personal memoirs-1-第50章

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the　wagons。　　Just　beyond　Charles　City　Court　House　Torbert　encountered

Lomax's　brigade；　which　he　drove　across　Herring　Creek　on　the　road　to

Westover　Church；　and　reporting　the　affair　to　me；　I　surmised；　from　the

presence　of　this　force　in　my　front；　that　Hampton　would　endeavor　to

penetrate　to　the　long　column　of　wagons；　so　I　ordered　them　to　go　into

park　near　Wilcox's　landing；　and　instructed　Gregg；　whose　division　had

been　marching　in　the　morning　along　the　road　leading　from　Jones's

bridge　to　St。　　Mary's　Church　for　the　purpose　of　covering　the　exposed

flank　of　the　train；　to　hold　fast　near　the　church　without　fail　till

all　the　transportation　had　passed　Charles　City　Court　House。



Meanwhile；　General　Hampton；　who　had　conjectured　that　I　would　try　to

get　the　train　across　the　James　by　the　pontoonbridge　at　Deep　Bottom；

began　concentrating　all　his　troops　except　Lomax's　brigade；　which　was

to　confront　the　head　of　my　column　on　the　river　road；　in　the　vicinity

of　Nance's　Shop。　　This　was　discovered　by　Gregg　at　an　early　hour；　and

divining　this　purpose　he　had　prepared　to　meet　it　by　constructing

hasty　cover　for　his　men　before　receiving　my　instructions。　　About　4

o'clock　in　the　afternoon　Hampton　got　his　force　in　hand；　and　with

Fitzhugh　Lee's　division　assailed　the　whole　front　of　Gregg's　line；　and

his　left　flank　with　Chambliss's　and　Geary's　brigades。　　For　two　hours

he　continued　to　attack；　but　made　little　impression　on　Gregggain　at

one　point　being　counterbalanced　by　failure　at　another。　　Because　of

the　evident　strength　of　Hampton；　Gregg　had　placed　all　his　troops　in

line　of　battle　from　the　first；　and　on　discovery　of　the　enemy's

superior　numbers　sent　message　after　message　to　me　concerning　the

situation；　but　the　messengers　never　arrived；　being　either　killed　or

captured；　and　I　remained　in　total　ignorance　till　dark　of　the　strait

his　division　was　in。



Toward　night　it　became　clear　to　Gregg　that　he　could　maintain　the

unequal　contest　no　longer；　and　he　then　decided　to　retreat；　but　not

until　convinced　that　the　time　won　had　enabled　all　the　trains　to　pass

Charles　City　Court　House　in　safety。　　When　he　had　got　all　his　led

horses　fairly　on　the　way；　and　such　of　the　wounded　as　could　be

transported；　he　retired　by　his　right　flank…in　some　confusion；　it　is

true；　but　stubbornly　resisting　to　Hopewell　Church；　where　Hampton

ceased　to　press　him。



Gregg's　losses　were　heavy；　and　he　was　forced　to　abandon　his　dead　and

most　seriously　wounded；　but　the　creditable　stand　made　ensured　the

safety　of　the　train；　the　last　wagon　of　which　was　now　parked　at

Wilcox's　Landing。　　His　steady；　unflinching　determination　to　gain　time

for　the　wagons　to　get　beyond　the　point　of　danger　was　characteristic

of　the　man；　and　this　was　the　third　occasion　on　which　he　had　exhibited

a　high　order　of　capacity　and　sound　judgment　since　coming　under　my

command。　　The　firmness　and　coolness　with　which　he　always　met　the

responsibilities　of　a　dangerous　place　were　particularly　strong　points

in　Gregg's　make…up；　and　he　possessed　so　much　professional　though

unpretentious　ability；　that　it　is　to　be　regretted　he　felt　obliged　a

few　months　later　to　quit　the　service　before　the　close　of　the　war。



Gregg's　fight　fully　satisfied　me　that　we　could　not　get　the　trains　up

to　the　pontoon…bridge；　for　of　course　Hampton　would　now　throw　all　his

cavalry　in　my　front；　on　the　river　road；　where　it　could　be　backed　up

by　Lee's　infantry。　　Meanwhile；　General　Meade　had　become　assured　of

the　same　thing；　and　as　he　was　now　growing　anxious　about　the　fate　of

Wilson's　divisionwhich；　during　my　absence；　had　been　sent　out　to

break　the　enemy's　communications　south　of　Petersburg；　by　destroying

the　Southside　and　Danville　railroadshe　sent　ferryboats　to　cross　me

over　the　James。　　During　the　night'of　the　24th；　and　next　morning；　the

immense　trainwhich　ought　never　to　have　been　left　for　the　cavalry　to

escort；　after　a　fatiguing　expedition　of　three　weekswas　moved　back

through　Charles　City　Court　House　to　Douthard's　landing；　and　there

ferried　over　the　river；　followed　by　my　troops　in　like　manner。　　When

General　Hampton　discovered　this；　he　moved　to　Drury's　Bluff；　and

there；　on　the　morning　of　the　27th；　crossed　the　James　by　the

Confederate　pontoon…bridge。









CHAPTER　XXII。



GENERAL　WILSON'S　RAIDDESTROYING　RAILROADSHIS　DISCOMFITURE

RESULTS　OF　HIS　RAIDREMOUNTSMOVEMENT　TO　THE　NORTH　SIDE　OF　THE

JAMESDECEIVING　LEEMY　ISOLATED　POSITIONESTIMATE　OF　HANCOCK

SUCCESS　OF　THE　CAVALRYTHEIR　CONSTANT　DUTIES。



While　I　was　absent　on　the　expedition　to　Trevillian；　the　movement　of

the　Army　of　the　Potomac　across　the　James　River　was　effected；　and

Wilson；　whom　I　had　left　behind　for　the　purpose；　was　engaged　in　the

duty　of　covering　its　front　and　rear。　　Late　on　the　night　of　June　12

he；　with　Chapman's　brigade；　crossed　the　Chickahominy　at　Long　Bridge；

in　advance　of　the　Fifth　Corps；　and　by　7　o'clock　next　morning　had

driven　the　enemy's　pickets　up　to　White　Oak　bridge；　where　he　waited

for　our　infantry。　　When　that　came　up；　he　pushed　on　as　far　as　Riddle's

Shop；　but　late　that　evening　the　Confederate　infantry　forced　him　to

withdraw　to　St。　Mary's　Church；　for　early　in　the　morning　General　Lee

had　discovered　the　movement　of　our　army；　and　promptly　threw　this

column　of　infantry　south　of　the　Chickahominy　to　White　Oak　Swamp；　with

the　design　of　covering　Richmond。　　From　St。　Mary's　Church　Wilson

guarded　all　the　roads　toward　White　Oak　Swamp　and　Riddle's　Shop；

McIntosh's　brigade　joining　him　on　the　14th；　by　way　of　Long　Bridge；　as

the　rear　of　the　Army　of　the　Potomac　passed　the　Chickahominy。　　In　the

performance　of　this　duty　Wilson　did　not　have　to　fight　any　engagement

of　magnitude；　for　the　bulk　of　the　enemy's　cavalry　had　followed　me　to

Trevillian。　　During　the　15th　and　16th　Wilson　drew　his　troops　in

toward　the　James　River；　and　next　day　crossed　it　on　the　pontoon…bridge

and　camped　on　the　Blackwater；　near　Mt。　Sinai　Church。　　Here　he

remained　till　the　22d　of　Junethe　same　day　I　reached　the　White　House

with　Gregg　and　Torbertwhen；　under　orders　from　General　Meade；　he　set

out　to　cut　the　enemy's　communications　to　the　south　and　southwest　of

Petersburg。



His　instructions　implied　that　the　breaking　up　of　the　Petersburg　and

Lynchburg；　and　Richmond　and　Danville　railroads　at　Burkeville　was　the

most　important　part　of　his　mission；　and　that　when　the　work　of

destruction　began；　it　should　be　continued　till　he　was　driven　off　by

the　enemy。　　Wilson's　force　consisted　of　about　5；500　men；　General　A。

V。　Kautz；　with　the　cavalry　of　the　Army　of　the　James；　having　joined

him　for　the　expedition。　　In　moving　out　Wilson　crossed　the　Weldon　road

near　Ream's　Station；　first　destroying　it　effectually　at　that　point。

About　fourteen　miles　west　of　Petersburg　he　struck　the　Southside

railroad；　and　broke　it　up　clear　to　Burkeville；　a　distance　of　thirty

miles。　　Having　destroyed　everything　at　Burkeville　Junction；　he　moved

along　the　Danville　road　to　Staunton　River；　completely　wrecking　about

thirty　miles　of　that　line　also。　　At　Staunton　River　he　found　the

railroad　bridge　strongly　guarded；　and　seeing　that　he　could　not　burn

it；　he　began　his　return　march　that　night；　and　reached　Nottoway　River；

some　thirty　miles　south　of　Petersburg；　at　noon　of　the　next　daythe

28th。



In　this　expedition　Wilson　was　closely　followcd　from　the　start　by

Barringer's　brigade　of　W。　H。　F。　Lee's　cavalry；　but　the　operations

were　not　interfered　with　materially；　his　success　being　signal　till　he

reached　the　vicinity　of　Stony　Creek　depot　on　his　return。　　At　this

point　General　Hampton；　with　his　own　and　Fitzhugh　Lee's　cavalry；　got

between　Wilson　and　the　Army　of　the　Potomac；　there　being　behind　them

at　Ream's　Station；　at　the　same　time；　two　brigades　of　infantry　under

General　Mahone。　　A　severe　battle　ensued；　resulting　in　Wilson's

defeat；　with　the　loss　of　twelve　guns　and　all　his　wagons。　　In

consequence　of　this　discomfiture　he　was　obliged　to　fall　back　across

the　Nottoway　River　with　his　own　division；　and　rejoined　the　army　by

way　of　Peter's　bridge　on　that　stream；　while　Kautz's　division；　unable

to　unite　with　Wilson　after　the　two　commands　had　become　separated　in

the　fight；　made　a　circuit　of　the　enemy's　left；　and　reached　the　lines

of　our　army　in　the　night　of　the　28th。



Neither　the　presence　of　Hampton's　cavalry　at　Stony　Creek　depot；　nor

the　possession　of　Ream's　Station　by　the　Confederate　infantry；　seems

to　have　been　anticipated　by　Wilson；　for　in　the　report　of　the

expedition　he　states：



〃Foreseeing　the　probability　of　having　to　return　northward；　I　wrote　to

General　Meade　the　evening　before　starting　that　I　anticipated　no

serious　difficulty　in　executing　his　orders；　but　unless　General

Sheridan　was　required　to　keep　Hampton's　cavalry　engaged；　and　our

infantry　to　prevent　Lee　from　making　detachments；　we　should　probably

experience　great　difficulty　in　rejoining　the　army。　　In　reply　to　this

note；　General　Humphreys；　chief…of…staff；　informed　me　it　was　intended

the　Army　of　the　Potomac　should　cover　the　Weldon　road　the　next　day；

the　Southside　road　the　day　after；　and　that　Hampton　having　followed

Sheridan　toward　Gordonsville；　I　need　not　fear　any　trouble　from　him。〃



I　doubt　that　General　Meade's　letter　of　instructions　and　Wilson's　note

of　the　same　evening；　warrant　what　General　Wilson　here　says。　　It　is

true　that　the　Weldon　railroad　near　Ream's　Station　was　not　covered　by

our　infantry；　as　General　Humphreys　informed　him　it　would　be；　but

Wilson　is　in　error　when　he　intimates　that　he　was　assured　that　I　would

look　after　Hampton。　　I　do　not　think　General　Meade's　instructions　are

susceptible　of　this　interpretation。　　I　received　no　orders　requiring

me　to　detain　Hampton。　　On　the　contrary；　when　I　arrived　at　the　White

House　my　instructions　required　me　to　break　up　the　depot　there；　and

then　bring　the　train　across　the　Peninsula　as　soon　as　practicable；　nor

were　these　instructions　ever　modified。　　I　began　the　duty　imposed　on

me　on　the　morning　of　the　23d；　totally　in　the　dark　as　to　what　was

expected　of　Wilson；　though　it　seems；　from　some　correspondence　between

Generals　Grant　and　Meade；　which　I　never　saw　till　after　the　war；　that

Grant　thought　Wilson　could　rely　on　Hampton's　absence　from　his　field

of　operations　throughout　the　expedition。





〃HEADQUARTERS　ARMY　OF　THE　POTOMAC；

〃June　21；　1864。　9：20　A。　M。



〃BRIGADIER…GENERAL　WILSON；

〃Commanding　Third　Division　Cavalry　Corps。



〃The　major…general　commanding　directs　that　you　move　your　command　at

2　A。　M。　to…morrow；　the　22d　instant；　in　execution　of　the　duty　assigned

you　of　destroying　certain　railroads。　　Despatches　received　from　the

White　House　state　that　Hampton's　cavalry　was　before　that　place

yesterday　evening；　and　that　General　Sheridan　had　also　reached　there；

hence　it　is　desirable　that　you　should　march　at　the　earliest　moment。

In　passing　Petersburg　you　will　endeavor　to　avoid　the　observation　of

the　enemy；　and　then　move　by　the　shortest　routes　to　the　intersection

of　the　Petersburg　and　Lynchburg；　and　the　Richmond　and　Danville

railroads；　and