept round over the Ford's Church road, cutting off this avenue of retreat to the enemy. After the enemy broke our cavalry pursued them for six miles down the White Oak road.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

P. H. SHERIDAN,

Major-General.

Lieutenant General U. S. GRANT,

Commanding Armies of the United States.

CAVALRY HEADQUARTERS,

May 16, 1865.

GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following narrative of the operations of my command during the recent campaign in front of Petersburg and Richmond, terminating with the surrender of the rebel Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Court-House, Va., on april 9, 1865:

On March 26 my command, consisting of the First and Third Cavalry Divisions, under the immediate command of Bvt. Major General Wesley Merritt, crossed the James River by the bridge at Jones' Landing, having marched from Winchester, in the Shenandoah Valley, via White House, on the Pamunkey River.

On March 27 this command went into camp near Hancock's Station, on the military railroad, in front of Petersburg, and on the same day the Second Cavalry Division, which had been serving with the Army of the Potomac, reported to me, under the command of Major General George Crook.

The effective force of these three divisions of cavalry was as follows: General Merritt's command, First and Third Divisions, 5,700; General Crook's command, Second Division, 3,300; total effective force, 9,000.

With this force I moved out on the 29th of March, in conjunction with the armies operating against Richmond, and in the subsequent operations I was under the immediate orders of the lieutenant-general commanding. I moved by the way of Reams' Station, on the Weldon railroad, and Malone's Crossing, on the Rowanty Creek, where we were obliged to construct a bridge. At this point our advance encountered a small picket of the rebel cavalry, and drove it to the left across Stony Creek, capturing a few prisoners, from whom and from my scouts I learned that the enemy's cavalry was at or near Stony Creek Depot, on the Weldon railroad, on our left flank and rear. Believing that it would not attack me, and that by pushing on to Dinwiddie Court-House I could force it to make a wide detour, we continued the march, reaching the Court-House about 5 p.m., encountering only a small picket of the enemy, which was driven away by our advance.

It was found necessary to order General Custer's division, which was marching in rear, to remain near Malone's Crossing, on the Rowanty Creek, to assist and protect our trains, which were greatly retarded by the almost impassable roads of that miry section.

The First and Second Divisions, went into camp, covering the Vaughan, Flat Foot, Boydton plank, and Five Forks roads, which all intersect at Dinwiddie Court-House, rendering this an important point,