osition near the Boydton
Road, beyond Hatcher's Run, until March 31st, when, before he could
attack, Lee suddenly advanced and made a furious onslaught on the
Federal front. Before this attack, the divisions first encountered
gave way in confusion, and it seemed that the Confederate commander,
at a single blow, was about to extricate himself from his embarrassing
situation. The force opposed to him, however, was too great, and he
found himself unable to encounter it in the open field. He therefore
fell back to his works, and the fighting ceased, only to be renewed,
however, at Five Forks. This had been seized by the cavalry of General
Sheridan, and, as the point was one of importance, Lee detached a
small body of infantry to drive away the Federal horse. This was done
without difficulty, and the Confederate infantry then advanced toward
Dinwiddie Court-House; but late at night it was withdrawn, and the
day's fighting ended.

On the next day, the 1st of April, a more determined struggle ensued,
for the possession of Five Forks, where Lee had stationed the small
remnants of the divisions of Pickett and Johnson. These made a brave
resistance, but were wholly unable to stand before the force brought
against them. They maintained their ground as long as possible, but
were finally broken to pieces and scattered in confusion, the whole
right of the Confederate line and the Southside Road falling into the
hands of the enemy.

[Illustration: Lee at Petersburg]

This was virtually the end of the contest, but General Grant, it would
appear, deemed it inexpedient to venture any thing. So thinly manned
were the lines in front of Petersburg, in the absence of Longstreet
north of James River, and the troops sent beyond Hatcher's Run, that
on the 1st of April the Federal commander might have broken through
the works at almost any point. He elected to wait, however, until the
following day, thereby running the risk of awaking to find that Lee
had retreated.

At dawn on the 2d the long struggle ended. The Federal forces advanced
all along the Confederate front, made a furious attack, and, breaking
through in front of the city, carried all before them. The forts,
especially Fort Gregg, made a gallant resistance. This work was
defended by the two hundred and fifty men of Harris's Mississippi
Brigade, and these fought until their numbers were reduced to thirty,
killing or wounding five hundred of the assailants. The fort was taken
at