personal memoirs-1-第46章

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

less　on　the　conditions　that　grew　out　of　the　movements　in　which　Lee's

infantry　had　been　engaged　since　the　14th　of　May。



On　that　date　General　Lee　had　foreshadowed　his　intention　of　using　his

cavalry　in　connection　with　the　manoeuvres　of　his　infantry　by　issuing

an　order　himself；　now　that　Stuart　was　dead；　directing　that　the　〃three

divisions　of　cavalry　serving　with　the　army　＇Lee's＇　will　constitute

separate　commands；　and　will　report　directly　to　and　receive　orders

from　the　headquarters　of　the　army。〃　　The　order　indicates　that　since

Stuart's　death　the　Confederate　cavalry　had　been　re…organized　into

three　divisions；　that　were　commanded　respectively　by　General　Wade

Hampton；　General　Fitzhugh　Lee；　and　General　W。　H。　F。　Lee；　the

additional　division　organization　undoubtedly　growing　out　of　the　fact；

that　General　M。　C。　Butler's　brigade　of　about　four　thousand　men　had

joined　recently　from　South　Carolina。



When　this　force　developed　in　Gregg's　front；　he　attacked　the　moment

his　troops　could　be　dismounted；　and　the　contest　became　one　of

exceeding　stubborness；　for　he　found　confronting　him　Hampton's　and

Fitzhugh　Lee's　divisions；　supported　by　what　we　then　supposed　to　be　a

brigade　of　infantry；　but　which；　it　has　since　been　ascertained；　was

Butler's　brigade　of　mounted　troops；　part　of　them　armed　with　long…

range　rifles。　　The　contest　between　the　opposing　forces　was　of　the

severest　character　and　continued　till　late　in　the　evening。　　The

varying　phases　of　the　fight　prompted　me　to　reinforce　Gregg　as　much　as

possible；　so　I　directed　Custer's　brigade　to　report　to　him；　sending；

meanwhile；　for　the　other　two　brigades　of　Torbert；　but　these　were　not

available　at　the　timeon　account　of　delays　which　occurred　in

relieving　them　from　the　line　at　Crump's　Creekand　did　not　get　up

till　the　fight　was　over。　　As　soon　as　Custer　joined　him；　Gregg

vigorously　assaulted　the　Confederate　position　along　his　whole　front；

and　notwithstanding　the　long…range　rifles　of　the　South　Carolinians；

who　were　engaging　in　their　first　severe　combat　it　appears；　and　fought

most　desperately；　he　penetrated　their　barricades　at　several　points。



The　most　determined　and　obstinate　efforts　for　success　were　now　made

on　both　sides；　as　the　position　at　Hawe's　Shop　had　become　of　very

great　importance　on　account　of　the　designs　of　both　Lee　and　Grant。

Lee　wished　to　hold　this　ground　while　he　manoeuvred　his　army　to　the

line　of　the　Tolopotomy；　where　he　could　cover　the　roads　to　Richmond；

while　Grant；　though　first　sending　me　out　merely　to　discover　by　a

strong　reconnoissance　the　movements　of　the　enemy；　saw　the　value　of

the　place　to　cover　his　new　base　at　the　White　House；　and　also　to　give

us　possession　of　a　direct　road　to　Cold　Harbor。　　Hawe's　Shop　remained

in　our　possession　finally；　for　late　in　the　evening　Custer's　brigade

was　dismounted　and　formed　in　close　column　in　rear　of　Gregg；　and　while

it　assaulted　through　an　opening　near　the　centre　of　his　line；　the

other　two　brigades　advanced　and　carried　the　temporary　works。　　The

enemy's　dead　and　many　of　his　wounded　fell　into　our　hands；　also　a

considerable　number　of　prisoners；　from　whom　we　learned　that

Longstreet's　and　Ewell's　corps　were　but　four　miles　to　the　rear。



The　battle　was　a　decidedly　severe　one；　the　loss　on　each　side　being

heavy　in　proportion　to　the　number　of　troops　engaged。　　This　fight　took

place　almost　immediately　in　front　of　our　infantry；　which；　during　the

latter　part　of　the　contest；　was　busily　occupied　in　throwing　up

intrenchments。　　Late　in　the　afternoon　I　reported　to　General　Meade　the

presence　of　the　enemy's　infantry；　and　likewise　that　Hampton's　and

Fitzhugh　Lee's　divisions　were　in　my　front　also；　and　asked；　at　the

same　time；　that　some　of　our　infantry；　which　was　near　at　hand；　be　sent

to　my　assistance。　　I　could　not　convince　Meade　that　anything　but　the

enemy's　horse　was　fighting　us；　however；　and　he　declined　to　push　out

the　foot…troops；　who　were　much　wearied　by　night　marches。　　It　has　been

ascertained　since　that　Meade's　conclusions　were　correct　in　so　far　as

they　related　to　the　enemy's　infantry；　but　the　five　cavalry　brigades

far　outnumbered　my　three；　and　it　is　to　be　regretted　that　so　much　was

risked　in　holding　a　point　that　commanded　the　roads　to　Cold　Harbor　and

Meadow　bridge；　when　there　was　at　hand　a　preponderating　number　of

Union　troops　which　might　have　been　put　into　action。　　However；　Gregg's

division　and　Custer's　brigade　were　equal　to　the　situation；　all

unaided　as　they　were　till　dark；　when　Torbert　and　Merritt　came　on　the

ground。　　The　contest　not　only　gave　us　the　crossroads；　but　also

removed　our　uncertainty　regarding　Lee's　movements；　clearly

demonstrating　that　his　army　was　retiring　by　its　right　flank；　so　that

it　might　continue　to　interpose　between　Grant　and　the　James　River；　as

well　as　cover　the　direct　route　to　Richmond。



General　Lee　reported　this　battle　to　his　Government　as　a　Confederate

victory；　but　his　despatch　was　sent　early　in　the　day；　long　before　the

fight　ended；　and　evidently　he　could　not　have　known　the　final　result

when　he　made　the　announcement；　for　the　fight　lasted　until　dark。

After　dark；　our　own　and　the　Confederate　dead　having　been　buried；　I

withdrew；　and　moving　to　the　rear　of　our　infantry；　marched　all　night

and　till　I　reached　the　vicinity　of　Old　Church；　where　I　had　been

instructed　to　keep　a　vigilant　watch　on　the　enemy　with　Gregg's　and

Torbert's　divisi6ns。　　As　soon　as　I　had　taken　position　at　Old　Church

my　pickets　were　pushed　out　in　the　direction　of　Cold　Harbor；　and　the

fact　that　the　enemy　was　holding　that　point　in　some　force　was　clearly

ascertained。　　But　our　occupation　of　Cold　Harbor　was　of　the　utmost

importance；　indeed；　it　was　absolutely　necessary　that　we　should

possess　it；　to　secure　our　communications　with　the　White　House；　as

well　as　to　cover　the　extension　of　our　line　to　the　left　toward　the

James　River。　　Roads　from　Bethesda　Church；　Old　Church；　and　the　White

House　centred　at　Cold　Harbor；　and　from　there　many　roads　diverged　also

toward　different　crossings　of　the　Chickahominy；　which　were

indispensable　to　us。



The　enemy　too　realized　the　importance　of　the　place；　for　as　soon　as　he

found　himself　compelled　to　take　up　the　line　of　the　Tolopotomy　he

threw　a　body　of　troops　into　Cold　Harbor　by　forced　marches；　and

followed　it　up　by　pushing　a　part　of　this　force　out　on　the　Old　Church

road　as　far　as　Matadequin　Creek；　where　he　established　a　line　of

battle；　arranging　the　front　of　it　parallel　to　the　road　along　the

south　bank　of　the　Pamunkey；　this　for　the　purpose　of　endangering　our

trains　as　they　moved　back　and　forth　between　the　army　and　the　White

House。



Meanwhile　I　had　occupied　Old　Church　and　pushed　pickets　down　toward

Cold　Harbor。　　The　outposts　struck　each　other　just　north　of　Matadequin

Creek；　and　a　spirited　fight　immediately　took　place。　　At　first　our

pickets　were　sorely　pressed；　but　Torbert；　who　was　already　preparing

to　make　a　reconnoissance；　lost　no　time　in　reinforcing　them　on　the

north　side　of　the　creek　with　Devin's　brigade。　　The　fight　then　became

general；　both　sides；　dismounted；　stubbornly　contesting　the　ground。

Of　the　Confederates；　General　Butler's　South　Carolinians　bore　the

brunt　of　the　fight；　and；　strongly　posted　as　they　were　on　the　south

bank　of　the　creek；　held　their　ground　with　the　same　obstinacy　they　had

previously　shown　at　Hawe's　Shop。　　Finally；　however；　Torbert　threw

Merritt's　and　Custer's　brigades　into　the　action；　and　the　enemy

retired；　we　pursuing　to　within　a　mile　and　a　half　of　Cold　Harbor　and

capturing　a　number　of　prisoners。　　Gregg's　division　took　no　part　in

the　actual　fighting；　but　remained　near　Old　Church　observing　the　roads

on　Torberts　flanks；　one　leading　toward　Bethesda　Church　on　his　right；

the　other　to　his　left　in　the　direction　of　the　White　House。　　This

latter　road　Gregg　was　particularly　instructed　to　keep　open；　so　as　to

communicate　with　General　W。　F。　Smith；　who　was　then　debarking　his

corps　at　the　White　House；　and　on　the　morning　of　the　3ist　this

general's　advance　was　covered　by　a　brigade　which　Gregg　had　sent　him

for　the　purpose。



Torbert　having　pursued　toward　Cold　Harbor　the　troops　he　fought　at

Matadequin　Creek；　had　taken　up　a　position　about　a　mile　and　a　half

from　that　place；　on　the　Old　Church　road。　　The　morning　of　the　31st　I

visited　him　to　arrange　for　his　further　advance；　intending　thus　to

anticipate　an　expected　attack　from　Fitzhugh　Lee；　who　was　being

reinforced　by　infantry。　　I　met　Torbert　at　Custer's　headquarters；　and

found　that　the　two　had　already　been　talking　over　a　scheme　to　capture

Cold　Harbor；　and　when　their　plan　was　laid　before　me　it　appeared　so

plainly　feasible　that　I　fully　endorsed　it；　at　once　giving　directions

for　its　immediate　execution；　and　ordering　Gregg　to　come　forward　to

Torbert's　support　with　such　troops　as　he　could　spare　from　the　duty

with　which　he　had　been　charged。



Torbert　moved　out　promptly；　Merritt's　brigade　first；　followed　by

Custer's；　on　the　direct　road　to　Cold　Harbor；　while　Devin's　brigade

was　detached；　and　marched　by　a　left…hand　road　that　would　bring　him　in

on　the　right　and　rear　of　the　enemy's　line；　which　was　posted　in　front

of　the　crossroads。　　Devin　was　unable　to　carry　his　part　of　the

programme　farther　than　to　reach　the　front　of　the　Confederate　right；

and　as　Merritt　came　into　position　to　the　right　of　the　Old　Church　road

Torbert　was　obliged　to　place　a　part　of　Custer's　brigade　on　Merritt's

left　so　as　to　connect　with　Devin。　　The　whole　division　was　now　in

line；　confronted　by　Fitzhugh　Lee's　cavalry；　supported　by　Clingman's

brigade　from　Hoke's　division　of　infantry；　and　from　the　Confederate

breastworks；　hastily　constructed　out　of　logs；　rails；　and　earth；　a

heavy　fire　was　already　being　poured　upon　us　that　it　seemed　impossible

to　withstand。　　None　of　Gregg's　division　had　yet　arrived；　and　so

stubborn　was　the　enemy's　resistance　that　I　began　to　doubt　our　ability

to　carry　the　place　before　reinforcements　came　up；　but　just　then

Merritt　reported　that　he　could　turn　the　enemy's　left；　and　being

directed　to　execute　his　proposition；　he　carried　it　to　a　most

successful　issue　with　the　First　and　Second　regular　cavalry。　　Just　as

these　two　regiments　passed　around　the　enemy's　left　and　attacked　his

rear；　the　remainder　of　the　division　assailed　him　in　front。　　This

manoeuvre　of　Merritt's　stampeded　the　Confederates；　and　the　defenses

falling　into　our　hands　easily；　we　pushed　ahead　on　the　Bottom's　bridge

road　three…fourths　of　a　mile　beyond　Cold　Harbor。



Cold　Harbor　was　now　mine；　but　I　was　about　nine　miles　away　from　our

nearest　infantry；　and　had　been　able　to　bring　up　only　Davies's　brigade

of　cavalry；　which　arrived　after　the　fight。　　My　isolated　position

therefore　made　me　a　little　uneasy。　　I　felt　convinced　that　the　enemy

would　attempt　to　regain　the　place；　for　it　was　of　as　much　importance

to　him　as　to　us；　and　the　presence　of　his　infantry　disclosed　that　he

fully　appreciated　this。　　My　uneasiness　increased　as　the　day　grew

late