March 17?1903

Capt A.S. Perham
905 Westminster
Washington DC
Dear Sir

One fact, which to my mind was the largest factor in the whole affair, is made but little of, viz, The character of the country. The ground is much cut up by ravines, the borders of which were almost impossible by reason of soft ground, and a net work of shrubs and vines. Hatcher’s run was fordable only in a few places, these cannot easily be found by a stranger as they were little used. The undergrowth was very thick with occasional clearings.
Our force knew but little of the ground and only of that near the roads. The cavalry had been over it March 30 and 31st – but of course they did not go outside of the traveled ways. Picketts (end of page). returned to five Forks only on the morning of the first and their testimony is that they were not molested while they were intrenching their line, so when the advance was ordered. we were in ignorance of the location and extent of their line. As our line moved out from Graveley run church across White Oak Road its first greeting from the Confederates was the valley on Ayre’s left flank. It was here that General Winthrop was killed, and it was this want of knowledge of the position of the return they gave Warren the greatest concern, and it was to meet this that his supreme effort was made, and because of his absence from this part of the line Sheridan assumed that he was not in the fighting. But I am trying to tell you what you know all about. The trouble is that when I get this subject,, I don’t know I do not know when to stop

very truly
J.P. Cotton