ognized Joseph Whitthorne leading one of the brigades in
retreat.

"'My God?' he exclaimed, 'am I always to meet this man in battle!'

"Orden turned his command to the right and joined on with Wight, and
they now made their lines strong in order to resist the enemy, as they
expected him to attempt a recapture. It had now become one continuous
battlefield, from Petersville to and beyond Five Forks. Silent now
determined to face Meador's entire command, as well as Orden's, in
toward Petersville, and take it if possible. The entire rebel army was
rushing to the defense of Petersville. Sherlin was moving on the White
Oak road toward the city. Laws was exerting himself to stay the tide.
Gadden was ordered to drive Parker back from his Une. Hiller and Mahoney
were gathering all the fragments of commands that they could find and
reorganizing them. Longpath, who had not been engaged, was ordered to
cross the James River to the south side, for the defense of this
portion of the line. Laws telegraphed his chief, the President of the
Confederacy, of the imminent danger to his army.

"The enemy now assailed Parker's line, which was on both sides of the
Jerusalem road, and several desperate efforts were made to dislodge him,
but being re-enforced he held his position. His line included several
forts, and also commanded the main bridge across the Appomattox, almost
the only exit then left to the enemy. The rebels were now concentrating
their forces within an interior line of very heavy works immediately
surrounding the city. There were, however, two strong forts outside of
this line not yet captured by our forces--Forts Gregg and Baldwin. Orden
was directed to take Fort Gregg, and two of his brigades, commanded by
Turnlee and Forest, made the assault. After one or two repulses they
succeeded in storming and capturing the entire garrison. Both sides
fought gallantly. It was finally taken at the point of the bayonet.

"Milo was now attacking the enemy near the intersection of the White Oak
and Claiborne roads, but finding him too well intrenched, had to fall
back some distance.

"Late in the afternoon Sherlin, with the Fifth Corps and a portion of his
cavalry, struck the enemy who had repulsed Milo in their works that day,
taking them in flank. He routed them, capturing nearly 1,000 prisoners.
He pursued, and struck them every opportunity, until finally they threw
away their arms and took shelter in the woods. Night covering their