personal memoirs-1-第45章

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waiting　for　the　pontoons　I　ordered　Custer　to　proceed　with　his　brigade

to　Hanover　Station；　to　destroy　the　railroad　bridge　over　the　South

Anna；　a　little　beyond　that　place；　at　the　same　time　I　sent　Gregg　and

Wilson　to　Cold　Harbor；　to　demonstrate　in　the　direction　of　Richmond　as

far　as　Mechanicsville；　so　as　to　cover　Custer's　movements。　　Merritt；

with　the　remaining　brigades　of　his　division；　holding　fast　at

Baltimore　crossroads　to　await　events。



After　Gregg　and　Custer　had　gone；　it　was　discovered　that　the　railroad

bridge　over　the　Pamunkey；　near　the　White　House；　had　been　destroyed

but　partiallythe　cross…ties　and　stringers　being　burned　in　places

onlyand　that　it　was　practicable　to　repair　it　sufficiently　to　carry

us　over。　　In　view　of　this　information　General　Merritt's　two　brigades

were　at　once　put　on　the　duty　of　reconstructing　the　bridge。　　By

sending　mounted　parties　through　the　surrounding　country；　each　man　of

which　would　bring　in　a　board　or　a　plank；　Merritt　soon　accumulated

enough　lumber　for　the　flooring；　and　in　one　day　the　bridge　was　made

practicable。　　On　the　22d　Gregg；　Wilson；　and　Custer　returned。　　The

latter　had　gone　on　his　expedition　as　far　as　Hanover　Station；

destroyed　some　commissary　stores　there；　and　burned　two　trestle

bridges　over　Hanover　Creek。　　This　done；　he　deemed　it　prudent　to

retire　to　Hanovertown。　　The　next　morning　he　again　marched　to　Hanover

Station；　and　there　ascertained　that　a　strong　force　of　the　enemy；

consisting　of　infantry；　cavalry；　and　artillery；　was　posted　at　the

South　Anna　bridges。　　These　troops　had　gone　there　from　Richmond　en

route　to　reinforce　Lee。　　In　the　face　of　this　impediment　Custer's

mission　could　not　be　executed　fully；　so　he　returned　to　Baltimore

crossroads。



The　whole　command　was　drawn　in　by　noon　of　the　22d；　and　that　day　it

crossed　the　Pamunkey　by　Merritt's　reconstructed　bridge；　marching　to

Ayletts；　on　the　Mattapony　River；　the　same　night。　　Here　I　learned　from

citizens；　and　from　prisoners　taken　during　the　day　by　scouting　parties

sent　toward　Hanover　Court　House；　that　Lee　had　been；　forced　from　his

position　near　Spottsylvania　Court　House　and　compelled　to　retire　to

the　line　of　the　North　Anna。　　I　then　determined　to　rejoin　the　Army　of

the　Potomac　at　the　earliest　moment；　which　I　did　by　making　for

Chesterfield　Station；　where　I　reported　to　General　Meade　on　the　24th

of　May。



Our　return　to　Chesterfield　ended　the　first　independent　expedition　the

Cavalry　Corps　had　undertaken　since　coming　under　my　command；　and　our

success　was　commended　highly　by　Generals　Grant　and　Meade；　both

realizing　that　our　operations　in　the　rear　of　Lee　had　disconcerted　and

alarmed　that　general　so　much　as　to　aid　materially　in　forcing　his

retrograde　march；　and　both　acknowledged　that；　by　drawing　off　the

enemy's　cavalry　during　the　past　fortnight；　we　had　enabled　them　to

move　the　Army　of　the　Potomac　and　its　enormous　trains　without

molestation　in　the　manoeuvres　that　had　carried　it　to　the　North　Anna。

Then；　too；　great　quantities　of　provisions　and　munitions　of　war　had

been　destroyedstores　that　the　enemy　had　accumulated　at　sub…depots

from　strained　resources　and　by　difficult　means；　the　railroads　that

connected　Lee　with　Richmond　broken；　the　most　successful　cavalry

leader　of　the　South　killed；　and　in　addition　to　all　this　there　had

been　inflicted　on　the　Confederate　mounted　troops　the　most　thorough

defeat　that　had　yet　befallen　them　in　Virginia。



When　the　expedition　set　out　the　Confederate　authorities　in　Richmond

were　impressed；　and　indeed　convinced；　that　my　designs　contemplated

the　capture　of　that　city；　and　notwithstanding　the　loss　they　sustained

in　the　defeat　and　death　of　Stuart；　and　their　repulse　the　succeeding

day；　they　drew　much　comfort　from　the　fact　that　I　had　not　entered

their　capital。　　Some　Confederate　writers　have　continued　to　hold　this

theory　and　conviction　since　the　war。　　In　this　view　they　were　and　are

in　error。　　When　Stuart　was　defeated　the　main　purpose　of　my

instructions　had　been　carried　out；　and　my　thoughts　then　turned　to

joining　General　Butler　to　get　supplies。　　I　believed　that　I　could　do

this　by　cutting　across　to　the　Mechanicsville　pike　and　Fair　Oaks　on

the　south　side　of　the　Chickahominy；　but　the　failure　of　Wilson's

column　to　get　possession　of　the　outwork　which　commanded　the　pike

necessitated　my　crossing　at　Meadow　bridge；　and　then　moving　by

Mechanicsville　and　Gaines's　Mills　instead　of　by　the　shorter　route。

Moreover；　my　information　regarding　General　Butler's　position　was

incorrect；　so　that　even　had　I　been　successful　in　getting　to　Fair　Oaks

by　the　direct　road　I　should　still　have　gained　nothing　thereby；　for　I

should　still　have　been　obliged　to　continue　down　the　James　River　to

Haxall's。









CHAPTER　XX。



GENERAL　WILSON'S　ADVANCE　TOWARD　HANOVER　COURT　HOUSECROSSING　THE

PAMUNKEYENGAGEMENT　OF　HAWE'S　SHOPFIGHT　AT　MATADEQUIN　CREEK

CAPTURE　OF　COLD　HARBORTHE　FIGHT　TO　RETAIN　THE　PLACEMOVEMENTS　OF

GENERAL　WILSON。



When　I　rejoined　the　Army　of　the　Potomac；　near　Chesterfield　Station；

the　heavy　battles　around　Spottsylvania　had　been　fought；　and　the

complicated　manoeuvres　by　which　the　whole　Union　force　was　swung

across　the　North　Anna　were　in　process　of　execution。　　In　conjunction

with　these　manoeuvres　Wilson's　division　was　sent　to　the　right　flank

of　the　army；　where　he　made　a　reconnoissance　south　of　the　North　Anna

as　far　as　Little　River；　crossing　the　former　stream　near　Jericho

Mills。　　Wilson　was　to　operate　from　day　to　day　on　that　flank　as　it

swung　to　the　south；　covering　to　New　Castle　ferry　each　advance　of　the

infantry　and　the　fords　left　behind　on　the　march。　　From　the　26th　to

the　30th　these　duties　kept　Wilson　constantly　occupied；　and　also

necessitated　a　considerable　dispersion　of　his　force；　but　by　the　31st

he　was　enabled　to　get　all　his　division　together　again；　and　crossing

to　the　south　side　of　the　Pamunkey　at　New　Castle　ferry；　he　advanced

toward　Hanover　Court　House。　　Near　Dr　Pride's　house　he　encountered　a

division　of　the　enemy's　cavalry　under　General　W。　H。　F。　Lee；　and　drove

it　back　across　Mechamp's　Creek；　thus　opening　communication　with　the

right　of　our　infantry　resting　near　Phillips's　Mills。　　Just　as　this

had　been　done；　a　little　before　dark；　Wilson　received　an　order　from

General　Meade　directing　him　to　push　on　toward　Richmond　until　he

encountered　the　Confederates　in　such　strength　that　he　could　no　longer

successfully　contend　against　them；　and　in　compliance　with　this　order

occupied　Hanover　Court　House　that　same　day。　　Resuming　his　march　at

daylight　on　June　1；　he　went　ahead　on　the　Ashland　road　while　sending

Chapman's　brigade　up　the　south　bank　of　the　South　Anna　to　destroy　the

bridges　on　that　stream。　　Chapman　having　succeeded　in　this　work；

Wilson　re…united　his　whole　command　and　endeavored　to　hold　Ashland；

but　finding　the　Confederate　cavalry　and　infantry　there　in　strong

force；　he　was　obliged　to　withdraw　to　Dr。　Price's　house。　　Here　he

learned　that　the　army　had　gone　to　the　left　toward　Cold　Harbor；　so　on

the　2d　of　June　he　moved　to　Hawe's　Shop。



While　Wilson　was　operating　thus　on　the　right；　I　had　to　cover　with

Gregg's　and　Torbert's　divisions　the　crossing　of　the　army　over　the

Pamunkey　River　at　and　near　Hanovertown。　　Torbert　having　recovered

from　the　illness　which　overtook　him　in　the　Wilderness；　had　now

returned　to　duty。　　The　march　to　turn　the　enemy's　right　began　on　the

26th。　　Torbert　and　Gregg　in　advance；　to　secure　the　crossings　of　the

Pamunkey　and　demonstrate　in　such　manner　as　to　deceive　the　enemy　as

much　as　possible　in　the　movement；　the　two　cavalry　divisions　being

supported　by　General　D。　A。　Russell's　division　of　the　Sixth　Corps。



To　attain　this　end　in　the　presence　of　an　ever…watchful　foe　who　had

just　recently　been　reinforced　in　considerable　numbers　from　Richmond

and　further　southalmost　enough　to　make　up　the　losses　he　had

sustained　in　the　Wilderness　and　at　Spottsylvaniarequired　the　most

vigorous　and　zealous　work　on　the　part　of　those　to　whom　had　been

allotted　the　task　of　carrying　out　the　initial　manoeuvres。　　Torbert

started　for　Taylor's　ford　on　the　Pamunkey　with　directions　to

demonstrate　heavily　at　that　point　till　after　dark；　as　if　the　crossing

was　to　be　made　there；　and　having　thus　impressed　the　enemy；　he　was　to

leave　a　small　guard；　withdraw　quietly；　and　march　to　Hanovertown　ford；

where　the　real　crossing　was　to　be　effected。　　Meanwhile　Gregg　marched

to　Littlepage's　crossing　of　the　Pamunkey；　with　instructions　to　make

feints　in　the　same　manner　as　Torbert　until　after　dark；　when　he　was　to

retire　discreetly；　leaving　a　small　force　to　keep　up　the

demonstration；　and　then　march　rapidly　to　Hanovertown　crossing；　taking

with　him　the　pontoon…bridge。



At　the　proper　hour　Russell　took　up　the　march　and　followed　the

cavalry。　　The　troops　were　in　motion　all　night；　undergoing　the　usual

delays　incident　to　night　marches；　and；　early　on　the　morning　of　the

27th　the　crossing　was　made；　Custer's　brigade　of　Torbert's　division

driving　from　the　ford　about　one　hundred　of　the　enemy's　cavalry；　and

capturing　between　thirty　and　forty　prisoners。　　The　remainder　of

Torbert's　division　followed　this　brigade　and　advanced　to　Hanovertown；

where　General　Gordon's　brigade　of　Confederate　cavalry　was　met。

Torbert　attacked　this　force　with　Devin's　brigade；　while　he　sent

Custer　to　Hawe's　Shop；　from　which　point　a　road　leading　to　the　right

was　taken　that　brought　him　in　rear　of　the　enemy's　cavalry；　when　the

Confederates　discovered　this　manoeuvre；　they　retired　in　the　direction

of　Hanover　Court　House。　　Pursuit　continued　as　far　as　a　little　stream

called　Crump's　Creek；　and　here　Torbert　was　halted；　Gregg　moving　up　on

his　line　meanwhile；　and　Russell　encamping　near　the　crossing　of　the

river。　　This　completed　our　task　of　gaining　a　foothold　south　of　the

Pamunkey；　and　on　the　28th　the　main　army　crossed　unharassed　and　took

up　a　position　behind　my　line；　extending　south　from　the　river；　with

the　Sixth　Corps　on　the　right　across　the　Hanover　Court　House　road　at

Crump's　Creek；　the　Second　Corps　on　the　left　of　the　Sixth；　and　the

Fifth　Corps　about　two　miles　in　front　of　Hanovertown；　its　left

extending　to　the　Tolopotomy。



There　was　now　much　uncertainty　in　General　Grant's　mind　as　to　the

enemy's　whereabouts；　and　there　were　received　daily　the　most

conflicting　statements　as　to　the　nature　of　Lee's　movements。　　It

became　necessary；　therefore；　to　find　out　by　an　actual　demonstration

what　Lee　was　doing；　and　I　was　required　to　reconnoitre　in　the

direction　of　Mechanicsville。　　For　this　purpose　I　moved　Gregg's

division　out　toward　this　town　by　way　of　Hawe's　Shop；　and　when　it　had

gone　about　three…fourths　of　a　mile　beyond　the　Shop　the　enemy's

cavalry　was　discovered　dismounted　and　disposed　behind　a　temporary

breastwork　of　rails　and　logs。



This　was　the　first　occasion　on　which；　since　the　battle　of　Yellow

Tavern；　the　Confederate　troopers　had　confronted　us　in　large　numbers；

their　mounted　operations；　like　ours；　having　been　dependent　more　or

less　on　the　conditions　that　g