20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment: Battle of Five Forks

Report of Lieut. Col. Walter G. Morrill, Twentieth Maine Infantry.

HDQRS. TWENTIETH MAINE VOLUNTEERS,
April 14, 1865.
CAPT.: I have the honor to report the operations of the Twentieth
Maine Volunteers and First Michigan Volunteers, which were under my
immediate command during the engagement at the Five Forks on April 1, 1865.

At 3 p.m. we were formed for a charge, my command being in the
third line; in this order we advanced three-quarters of a mile and halted.
Gen. Bartlett ordered me to move my command by the left flank
some half a mile; halted and fronted. Were ordered by him to charge the
enemy on his flank, which I immediately did; carried the enemy's
works, capturing a large number of prisoners and the battle-flag of the
Ninth Virginia Regt. After doing this the enemy began to press us
very hard on the right flank, and I sent Brevet Maj. Clark to report to
Gen. Bartlett the state of affairs. The enemy still continued to press
us very hard, and we were losing men very fast. I also sent Capt.
Sidelinger to Gen. Bartlett, and he immediately ordered a regiment
in on our right, which relieved us at once, and, more troops coming up,
the enemy began to fall back, and we continued to press him for the
next three miles, when we gave up the pursuit and came back to the
breast-works and bivouacked for the night.

In justice to all under my command, I have only to say that every
officer and man did his duty well and faithfully; there was no skulking,
and every one was in his place.

The loss of the First Michigan I am not able to report. The loss in the
Twentieth Maine was 7 killed and 23 wounded.

Respectfully, yours,

WALTER G. MORRILL,
Lieut.-Col., Cmdg. Twentieth Maine Volunteers.

Capt. WILLIAM FOWLER,
Asst. Adjt. Gen., First Division, Fifth Army Corps.