personal memoirs-1-第49章

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

intrenched　a　line　across　both　roads；　being　reinforced　by　Fitzhugh

Lee；　who；　as　before　related；　had　joined　him　about　noon　by　a

roundabout　march。　　Torbert　soon　hotly　engaged　this　line；　and　by　the

impetuosity　of　his　first　attack；　gained　some　advantage；　but　the

appearance　of　Fitzhugh　Lee's　troops　on　the　right；　and　Hampton's

strong　resistance　in　front；　rendered　futile　all　efforts　to　carry　the

position；　and；　although　I　brought　up　one　of　Gregg's　brigades　to

Torbert's　assistance；　yet　the　by…road　I　coveted　was　still　held　by　the

enemy　when　night　closed　in。



This　engagement；　like　that　off　the　day　before　around　Trevillian；　was

mostly　fought　dismounted　by　both　sides；　as　had　also　been　the　earlier

fights　of　the　cavalry　during　the　summer　in　the　Wilderness；　at　Todd's

Tavern；　Hawe's　Shop；　and　Matadequin　Creek。　　Indeed；　they　could　hardly

have　been　fought　otherwise　than　on　foot；　as　there　was　little　chance

for　mounted　fighting　in　eastern　Virginia；　the　dense　woods；　the

armament　of　both　parties；　and　the　practice　of　barricading　making　it

impracticable　to　use　the　sabre　with　anything　like　a　large　force；　and

so　with　the　exception　of　Yellow　Tavern　the　dismounted　method

prevailed　in　almost　every　engagement。



The　losses　at　Mallory's　Crossroads　were　very　heavy　on　both　sides。

The　character　of　the　fighting；　together　with　the　day's　results；

demonstrated　that　it　was　impossible　to　make　the　passage　of　the　North

Anna　at　Mallory's　ford　without　venturing　another　battle　the　next　day。

This　would　consume　the　little　ammunition　left；　and　though　we　might

gain　the　road；　yet　the　possibility　of　having　no　ammunition　whatever

to　get　back　with　was　too　great　a　hazard；　so　I　gave　orders　to　withdraw

during　the　night　of　the　12th。　　We　retired　along　the　same　road　by

which　we　had　come；　taking　with　us　the　prisoners；　and　all　of　our

wounded　who　could　be　moved。　　Those　who　could　not　be　transported；　some

ninety　in　number；　and　all　the　Confederate　wounded　in　my　hands；　were

left　at　Trevillian　in　hospitals；　under　charge　of　one　of　our　surgeons；

with　plenty　of　medical　and　other　stores。



We　recrossed　the　North　Anna　at　Carpenter's　ford　the　following

morning；　and　halting　there；　unsaddled　and　turned　the　horses　out　to

graze；　for　they　were　nearly　famished；　having　had　neither　food　nor

water　during　the　preceding　forty…eight　hours。　　Late　in　the　afternoon

we　saddled　up　and　proceeded　to　Twyman's　Store；　while　General

Hampton's　main　body　moved　down　the　south　bank　of　the　North　Anna；　with

the　purpose　of　intervening　between　me　and　the　Army　of　the　Potomac；　in

the　hope　of　preventing　my　return　to　it；　but　his　movements　took　no

definite　shape　beyond　watching　me；　however；　till　several　days　later；

near　St。　Mary's　Church；　when　I　was　crossing　the　peninsula　to　the

James　River。



On　the　14th　the　march　was　continued；　and　we　reached　the　Catharpen

road；　upon　which　it　was　originally　intended　to　move　if　we　had　been

able　to　cross　at　Mallory's　ford；　and　this　conducted　me　to　Shady　Grove

Church。　　The　next　day　we　passed　over　the　battle…field　of

Spottsylvania　Court　House。　　The　marks　of　the　recent　conflicts　about

there　were　visible　on　every　hand；　and　in　the　neighboring　houses　were

found　many　Union　and　Confederate　wounded；　who　had　been　too　severely

hurt　to　be　removed　from　the　field…hospitals　at　the　time　of　the

battles。　　Such　of　our　wounded　as　were　able　to　travel　were　brought

away。



On　the　16th　I　marched　from　Edge　Hill　on　the　Ta　River　through　Bowling

Green　to　Dr。　Butler's；　on　the　north　side　of　the　Mattapony。　　When　I

arrived　here　I　was　unable　to　ascertain　the　position　of　the　Army　of

the　Potomac；　and　was　uncertain　whether　or　not　the　base　at　the　White

House　had　been　discontinued。　　I　had　heard　nothing　from　the　army　for

nine　days　except　rumors　through　Southern　sources；　and　under　these

circumstances　did　not　like　to　venture　between　the　Mattapony　and

Pamunkey　rivers；　embarrassed　as　I　was　with　some　four　hundred　wounded；

five　hundred　prisoners；　and　about　two　thousand　negroes　that　had

joined　my　column　in　the　hope　of　obtaining　their　freedom。　　I　therefore

determined　to　push　down　the　north　bank　of　the　Mattapony　far　enough　to

enable　me　to　send　these　impediments　directly　to　West　Point；　where　I

anticipated　finding　some　of　our　gunboats　and　transports；　that　could

carry　all　to　the　North。　　Following　this　plan；　we　proceeded　through

Walkerton　to　King　and　Queen　Court　House；　and　bivouacked　in　its

vicinity　the　night　of　the　18th。　　Next　day　I　learned　that　the　depot　at

the　White　House　had　not　yet　been　broken　up　entirely；　and　that

supplies　were　in　store　for　me　there；　so　after　sending　the　wounded；

prisoners；　and　negroes　to　West　Point　under　an　escort　of　two

regiments；　I　turned　back　to　Dunkirk；　on　the　Mattapony；　and　crossed　to

the　south　side　at　a　place　where　the　stream　was　narrow　enough　to

bridge　with　my　pontoon…boats。



In　returning　from　Trevillian；　as　the　most　of　our　wounded　were　hauled

in　old　buggies；　carts；　and　such　other　vehicles　as　could　be　made

available　in　the　absence　of　a　sufficient　number　of　ambulances；　the

suffering　was　intense；　the　heat　of　the　season　and　dusty　roads　adding

much　to　the　discomfort。　　Each　day　we　halted　many　times　to　dress　the

wounds　of　the　injured　and　to　refresh　them　as　much　as　possible；　but

our　means　for　mitigating　their　distress　were　limited。　　The　fortitude

and　cheerfulness　of　the　poor　fellows　under　such　conditions　were

remarkable；　for　no　word　of　complaint　was　heard。　　The　Confederate

prisoners　and　colored　people　being　on　foot；　our　marches　were

necessarily　made　short；　and　with　frequent　halts　also；　but　they　too

suffered　considerably　from　the　heat　and　dust；　though　at　times　the

prisoners　were　relieved　by　being　mounted　on　the　horses　of　some　of　our

regiments；　the　owners　meantime　marching　on　foot。　　Where　all　the

colored　people　came　from　and　what　started　them　was　inexplicable；　but

they　began　joining　us　just　before　we　reached　Trevillianmen；　women；

and　children　with　bundles　of　all　sorts　containing　their　few　worldly

goods；　and　the　number　increased　from　day　to　day　until　they　arrived　at

West　Point。　　Probably　not　one　of　the　poor　things　had　the　remotest

idea；　when　he　set　out；　as　to　where　he　would　finally　land；　but　to　a

man　they　followed　the　Yankees　in　full　faith　that　they　would　lead　to

freedom；　no　matter　what　road　they　took。



On　the　morning　of　the　20th；　at　an　early　hour；　we　resumed　our　march；

and　as　the　column　proceeded　sounds　of　artillery　were　heard　in　the

direction　of　the　White　House；　which　fact　caused　us　to　quicken　the

pace。　　We　had　not　gone　far　when　despatches　from　General　Abercrombie；

commanding　some　fragmentary　organizations　at　the　White　House；

notified　me　that　the　place　was　about　to　be　attacked。　　I　had

previously　sent　an　advance　party　with　orders　to　move　swiftly　toward

the　cannonading　and　report　to　me　by　couriers　the　actual　condition　of

affairs。　　From　this　party　I　soon　learned　that　there　was　no　occasion

to　push　our　jaded　animals；　since　the　crisis；　if　there　had　been　one；

was　over　and　the　enemy　repulsed；　so　the　increased　gait　was　reduced　to

a　leisurely　march　that　took　us　late　in　the　afternoon　to　the　north

bank　of　the　Pamunkey；　opposite　Abercrombie's　camp。　　When　I　got　to　the

river　the　enemy　was　holding　the　bluffs　surrounding　the　White　House

farm；　having　made　no　effort　to　penetrate　General　Abercrombie's　line

or　do　him　other　hurt　than　to　throw　a　few　shells　among　the　teamsters

there　congregated。



Next　day　Gregg's　division　crossed　the　Pamunkey　dismounted；　and

Torbert's　crossed　mounted。　As　soon　as　the　troops　were　over；　Gregg；

supported　by　Merritt's　brigade；　moved　out　on　the　road　to　Tunstall's

Station　to　attack　Hampton；　posted　an　the　west　side　of　Black　Creek；

Custer's　brigade　meanwhile　moving；　mounted；　on　the　road　to

Cumberland；　and　Devin's　in　like　manner　on　the　one　to　Baltimore

crossroads。　　This　offer　of　battle　was　not　accepted；　however；　and

Hampton　withdrew　from　my　front；　retiring　behind　the　Chickahominy；

where　his　communications　with　Lee　would　be　more　secure。



While　at　the　White　House　I　received　orders　to　break　up　that　depot

wholly；　and　also　instructions　to　move　the　trains　which　the　Army　of

the　Potomac　had　left　there　across　the　peninsula　to　the　pontoon…bridge

at　Deep　Bottom　on　the　James　River。　　These　trains　amounted　to　hundreds

of　wagons　and　other　vehicles；　and　knowing　full　well　the　dangers　which

would　attend　the　difficult　problem　of　getting　them　over　to

Petersburg；　I　decided　to　start　them　with　as　little　delay　as

circumstances　would　permit；　and　the　morning　of　the　22d　sent　Torbert's

division　ahead　to　secure　Jones's　bridge　on　the　Chickahominy；　so　that

the　wagons　could　be　crossed　at　that　point。　　The　trains　followed

Torbert；　while　Gregg's　division　marched　by　a　road　parallel　to　the　one

on　which　the　wagons　were　moving；　and　on　their　right　flank；　as　they

needed　to　be　covered　and　protected　in　that　direction　only。



The　enemy　made　no　effort　to　attack　us　while　we　were　moving　the　trains

that　day；　and　the　wagons　were　all　safely　parked　for　the　night　on　the

south　side　of　the　Chickahominy；　guarded　by　General　Getty；　who　had

relieved　Abercrombie　from　command　of　the　infantry　fragments　before　we

started　off　from　the　White　House。



To　secure　the　crossing　at　Jones's　bridge；　Torbert　had　pushed　Devin's

brigade　out　on　the　Long　Bridge　road；　on　the　side　of　the　Chickahominy

where；　on　the　morning　of　the　23d；　he　was　attacked　by　Chambliss's

brigade　of　W。　H。　F。　Lee's　division。　　Devin　was　driven　in　some　little

distance；　but　being　reinforced　by　Getty　with　six　companies　of　colored

troops；　he　quickly　turned　the　tables　on　Chambliss　and　re…established

his　picketposts。　　From　this　affair　I　learned　that　Chambliss's　brigade

was　the　advance　of　the　Confederate　cavalry　corps；　while　Hampton

discovered　from　it　that　we　were　already　in　possession　of　the　Jones's

bridge　crossing　of　the　Chickahominy；　and　as　he　was　too　late　to

challenge　our　passage　of　the　stream　at　this　point　he　contented

himself　with　taking　up　a　position　that　night　so　as　to　cover　the　roads

leading　from　Long　Bridge　to　Westover；　with　the　purpose　of　preventing

the　trains　from　following　the　river　road　to　the　pontoon…bridge　at

Deep　Bottom。



My　instructions　required　me　to　cross　the　trains　over　the　James　River

on　this　pontoon…bridge　if　practicable；　and　to　reach　it　I　should　be

obliged　to　march　through　Charles　City　Court　House；　and　then　by

Harrison's　Landing　and　Malvern　Hill；　the　latter　point　being　held　by

the　enemy。　　In　fact；　he　held　all　the　ground　between　Long　Bridge　on

the　Chickahominy　and　the　pontoon…bridge　except　the　Tete　de　pont　at

the　crossing。　　Notwithstanding　this　I　concluded　to　make　the　attempt；

for　all　the　delays　of　ferrying　the　command　and　trains　would　be

avoided　if　we　got　through　to　the　bridge；　and　with　this　object　in　view

I　moved　Torbert's　division　out　on　the　Charles　City　road　to　conduct

the　wagons。　　Just　beyond　Charles　City　Court　House　Torbert　encountered

Lomax's　b