personal memoirs-1-第48章

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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　into　the

road　or　canal　at　all。　　I　see；　in　looking　over　the　letter　to　General

Halleck　on　the　subject　of　your　instructions；　that　it　rather　indicates

that　your　route　should　be　from　Staunton　via　Charlottesville。　　If　you

have　so　understood　it；　you　will　be　doing　just　what　I　want。　　The

direction　I　would　now　give　is；　that　if　this　letter　reaches　you　in　the

valley　between　Staunton　and　Lynchburg；　you　immediately　turn　east　by

the　most　practicable　road　until　you　strike　the　Lynchburg　branch　of

the　Virginia　Central　road。　　From　there　move　eastward　along　the　line

of　the　road；　destroying　it　completely　and　thoroughly；　until　you　join

General　Sheridan。　　After　the　work　laid　out　for　General　Sheridan　and

yourself　is　thoroughly　done；　proceed　to　join　the　Army　of　the　Potomac

by　the　route　laid　out　in　General　Sheridan's　instructions。　　If　any

portion　of　your　force；　especially　your　cavalry；　is　needed　back　in

your　department；　you　are　authorized　to　send　it　back。　　If　on　receipt

of　this　you　should　be　near　to　Lynchburg　and　deem　it　practicable　to

reach　that　point；　you　will　exercise　your　judgment　about　going　there。

If　you　should　be　on　the　railroad　between　Charlottesville　and

Lynchburg；　it　may　be　practicable　to　detach　a　cavalry　force　to　destroy

the　canal。　　Lose　no　opportunity　to　destroy　the　canal。



〃U。　S。　GRANT；　Lieutenant…General。〃





Owing　to　the　hard　service　of　the　preceding　month　we　had　lost　many

horses；　so　the　number　of　dismounted　men　was　large；　and　my　strength

had　also　been　much　reduced　by　killed　and　wounded　during　the　same

period　of　activity。　　The　effective　mounted　force　of　my　two　divisions

was　therefore　much　diminished；　they　mustering　only　about　six　thousand

officers　and　men　when　concentrated　on　June　6　at　New　Castle　ferry。

Here　they　were　provided　with　three　days'　rations；　intended　to　last

five　days；　and　with　two　days'　grain　for　the　horses。　　The　rations　and

forty　rounds　of　ammunition　per　man　were　to　be　carried　on　the　persons

of　the　troopers；　the　grain　on　the　pommel　of　the　saddle；　and　the

reserve　ammunition　in　wagons。　　One　medical　wagon　and　eight　ambulances

were　also　furnished；　and　one　wagon　was　authorized　for　each　division

and　brigade　headquarters；　enough　canvas…covered　boats　for　a　small

pontoon…bridge　were　also　provided。



My　instructions　permitting　latitude　in　the　route　I　should　take；　I

decided　to　march　along　the　north　bank　of　the　North　Anna　River；　cross

that　stream　at　Carpenter's　ford；　strike　the　Virginia　Central　railroad

at　Trevillian　Station；　destroy　it　toward　Louisa　Court　House；　march

past　Gordonsville；　strike　the　railroad　again　at　Cobham's　Station；　and

destroy　it　thence　to　Charlottesville　as　we　proceeded　west。　　The

success　of　the　last　part　of　this　programme　would　of　course　depend　on

the　location　of　General　Hunter　when　I　should　arrive　in　the　region

where　it　would　be　practicable　for　us　to　communicate　with　each　other。



》From　my　camp　at　New　Castle　ferry　we　crossed　the　Pamunkey；　marched

between　Aylett's　and　Dunkirk　on　the　Mattapony　River；　and　on　the　8th

of　June　encamped　at　Polecat　Station。　　The　next　day　we　resumed　the

march　along　the　North　Annaour　advance　guard　skirmishing　with　a　few

mounted　men　of　the　enemy；　who　proved　to　be　irregularsand　bivouacked

on　Northeast　Creek；　near　Young's　Mills。　　This　day　I　learned　from　some

of　these　irregulars　whom　we　made　prisoners　that　Breckenridge's

division　of　infantry；　en　route　to　the　Shenandoah　Valley　by　way　of

Gordonsville；　was　passing　slowly　up　the　railroad　parallel　to　me；　and

that　the　enemy's　cavalry　had　left　its　position　on　the　south　side　of

the　Chickahominy；　and　was　marching　on　the　old　Richmond　and

Gordonsville　road　toward　Gordonsville；　under　command　of　General　Wade

Hampton；　the　information　being　confirmed　by　a　scouting　party　sent　out

to　cut　the　telegraph　wires　along　the　railroad　in　the　night。

Breckenridge　had　been　ordered　back　to　the　valley　by　General　Lee　as

soon　as　he　heard　of　Hunter's　victory　near　Staunton；　but　now　that　my

expedition　had　been　discovered；　the　movement　of　Breckenridge's　troops

on　the　railroad　was　being　timed　to　correspond　with　the　marches　of　my

command　till　Hampton　could　get　more　nearly　parallel　with　me。



On　the　10th　we　resumed　the　march；　passing　by　Twyman's　store；　crossing

the　North　Anna　at　Carpenter's　ford　and　encamping　on　the　road　leading

along　the　south　fork　of　the　North　Anna　to　Trevillian　Station。　　During

the　evening　and　night　of　the　Loth　the　boldness　of　the　enemy's

scouting　parties；　with　which　we　had　been　coming　into　collision　more

or　less　every　day；　perceptibly　increased；　thus　indicating　the

presence　of　a　large　force；　and　evidencing　that　his　shorter　line　of

march　had　enabled　him　to　bring　to　my　front　a　strong　body　of　cavalry；

although　it　started　from　Lee's　army　nearly　two　days　later　than　I　did

from　Grant's。　　The　arrival　of　this　body　also　permitted　Breckenridge

to　pass　on　to　Gordonsville；　and　from　there　to　interpose　between

General　Hunter　and　me　at　either　Charlottesville　or　Waynesboro'　as

circumstances　might　determine。



On　the　night　of　the　Loth　General　Hampton's　division　camped　about

three　miles　northwest　of　Trevillian；　at　a　place　called　Green　Spring

Valley　and　Fitzhugh　Lee's　division　not　far　from　Louisa　Court　House；

some　six　miles　east　of　Trevillian。　　Learning　that　I　was　at

Carpenter's　ford；　Hampton　marched　his　division　by　way　of　Trevillian

Station　toward　Clayton's　store；　on　the　road　from　Trevillian　to

Carpenter's　ford；　intending　to　attack　me　at　Clayton's。　　Fitzhugh

Lee's　division　was　to　join　Hampton　at　Clayton's　store　from　Louisa

Court　House；　but　on　the　morning　of　the　11th　the　two　generals　were

separated　by　several　miles。



At　daylight　of　the　11th　my　march；　to　Trevillian　Station　was　resumed

on　the　direct　road　to　that　point；　and　engaging　the　enemy's　pickets

and　advanced　parties　soon　after　setting　out；　we　began　to　drive　them

in。　　Torbert　had　the　lead　with　Merritt's　and　Devin's　brigades；　and　as

he　pressed　back　the　pickets　he　came　upon　the　enemy　posted　behind　a

line　of　barricades　in　dense　timber　about　three　miles　from　Trevillian。

Meanwhile　Custer's　brigade　had　been　sent　from　where　we　bivouacked；　by

a　wood　road　found　on　our　left；　to　destroy　Trevillian　Station。　　In

following　this　road　Custer　got　to　the　rear　of　Hampton's　division；

having　passed　between　its　right　flank　and　Fitzhugh　Lee's　division；

which　was　at　the　time　marching　on　the　road　leading　from　Louisa　Court

House　to　Clayton's　store　to　unite　with　Hampton。



Custer；　the　moment　he　found　himself　in　Hampton's　rear；　charged　the

led　horses；　wagons；　and　caissons　found　there；　getting　hold　of　a　vast

number　of　each；　and　also　of　the　station　itself。　　The　stampede　and

havoc　wrought　by　Custer　in　Hampton's　rear　compelled　him　to　turn

Rosser's　brigade　in　that　direction；　and　while　it　attacked　Custer　on

one　side；　Fitzhugh　Lee's　division；　which　had　followed　Custer　toward

Trevillian；　attacked　him　on　the　other。　　There　then　ensued　a　desperate

struggle　for　the　possession　of　the　captured　property；　resulting

finally　in　its　being　retaken　by　the　enemy。　　Indeed；　the　great　number

of　horses　and　vehicles　could　not　be　kept　on　the　limited　space　within

Custer's　line；　which　now　formed　almost　a　complete　circle；　and　while

he　was　endeavoring　to　remove　them　to　a　secure　place　they；　together

with　Custer's　headquarters　wagon　and　four　of　his　caissons；　fell　into

the　hands　of　their　original　owners。



As　soon　as　the　firing　told　that　Custer　had　struck　the　enemy's　rear；　I

directed　Torbert　to　press　the　line　in　front　of　Merritt　and　Devin；

aided　by　one　brigade　of　Gregg's　division　on　their　left；　Gregg's　other

brigade　in　the　meantime　attacking　Fitzhugh　Lee　on　the　Louisa　Court

House　road。　　The　effect　of　this　was　to　force　Hampton　back；　and　his

division　was　so　hard　pushed　that　a　portion　of　it　was　driven　pell…mell

into　Custer's　lines；　leaving　there　about　five　hundred　prisoners。　　The

rest　of　Hampton's　men　did　not　rally　till　they　got　some　distance　west

of　Trevillian；　while；　in　the　meantime；　Gregg　had　driven　Fitzhugh　Lee

toward　Louisa　Court　House　so　far　that　many　miles　now　intervened

between　the　two　Confederate　divisions；　precluding　their　union　until

about　noon　the　next　day；　when　Fitzhugh　Lee　effected　the　junction

after　a　circuitous　march　in　the　night。　　The　defeat　of　Hampton　at　the

point　where　he　had　determined　to　resist　my　further　advance；　and　his

retreat　westward；　gave　me　undisturbed　possession　of　the　station；　and

after　destroying　the　railroad　to　some　extent　toward　Gordonsville；　I

went　into　camp。



》From　prisoners　taken　during　the　day；　I　gathered　that　General　Hunter；

instead　of　coming　toward　Charlottesville；　as　I　had　reason　to　expect；

both　from　the　instructions　given　me　and　the　directions　sent　him　by

General　Grant；　was　in　the　neighborhood　of　Lexingtonapparently

moving　on　Lynchburgand　that　Breckenridge　was　at　Gordonsville　and

Charlottesville。　　I　also　heard；　from　the　same　source；　that　Ewell's

corps　was　on　its　way　to　Lynchburg；　but　this　intelligence　proved

afterward　to　be　incorrect；　for　these　troops；　commanded　by　General

Early；　did　not　leave　Richmond　till　two　days　later。



There　was　no　doubt　as　to　the　information　about　Hunter's　general

location；　however。　　He　was　marching　toward　Lynchburg；　away　from

instead　of　toward　me；　thus　making　the　junction　of　our　commands　beyond

all　reasonable　probability。　　So　in　view　of　this；　I　made　up　my　mind　to

abandon　that　part　of　the　scheme；　and　to　return　by　leisurely　marches；

which　would　keep　Hampton's　cavalry　away　from　Lee　while　Grant　was

crossing　the　James　River。　　I　was　still　further　influenced　to　this

course　by　the　burden　which　was　thrown　on　me　in　the　large　number　of

woundedthere　being　about　five　hundred　cases　of　my　ownand　the　five

hundred　prisoners　that　I　would　probably　be　forced　to　abandon；　should

I　proceed　farther。　　Besides；　the　recent　battle　had　reduced　my　supply

of　ammunition　to　a　very　small　amountnot　more　than　enough　for　one

more　respectable　engagement；　and　as　the　chances　were　that　I　would

have　to　fight　a　great　deal　before　I　could　reach　Hunter；　now　that　the

enemy's　cavalry　and　Breckenridge's　infantry　were　between　us；　the

risks　of　the　undertaking　seemed　too　great　to　warrant　it。



The　morning　of　June　12　Gregg's　division　commenced　destroying　the

railroad　to　Louisa　Court　House；　and　continued　the　work　during　the

day；　breaking　it　pretty　effectually。　　While　Gregg　was　thus　occupied；

I　directed　Torbert　to　make　a　reconnoissance　up　the　Gordonsville　road；

to　secure　a　by…road　leading　over　Mallory's　ford；　on　the　North　Anna；

to　the　Catharpen　road；　as　I　purposed　following　that　route　to

Spottsylvania　Court　House　on　my　return；　and　thence　via　Bowling　Green

and　Dunkirk　to　the　White　House。　　About　a　mile　beyond　Trevillian　the

Gordonsville　road　forkthe　left　fork　leading　to　Charlottesvilleand

about　a　mile　beyond　the　fork　Hampton　had　taken　up　and　strongly

intrenched　a　l