The enemy fell back to Sutherland Station on the South Side Road and were followed by Miles.
This position, naturally a strong and defensible one, was also strongly intrenched.

Sheridan now came up and Miles asked permission from him to make the assault, which Sheridan gave.

By this time Humphreys had got through the outer works in his front, and came up also and assumed command over Miles, who commanded a division in his corps.

I had sent an order to Humphreys to turn to his right and move towards Petersburg.
This order he now got, and started off, thus leaving Miles alone.

The latter made two assaults, both of which failed, and he had to fall back a few hundred yards.
Hearing that Miles had been left in this position, I directed Humphreys to send a division back to his relief.