Henry Wilson Storey's History of Cambria County, V.II, p.360

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History of Cambria County, V.2

360 HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.

Five Forks is 6 miles north of Dinwiddie Court House and 8 miles southwest of Petersburg. West, along the South Side Railroad to Sutherland Station, 10 miles; Ford's Depot, 18, and Wilson's Station, 25. Northwest, and south of the Appomattox river; Amelia Court House, 31 miles; Jetersville, 38; Deatonville, 43; Rice's Station, 48; Sailor's Creek and High Bridge, 53, and Farmville, 58 miles; then to Appomattox, where the surrender took place, 77 miles.
    The Jerusalem plank road and the Nottoway river run southeast. The Petersburg and Weldon Railroad and the Halifax road run south. The Boydton plank road takes a southwesterly course. The South Side Railroad runs west, and the Appomattox river, Gravelly Run and Hatcher's Run flow in a westerly direction.
    It was necessary for Grant to establish a base of supplies where there would be the least interference with his communications with the north. He controlled the James river from the Bay to Bermuda Hundred, where Gen. Butler's army was stationed, on the south side of that river. City Point is at the junction of the James and Appomattox rivers, seventeen miles southeast of Richmond and nine miles northeast of Petersburg. Therefore, all things being considered Gen. Grant concluded that City Point should be his base from which to operate the army.
    The advance of Grant's army started from Cold Harbor on June 12 and crossed the James river southeast of Richmond at Wilcox's Landing; his entire army having crossed were in the rear of Bermuda Hundred by midnight of June 16. Grant was then for the first time between Richmond and Lee's army. On June 15, Gen. W. F. Smith, with his 18th Corps, of which Capt. Fox's and Capt. Metzger's companies of the 55th Regiment, and Capt. Skelly's, of the 11th Cavalry, were a part, made an effort to capture Petersburg, but failed because of a misunderstanding among the corps commanders in following Grant's orders to send Smith reinforcements, which did not arrive in time.
    It was in this assault of Smith's corps that Lieut. Emory Fisher, of Johnstown, was mortally wounded on the evening of the 15th, and died the next morning. Sergeant Emory Fisher was a member of Capt. Suter's Company A, of the 54th Regiment, and when the government decided to recruit and arm colored soldiers with white officers, it selected Sergeant

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360	HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
Five Forks is 6 miles north of Dinwiddie Court House and 8 miles southwest of Petersburg. West, along the South Side Railroad to Sutherland Station, 10 miles; Ford's Depot, 18, and Wilson's Station, 25. Northwest, and south of the Appomattox river; Amelia Court House, 31 miles; Jetersville, 38; Deatonville, 43; Rice's Station, 48; Sailor's Creek and High Bridge, 53, and Farmville, 58 miles; then to Appomattox, where the surrender took place, 77 miles. The Jerusalem plank road and the Nottoway river run southeast. The Petersburg and Weldon Railroad and the Halifax road run south. The Boydton plank road takes a southwesterly course. The South Side Railroad runs west, and the Appomattox river, Gravelly Run and Hatcher's Run flow in a westerly direction. It was necessary for Grant to establish a base of supplies where there would be the least interference with his communications with the north. He controlled the James river from the Bay to Bermuda Hundred, where Gen. Butler's army was stationed, on the south side of that river. City Point is at the junction of the James and Appomattox rivers, seventeen miles southeast of Richmond and nine miles northeast of Petersburg. Therefore, all things being considered Gen. Grant concluded that City Point should be his base from which to operate the army. The advance of Grant's army started from Cold Harbor on June 12 and crossed the James river southeast of Richmond at Wilcox's Landing; his entire army having crossed were in the rear of Bermuda Hundred by midnight of June 16. Grant was then for the first time between Richmond and Lee's army. On June 15, Gen. W. F. Smith, with his 18th Corps, of which Capt. Fox's and Capt. Metzger's companies of the 55th Regiment, and Capt. Skelly's, of the 11th Cavalry, were a part, made an effort to capture Petersburg, but failed because of a misunderstanding among the corps commanders in following Grant's orders to send Smith reinforcements, which did not arrive in time. It was in this assault of Smith's corps that Lieut. Emory Fisher, of Johnstown, was mortally wounded on the evening of the 15th, and died the next morning. Sergeant Emory Fisher was a member of Capt. Suter's Company A, of the 54th Regiment, and when the government decided to recruit and arm colored soldiers with white officers, it selected Sergeant