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796 Series I Volume XLVI-I Serial 95 - Appomattox Campaign Part I

Page 796 N. AND SE. VA.,N. C.,W.VA.,MD., AND PA. Chapter LVIII.


Numbers 74. Reports of Major General Gounerneure K. Warren, U. S. Army, commanding Fifth Army Corps.

NEW YORK, February 21, 1865 [1986].

General GEORGE D. RUGGLES,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Military Division of the Atlantic:

GENERAL: I forward herewith my report of the operations of the Fifth Corps during the 29th, 30th, and 31st of last March. The long time consumed was unavoidable, for I am without any assistance in my work, the War Department being unable to grant me an assistant or even to pay for copying my report. This copy I send you is not very neat, and it is the only I have made. If you have force enough in your office will you not please have a fair copy made for yourself and return this one to me for my own file. I will compare and sign the copy you make if you wish it.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

G. K. WARREN,

Major Engineers, &c.

REPORT.

The initial movement of the final campaign was made by the Fifth Corps at 3 a. m. on the 29th of March, no other portions of the army moving till 6 . m. The Fifth Corps was at the time composed as follows:

First. The First Division, commanded by Bvt. Major General Charles Griffin, contained 6,547 men. It was divided into three brigades: The Third Brigade was under General J. J. Barlett, being composed of veteran regiments, and numbered ---; the Second Brigade was under General Gregory, and numbered ---; the First Brigade was under General J. L. Chamberlain, and numbered ---.

Second. The Second Division, Bvt. Major General R. B. Ayres commanding, contained about 3,980 men, divided up as follows: The Maryland Brigade (the Second), --- strong, under General Denison; the Third Brigade, --- strong, under General Gwyn; and the First Brigade, General Fred. Winthrop commanding, --- strong. Both Generals Griffin and Ayres were officers of the regular artillery and graduates of Went Point.

Third. The Third Division, which was 5,260 strong and commanded by Bvt. Major, General S. W. Crawford. It was composed of all the regiments that had belonged to the old First Army Corps prior to its consolidation with the Fifth. This division had been organized for General Crawford by General Meade's order, after the battle of the Weldon Railroad, where General Crawford's previous command suffered a heavy loss in prisoners. The three brigades of this division were commanded - the First, --- strong, by Colonel Kellogg; the Second, --- strong, by General Baxter; the Third, --- strong, by General Coulter.

The artillery of the corps consisted of two rifled-gun batteries of four guns each and three light 12-pounder batteries of fourth guns each, the whole under command of Bvt. Brigadier General C. S. Wainwright. The staff of the corps was full of experienced and educated officers: Colonel H. C. Bankhead, inspector-general, and Major William T. Gentry, commissary of musters, were graduates of the Military Academy. Colonel F. T. Locke, the adjutant-general, had held his position form the first organization


Page 796 N. AND SE. VA.,N. C.,W.VA.,MD., AND PA. Chapter LVIII.