personal memoirs-1-第47章

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fully　appreciated　this。　　My　uneasiness　increased　as　the　day　grew

late；　for　I　had　learned　from　prisoners　that　the　balance　of　Hoke's

division　was　en　route　to　Cold　Harbor；　and　Kershaw　near　at　hand；

interposing　between　the　Union　left　near　Bethesda　Church　and　my

position。　　In　view　of　this　state　of　affairs；　I　notified　General　Meade

that　I　had　taken　Cold　Harbor；　but　could　not　with　safety　to　my　command

hold　it；　and　forthwith　gave　directions　to　withdraw　during　the　night。

The　last　of　my　troops　had　scarcely　pulled　out；　however；　when　I

received　a　despatch　from　Meade　directing　me　to　hold　Cold　Harbor　at

every　hazard。　　General　Grant　had　expected　that　a　severe　battle　would

have　to　be　fought　before　we　could　obtain　possession　of　the　place；　and

its　capture　by　our　cavalry　not　being　anticipated；　no　preparation　had

been　made　for　its　permanent　occupancy。　　No　time　was　to　be　lost；

therefore；　if　the　advantages　which　possession　of　Cold　Harbor　gave　us

were　to　be　improved；　so　at　the　same　hour　that　Meade　ordered　me　to

hold　the　place　at　all　hazards　the　Sixth　Corps　was　started　on　a　forced

march；　by　Grant's　directions；　to　aid　in　that　object；　and　on　arrival

to　relieve　my　cavalry。



The　moment　Meade's　order　was　received；　I　directed　a　reoccupation　of

Cold　Harbor；　and　although　a　large　portion　of　Torbert's　command　was

already　well　on　its　way　back　to　the　line　we　held　on　the　morning　of

the　31st；　this　force　speedily　retraced　its　steps；　and　re…entered　the

place　before　daylight；　both　our　departure　and　return　having　been

effected　without　the　enemy　being　aware　of　our　movements。　　We　now

found　that　the　temporary　breastworks　of　rails　and　logs　which　the

Confederates　had　built　were　of　incalculable　benefit　to　us　in

furnishing　material　with　which　to　establish　a　line　of　defense；　they

being　made　available　by　simply　reversing　them　at　some　points；　or　at

others　wholly　reconstructing　them　to　suit　the　circumstances　of　the

ground：　The　troops；　without　reserves；　were　then　placed　behind　our

cover　dismounted；　boxes　of　ammunition　distributed　along　the　line；　and

the　order　passed　along　that　the　place　must　be　held。　　All　this　was

done　in　the　darkness；　and　while　we　were　working　away　at　our　cover　the

enemy　could　be　distinctly　heard　from　our　skirmish…line　giving

commands　and　making　preparations　to　attack。



Just　after　daylight　on　the　1st　of　June　the　Confederate　infantry　under

General　Kershaw　endeavored　to　drive　us　out；　advancing　against　my

right　from　the　Bethesda　Church　road。　　In　his　assault　he　was　permitted

to　come　close　up　to　our　works；　and　when　within　short　range　such　afire

was　opened　on　him　from　our　horse…artillery　and　repeating　carbines

that　he　recoiled　in　confusion　after　the　first　onset；　still；　he　seemed

determined　to　get　the　place；　and　after　reorganizing；　again　attacked；

but　the　lesson　of　the　first　repulse　was　not　without　effect；　and　his

feeble　effort　proved　wholly　fruitless。　　After　his　second　failure　we

were　left　undisturbed；　and　at　9　A。M。　I　sent　the　following　despatch　to

army　headquarters：



〃HEADQUARTERS　CAVALRY　CORPS；

〃ARMY　OF　THE　POTOMAC。

〃Cold　Harbor；　Va。；　June　1；　18649　A。M。



〃MAJOR…GENERAL　HUMPHREYS；

〃Chief…of…Staff。



〃GENERAL：　In　obedience　to　your　instructions　I　am　holding　Cold　Harbor。

I　have　captured　this　morning　more　prisoners；　they　belong　to　three

different　infantry　brigades。　　The　enemy　assaulted　the　right　of　my

lines　this　morning；　but　were　handsomely　repulsed。　　I　have　been　very

apprehensive；　but　General　Wright　is　now　coming　up。　　I　built　slight

works　for　my　men；　the　enemy　came　up　to　them；　and　were　driven　back。

General　Wright　has　just　arrived。



〃P。　H。　SHERIDAN；

〃Major…General　Commanding。〃





About　10　o'clock　in　the　morning　the　Sixth　Corps　relieved　Torbert　and

Davies；　having　marched　all　night；　and　these　two　generals　moving　out

toward　the　Chickahominy　covered　the　left　of　the　infantry　line　till

Hancock's　corps　took　their　place　in　the　afternoon。　　By　this　time

Gregg　had　joined　me　with　his　two　brigades；　and　both　Torbert　and　Gregg

were　now　marched　to　Prospect　Church；　from　which　point　I　moved　them　to

a　position　on　the　north　side　of　the　Chickahominy　at　Bottom's　bridge。

Here　the　enemy's　cavalry　confronted　us；　occupying　the　south　bank　of

the　stream；　with　artillery　in　position　at　the　fords　prepared　to

dispute　our　passage；　but　it　was　not　intended　that　we　should　cross；　so

Gregg　and　Torbert　lay　quiet　in　camp　at　Bottom's　bridge　and　at　Old

Church　without　noteworthy　event　until　the　6th　of　June。



As　before　related；　Wilson's　division　struck　the　enemy's　infantry　as

well　as　W。　H。　F。　Lee's　cavalry　near　Ashland　on　the　1st　of　June；　and

although　Chapman　destroyed　the　bridges　over　the　South　Anna；　which　was

his　part　of　the　programme；　Wilson　found　it　necessary　to　return　to

Price's　Store。　　From　this　point　he　continued　to　cover　the　right　of

the　Army　of　the　Potomac；　on　the　2d　of　June　driving　the　rear…guard　of

the　enemy　from　Hawe's　Shop；　the　scene　of　the　battle　of　May　28。　　The

same　day　he　crossed　Tolopotomy　Creek；　and　passed　around　the　enemy's

left　flank　so　far　that　Lee　thought　his　left　was　turned　by　a　strong

force；　and　under　cover　of　darkness　withdrew　from　a　menacing　position

which　he　was　holding　in　front　of　the　Ninth　Corps。　　This　successful

manoeuvre　completed；　Wilson　returned　to　Hawe's　Shop；　and　on　the　4th

went　into　camp　at　New　Castle　ferry；　in　anticipation　of　certain

operations　of　the　Cavalry　Corps；　which　were　to　take　place　while　the

Army　of　the　Potomac　was　crossing　to　the　south　side　of　the　James。









CHAPTER　XXI。



THE　MOVEMENT　TO　THE　JAMESTHE　SECOND　EXPEDITIONBATTLE　OF

TREVILLIAN　STATIONDEFEAT　OF　GENERAL　WADE　HAMPTONMALLORY'S

CROSSROADSSUFFERING　OF　THE　WOUNDEDSECURING　THE　TRAINSGENERAL

GREGG'S　STUBBORN　FIGHT。



By　the　6th　of　June　General　Grant　again　determined　to　continue　the

movement　of　the　army　by　its　left　flank　to　the　south　bank　of　the　James

River；　his　unsuccessful　attack　on　the　enemy's　works　near　Cold　Harbor

having　demonstrated　that　Lee's　position　north　of　the　Chickahominy

could　not　be　carried　by　assault　with　results　that　would　compensate

for　the　enormous　loss　of　life　which　must　follow；　therefore　a　further

attempt　to　fight　a　decisive　battle　north　of　Richmond　was　abandoned。

In　carrying　the　army　to　the　James　River　the　hazardous　manoeuvres

would　be　hampered　by　many　obstacles；　such　as　the　thick　timber；

underbrush；　and　troublesome　swamps　to　be　met　in　crossing　the

Chickahominy。　　Besides；　Lee　held　an　interior　line；　from　which　all　the

direct　roads　to　Richmond　could　be　covered　with　his　infantry；　leaving

his　cavalry　free　to　confront　our　advance　on　the　south　bank　of　the

Chickahominy　as　far　down　as　Jones's　bridge；　and　thence　around　to

Charles　City　Court　House。　　In　view　of　these　difficulties　it　became

necessary　to　draw　off　the　bulk　of　the　enemy's　cavalry　while　the

movement　to　the　James　was　in　process　of　execution；　and　General　Meade

determined　to　do　this　by　requiring　me　to　proceed　with　two　divisions

as　far　as　Charlottesville　to　destroy　the　railroad　bridge　over　the

Rivanna　River　near　that　town；　the　railroad　itself　from　the　Rivanna　to

Gordonsville；　and；　if　practicable；　from　Gordonsville　back　toward

Hanover　Junction　also。





〃HEADQUARTERS　ARMY　OF　THE　POTOMAC；

〃June　5；　1864。　　3。30　P。　M。



〃MAJOR…GENERAL　SHERIDAN；　Commanding　Cavalry　Corps。



〃I　am　directed　by　the　major…general　commanding　to　furnish　the

following　instructions　for　your　guidance　in　the　execution　of　the　duty

referred　to　in　the　order　for　movements　and　changes　of　position　to…

night；　a　copy　of　which　order　accompanies　this　communication。



〃With　two　divisions　of　your　corps　you　will　move　on　the　morning　of　the

7th　instant　to　Charlottesville　and　destroy　the　railroad　bridge　over

the　Rivanna　near　that　town；　you　will　then　thoroughly　destroy　the

railroad　from　that　point　to　Gordonsville；　and　from　Gordonsville

toward　Hanover　Junction；　and　to　the　latter　point；　if　practicable。

The　chief　engineer；　Major　Duane；　will　furnish　you　a　canvas　pontoon…

train　of　eight　boats。　　The　chief　quartermaster　will　supply　you　with

such　tools；　implements；　and　materials　as　you　may　require　for　the

destruction　of　the　road。　　Upon　the　completion　of　this　duty　you　will

rejoin　this　army。



〃A。　HUMPHREYS；

〃Major…General；　Chief…of…Staff。〃





After　Meade's　instructions　reached　me　they　were　somewhat　modified　by

General　Grant；　who　on　the　same　evening　had　received　information　that

General　Hunter；　commanding　the　troops　in　West　Virginia；　had　reached

Staunton　and　engaged　with　advantage　the　Confederate　commander；

General　Jones；　near　that　place。　　General　Grant　informed　me　orally

that　he　had　directed　Hunter　to　advance　as　far　as　Charlottesville；

that　he　expected　me　to　unite　with　him　there；　and　that　the　two

commands；　after　destroying　the　James　River　canal　and　the　Virginia

Central　road；　were　to　join　the　Army　of　the　Potomac　in　the　manner

contemplated　in　my　instructions　from　General　Meade；　and　that　in　view

of　what　was　anticipated；　it　would　be　well　to　break　up　as　much　of　the

railroad　as　possible　on　my　way　westward。　　A　copy　of　his　letter　to

Hunter　comprised　my　written　instructions。　　A　junction　with　this

general　was　not　contemplated　when　the　expedition　was　first　conceived；

but　became　an　important　though　not　the　paramount　object　after　the

reception　of　the　later　information。　　The　diversion　of　the　enemy's

cavalry　from　the　south　side　of　the　Chickahominy　was　its　main　purpose；

for　in　the　presence　of　such　a　force　as　Lee's　contracted　lines　would

now　permit　him　to　concentrate　behind　the　Chickahominy；　the

difficulties　of　crossing　that　stream　would　be　largely　increased　if　he

also　had　at　hand　a　strong　body　of　horse；　to　gain　the　time　necessary

for　him　to　oppose　the　movement　at　the　different　crossings　with　masses

of　his　infantry。



The　order　calling　for　two　divisions　for　the　expedition；　I　decided　to

take　Gregg's　and　Torbert's；　leaving　Wilson's　behind　to　continue　with

the　infantry　in　its　march　to　the　James　and　to　receive　instructions

directly　from；　the　headquarters　of　the　army。　　All　my　dismounted　men

had　been　sent　to　the　White　House　some　days　before；　and　they　were

directed　to　report　to　Wilson　as　they　could　be　provided　with　mounts。







〃COLD　HARBOR；　VA。；　June　6；　1964。



〃MAJOR…GENERAL　D。　HUNTER；　Commanding　Dept　West　Virginia。



〃General　Sheridan　leaves　here　to…morrow　morning　with　instructions　to

proceed　to　Charlottesville；　Va。；　and　to　commence　there　the

destruction　of　the　Virginia　Central　railroad；　destroying　this　way　as

much　as　possible。　　The　complete　destruction　of　this　road　and　of　the

canal　on　James　River　is　of　great　importance　to　us。　　According　to　the

instructions　I　sent　to　General　Halleck　for　your　guidance；　you　will

proceed　to　Lynchburg　and　commence　there。　　It　would　be　of　great　value

to　us　to　get　possession　of　Lynchburg　for　a　single　day。　　But　that

point　is　of　so　much　importance　to　the　enemy；　that　in　attempting　to

get　it　such　resistance　may　be　met　as　to　defeat　your　getting