ed the Army of the Potomac that same morning with the
other two divisions of the cavalry corps, having marched overland from
the head of the Shenandoah Valley. This dispatch directed me to take
the first train and come to the front as rapidly as possible, and upon
my arrival at City Point to assume command of all the newly-remounted
men there and join my division on the march. Though I had just arrived
home I obeyed the order and took the first train for Washington, went
directly to the War Department, showed my dispatch, and was at once
sent to Annapolis on a special engine. I then took a dispatch-boat in
company with Colonel Comstock, of General Grant's staff, arrived at
City Point on the morning of the 31st of March, and joined our division
at Dinwiddie Court-House in time to take part in the engagement of that
day.

The next day came the battle of Five Forks. Here Sheridan threw his
whole cavalry corps upon the enemy, with the exception of my brigade.
As for my own regiment, we had all the fighting we wanted in keeping
the enemy from getting around on Sheridan's left and rear. In this
battle whole brigades went into action mounted and dismounted, the
mounted men dashing over breastworks as though they were mere piles of
dirt, and capturing prisoners by the thousand. While in conversation
with General W. H. F. Lee, who was taken prisoner, he told me that he
was in the act of sighting a cannon to sweep along that portion of the
works where the Fifth Corps were piling over when he heard a voice
saying, "Surrender, you rebel son of a gun!" and looking up there he
saw one of our cavalrymen astride a mule, with his revolver between the
mule's ears, reaching over in the act of pulling trigger. In a few
seconds the earth-work was filled with our mounted cavalry. The
much-abused army mule, after all, was of some service besides hauling
heavy loads.

On the following day, April 2, our cavalry struck the South Side
Railroad and continued in pursuit of Lee's retreating army. Richmond
and Petersburg fell on the 3d, and these good tidings seemed to give
new life to both men and horses. On we pressed until we reached
Jetersville, on the Danville Railroad, on April 4. About one o'clock
that night, as we lay to horse, the First Pennsylvania Cavalry was
ordered to mount and report to General Sheridan at once. Under
Sheridan's fly I found General Crook (who was now in command of Gregg's
old division) and General Davies looking over