USA > Indiana > History of the Third Indiana cavalry > Part 11
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"I moved at 1 a. m. Tuesday, intending to cross the South Anna at Ground Squirrel Bridge, move down the Ridge road and attack Richmond west of the Brook pike. My guide (I think through ignorance) instead of directing the column to the bridge mentioned led it in the direction of Ashland, where we came upon the infantry pickets of the enemy. From prisoners I learned that a force of 2,000 infantry and six pieces of artillery was stationed near the railroad bridge above Ashland. I directed Major Hall with 450 men of the First Division to drive in the enemy's pickets
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and make a determined attack in order to cover the movements of the main column.
"I struck across the country to the South Anna and crossed at a point three miles above Ashland at daylight Tuesday morning. The attack of Major Hall totally deceived the enemy as to the movements of the main column, which passed on, crossed the rail- road seven miles below Ashland, tore up a considerable portion of the track, destroyed a culvert, passed on and reached the Brook pike at a point five miles from Richmond at 10 a. m. The enemy's artillery engaged with Major Hall could be distinctly heard in my rear. Rightly supposing the enemy would send all his avail- able force in the immediate vicinity in the direction of the firing, in order to protect the bridge at that point, and learning from citizens and negroes who came from Richmond that morning that no attack was expected upon the city, and that only a small force occupied the works in front of the Brook pike, I moved forward, crossed the brook, surprised and captured the picket and a small force of infantry in the rifle pits beyond. The enemy now sent forward troops to oppose my further progress, but they were easily driven back until a point was reached about one mile from the city. Here a considerable force of infantry with artillery effectu- ally checked my advance. It was now 1 p. m. I ordered up my entire force, and after thoroughly examining the enemy's position determined to attack, believing if they were citizen soldiers I could enter the city. Brigadier-General Davies had the advance. The Fifth New York Cavalry was dismounted and sent forward as skirmishers, and 500 men under Major Patton in a body dis- mounted followed closely in the rear of the skirmishers to attack and carry, if possible, a small earthwork on the left of and a barricade that the enemy were then placing in the road. The enemy was finally forced back until a position was gained for the use of my artillery, which was brought up and opened on the enemy, now occupying a position just outside the city.
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"I brought up re-enforcements, strengthened and extended my line of skirmishers to the right as far as the plank road, and was about to order an advance of the whole line, when I discovered that the enemy was rapidly receiving re-enforcements, not only of in- fantry but artillery. Feeling confident that Dahlgren had failed to cross the river, and that an attempt to enter the city at that point would but end in bloody failure, I reluctantly withdrew my command at dark, crossed the Meadow Bridge over the Chicka- hominy, and, after destroying bridges on the Virginia Central railroad, went into camp near Mechanicsville. Colonel Dahlgren, having failed to cross the James river, moved rapidly down the canal, destroying locks and viaducts, and engaged the enemy at 4 o'clock on the plank road a few miles from Richmond, and at dark, when I withdrew my command, had driven the enemy near to the city.
"In the various attacks upon the city, which commenced at 12 m. and continued until dark, we lost upward of sixty men in killed and wounded and we took upwards of 200 prisoners. By scouts and spies I ascertained that the entire available force of the enemy in and about the city had been concentrated during the day upon the Brook pike and plank road where the various attacks had been made, and that no force was on the road from Mechanics- ville to the city. It was now 10 p. m. I at once determined to make another attempt to enter the city. Lieutenant-Colonel Pres- ton of the First Vermont and Major Taylor of the First Maine were ordered to lead two separate detachments of 500 men in on the road from Mechanicsville, while with the artillery and the re- maining portion of my command I would hold the bridge over the Chickahominy and cover their retreat with the prisoners if suc- cessful.
"These two determined daring officers had but just commenced to move when Colonel Sawyer, commanding the Second Brigade, reported that his pickets had been driven in on the road from the
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direction of Hanover Court House. A few moments later he sent me word that the enemy was advancing in force and rapidly driving his people. I sent him orders to throw out a strong line of skirmishers, and if possible charge the enemy and drive him back, as I intended to make this last effort to release our prisoners. Heavy musketry and carbine firing could now be heard, and a moment later the enemy opened with a battery of artillery. I was forced to recall my troops to resist this attack, which now became serious. The enemy charged and drove back the Seventh Michi- gan, and considerable confusion ensued. The night was intensely dark, cold and stormy. The command moved out on the road toward Old Church and was placed in position, and after con- siderable hard fighting, with a loss of two officers and upwards of fifty men and 100 horses, repulsed the enemy and forced him back on the road towards Hanover Court House.
"Not knowing the strength of the enemy, I abandoned all fur- ther ideas of releasing our prisoners, and at 1 a. m. moved to the intersection of the roads from Mechanicsville to Old Church and from Hanover Court House to Bottom Bridge. Here we went into camp. At daylight the enemy attacked my pickets, but were easily repulsed. At 8 a. m. the command moved to Old Church, twelve miles from Hanover Court House, and here took up a good posi- tion and remained until 1 p. m. Wednesday, hoping that Dahlgren might come in. The enemy charged my rear guard at this point, but were gallantly charged in return by the First Maine and driven back a considerable distance with the loss of many pris- oners. This is the last I saw of the enemy."
In this report General Kilpatrick speaks of Major Patton fol- lowing the skirmishers with 500 dismounted men and driving the enemy back to a position just outside the city. His report does not disclose who these men were, but the report of General Davies, who had charge of this movement (page 192), makes it known that it was Major Patton with the Third Indiana Cavalry and
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other troops that had been furnished him, who was there leading this last desperate effort to enter the city of Richmond and liberate our prisoners. The loss by this raid was nine officers, 331 men and 583 horses, with arms and equipments. From this point the command went into General Butler's lines at New Kent Court House on Wednesday evening. The men and their horses were embarked on transports at Yorktown, shipped to Alexandria, whence they marched to their camps at Stevensburg and Culpep- per, reaching there on the 14th of March.
With the detachment of 450 men under Major Hall, referred to in General Kilpatrick's report, was a detail of ten men from the Third Indiana Cavalry under Lieut. George Rogers of Company D of that regiment. This detail was divided, five of the men being with the advance and five with the rear of Major Hall's forces. One of these men, John W. Palmer of Company D, is still living, and has a vivid remembrance of that night's work under Major Hall, which of course was not under the immediate eye of General Kilpatrick. He says :
"I was with that part of the Third Indiana which formed the advance guard of Major Hall's command, and it was midnight when we started, the object of the expedition being to burn the bridge across the South Anna river. We soon encountered the rebel pickets and killed one of them in the first encounter; we moved forward, driving them before us until we ran into an am- buscade across the road, made of brush and rails, and behind it were dismounted rebel cavalry. They fired on us and killed one of the Third Indiana. We pushed on to them and drove them from their ambush and continued to follow them until we came in sight of a rebel camp in the valley between us and the bridge, where there was a large force of cavalry, infantry and artillery, with their artillery posted to command the road upon which we were approaching.
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"They at once opened on us with this artillery and the column about-faced as rapidly as possible, although this movement was delayed somewhat by the turning around of our ambulances in the narrow road. The advance became the rear guard of this retrograde movement, and 200 rebel cavalry were soon pushing on to our rear, which was now a retreat on the road we had come, in order to gain a ford on the South Anna, where we could cross and rejoin General Kilpatrick's command.
"Lieutenant Rogers with two men of the Third Indiana were at the crossing of a road running parallel with the road upon which Major Hall with the main force was moving and another road that crossed both of these parallel roads. A force of rebel cavalry charged down this cross road, capturing Lieutenant Rogers and the two men with him, and were coming after me farther along on this parallel road. My only chance of escape was to leave the road and cut across a strip of open ground and woods in an en- deavor to reach Major Hall's command. I made this ride in full view of the rebels who were after me. They all seemed to turn their fire on me, but luckily I was not hit and reached the main column unhurt after my desperate ride. Major Hall rejoined General Kilpatrick's command about daylight."
The raid was not a success, and perhaps never should have been undertaken, but it showed the desperate bravery of the men who took part in it, and no doubt changed the military career of the man who conceived it. General Kilpatrick was sent to the West- ern army and given the command of a division of cavalry, and his dashing career there is noted in other chapters of this history.
On the 30th of April, 1864, General Sheridan was placed in command of the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Potomac and its Third Division under the command of Brig .- Gen. James H. Wilson. The Second Brigade of this division was commanded by Col. George H. Chapman, of the Third Indiana Cavalry, and the regiment was commanded by Maj. William Patton. The
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other regiments of the brigade were the Eighth Illinois Cavalry under Lieut. William W. Long, Eighth New York under Lieut .- Col. William H. Benjamin and First Vermont under Lieutenant-Colonel Preston.
In Volume XXXVI of the Official Record, beginning at page 896, we have the official report of this Wilderness campaign, fur- nished by Col. George H. Chapman, written at the headquarters of the Second Brigade, Third Division of Cavalry, on the 12th of July, 1864. This officer says :
"Captain-I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of this brigade from May 3 to July 1, 1864 :
"At midnight on the night of May 3, in compliance with orders, the brigade broke camp at Stevensburg, crossed to the plank road and moved to Germania Ford on the Rapidan river. Arriving there I made disposition of my command to force a crossing should the enemy offer opposition, and at early dawn my brigade moved rapidly across the river, meeting with no resistance, and massed on the plank road, two or three miles from the river. After a short halt, proceeded up the plank to Old Wilderness Tavern and from thence to Parkers Store by a country road, where we bivou- acked and threw out strong pickets on all approaches. During the march nothing was seen of the enemy save a small mounted force, which retreated rapidly before our advance.
"Marched early on the morning of the 5th with division, this brigade in advance, to Craigs Church, on the Catharpin road, which point was reached about 11 a. m. I sent a battalion of the First Vermont Cavalry forward on the Catharpin road with instruc- tions to picket and patrol the road well toward Mine Run, but when they proceeded less than a mile their advance was attacked by the enemy and driven rapidly back on the main body. I im- mediately re-enforced this battalion; and, the country being densely timbered on both sides of the road and the enemy dis- mounted, I soon dismounted the greater part of my brigade and
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drove the enemy steadily back a distance of two miles, he con- testing very hard every inch of the ground.
"Reaching a ravine, I was ordered not to proceed farther, being then several miles in advance of the First Brigade, but to hold the road at the point I had reached with a strong picket force and get the rest of my command together and mounted, in a field a half mile to the rear of the advanced position. These instructions were carried out, the Third Indiana Cavalry being held in line of battle, dismounted, along the ravine. I remained myself with this regiment. Subsequently-an hour, I should judge-it was reported to me from the line of skirmishers thrown forward in the pines that the enemy had strongly re-enforced his line and was making preparations to advance. This report was soon verified, the enemy coming on in strong force, before which the Third Indiana Cavalry was compelled to fall back. I again was obliged to put in my entire force, which was still much inferior to the enemy, and continued to fall back. The confusion occasioned by getting a large number of led horses hastily back on the road was communicated to the men and caused the men to break badly, of which the enemy was not slow to take advantage.
"We were driven back behind a line of battle formed by a part of the First Brigade, and subsequently retired to Todds Tavern. I moved my command to a point on the Brock road one and one- half miles north of Todds Tavern and sent out pickets on various roads. At 3 a. m. took the road to Piney Branch Church, where the division took position. Subsequently marched with division to Chancellorsville and bivouacked.
"On the morning of the 7th, having supplied the command with rations, in pursuance of orders I moved to Alrich's, on Fred- ricksburg plank road, and relieved General Merritt's brigade, of First Cavalry Division, doing picket duty at that point. Later in the day my brigade was relieved by General Davies' brigade, of Second Cavalry Division. Reconnoitered to Alsop's, on Spotsyl-
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vania Court House road, without developing anything, and re- turned to Alrich's and encamped for the night. Moved with the division on the morning of the 8th of May to Spotsylvania Court House, the First Brigade being in advance.
"At the Court House formed line of battle in support of the First Brigade, which was warmly engaged with the enemy. Retired, bringing up rear of division (the enemy not following) to Alsop's. Marched the morning of the 9th at 5 o'clock with division in light order, and joining the other divisions of the Cavalry Corps at the plank road proceeded by the road to Hamiltons Crossing, as far as Fredricksburg and Richmond Telegraph road; thence via Stan- ard's Mill, Thornburg and Chilesburg, to the crossing of the North Anna river, near Beaver Dam Station, where the brigade bivou- acked on the north bank of the river.
"Nothing of importance occurred during the day's march, save the exchange of a few shots between the flankers and small parties of the enemy and the capture of a rebel captain.
"Early on the morning of the 10th the enemy began shelling our camps, but at 8 a. m. the brigade crossed the river without molestation or damage. March today was without event. Crossed the South Anna river at Ground Squirrel Bridge and encamped near the river. Again, on the morning of the 11th, the enemy shelled our camps, and in getting into column of route one bat- talion of the Eighth New York Cavalry, Maj. C. Moore com- manding, became engaged with the enemy and lost several men, but successfully checked a charge made on the rear of the Second Division.
"Being relieved by a regiment of the Second Division the bat- talion soon after rejoined the brigade. Having crossed the Fred- ricksburg & Richmond railroad, I received orders to go forward and assist General Custer in driving back the enemy from our front. I found General Custer near the Brook pike not actively engaged at the time I joined him. Dismounting the Third In-
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diana and Eighth New York I formed them in line of battle on the left of the dismounted men of Custer's brigade, holding the First Vermont in reserve, mounted. Dispositions being complete the order to move forward was given, and the line advancing into the thick pine wood soon became warmly engaged. As our men advanced the enemy opened with very accurate artillery fire. Having surveyed the ground, General Custer proposed if I would place a regiment (the First Vermont) at his disposal he would charge the battery, to which I acceded. The charge was made by the First Vermont and a regiment of General Custer's brigade, myself accompanying the First Vermont. In this charge two pieces of artillery and a number of prisoners were captured by General Custer and the enemy were driven back a considerable distance in much confusion. Not being ordered to follow the enemy up, the command halted and at dark massed near the Brook turnpike. The loss of my brigade in this engagement, which was considerable, has already been reported.
"At 10 p. m. again resumed the march, my brigade in advance, under orders to move to Fair Oaks Station. Crossing to the Meadow Bridge road we succeeded in finding a man-a resident -willing to guide the column to the Mechanicsville pike. Taking a farm road running along through the outer fortifications of Richmond, we reached the Mechanicsville pike shortly before day- break at a point about three and one-half miles from the city. A mile before reaching the pike a small mounted picket had discov- ered our approach and retreated rapidly towards the city.
"At the pike the brigade was massed in a field bordering on the road to await information in regard to roads, when we were sud- denly opened upon by artillery and musketry, causing temporary confusion. I caused the command to be rapidly dismounted, to fight on foot, and the horses to be placed under cover. Continued to hold the position until daylight, when it was discovered that the enemy had a strong line of earthworks a short distance in our
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front, and I withdrew my brigade to a better position along the line of the Virginia Central railroad, with the First Brigade on the right. About 11 o'clock a force of the enemy's infantry came out of their works and attacked my brigade, but were driven back with ease.
"At 2 p. m. my brigade crossed the Chickahominy at Meadow Bridge, and, after a halt of a couple of hours, marched to Mechan- icsville. Here a brief halt was ordered, after which we again re- sumed the march, receiving orders to proceed to Gain's House. Being misled by a guide, it was near midnight when my com- mand reached the last named place and bivouacked.
"On the 13th marched to Bottom Bridge, and on the 14th to Malvern Hill, nothing of importance occurring on either day; on the 15th to near Haxalls Landing on the James river and went into camp; received supplies. Remained in camp at Haxalls until 9 p. m. on the evening of the 17th of May, when the brigade marched with division. Were on the road all night, and at 8 a. m. crossed the Chickahominy at Jones Bridge. After a short halt marched to Mount Olive Church and bivouacked.
"On the 19th moved to near Baltimore Store and went into camp. Made details for picket duty. Marched on the 20th with division via Tunstalls Station to near Tyler's, on the Cold Har- bor road, and encamped. Remained at this point until the morn- ing of the 22d, when the command moved to the White House. Nothing of importance occurred during these days.
"The following day (the 23d) the brigade crossed the Pamunkey river on the railroad bridge, bringing up the rear of the corps. My entire command was over by 1 p. m. In pursuance of orders, I detailed a squadron of the Third Indiana Cavalry, Captain Moffitt commanding, to destroy the bridge by throwing off the covering, which work was effectually accomplished. Marched by way of King William Court House to Aylett's and halted for the night.
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"On the 24th the command marched to Reedy Swamp on the Richmond and Bowling Green road. The next day marched via Chesterfield to Colemans Mill on Polecat creek and encamped. Receiving orders on the morning of the 26th, and, after receiving a supply of forage, the command marched, crossing the North Anna and demonstrating on the right of our army to cover its movements. At 11 p. m. recrossed the North Anna river at But- lers Bridge and halted for the remainder of the night. While the demonstration was being made on Little river, which was mainly performed by the First Brigade of the division, I directed Lieutenant-Colonel Benjamin to take his regiment, the Eighth New York Cavalry, and destroy as much of the track of the Vir- ginia Central as he could before the command should retire across the North Anna. He accomplished considerable, doing the work very well. This was at Hewletts Station.
"On the 27th of May the brigade moved with the division to Chesterfield, marching slowly, making halts at different points, relieving the infantry at various crossings on the North Anna and covering the rear of the army in its movements. The command (marching with the division) continued to cover the rear of the army on the 28th and 29th instant (May), bivouacking on the first night at Mangohick Church and the second night about two and one-half miles from Hanovertown. No event of importance oc- curred to mark these days. In pursuance of orders, on the after- noon of the 30th I moved my command to Crumps Swamp, on the north side of the Pamunkey river, and sent the Third Indiana Cavalry forward a couple of miles on the road to Hanover Court House. They came upon a force of the enemy's cavalry and skir- mished with them until dark. Encamped on Crumps Swamp, with heavy picket detail on the Hanover Court House road.
"On the 31st sent forward patrols on the road to Hanover Court House, which were met by the enemy in force. The First Brigade coming up relieved my command, with the exception of a part of
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the Third Indiana, which remained on the left of the line until the enemy were driven back to Hanover Court House. From pris- oners taken I learned that we were engaged with Young's brigade of rebel cavalry. Bivouacked near Winston's House on the Han- over Court House and Richmond road, with a strong picket force in the direction of Richmond.
"At daylight on the morning of the 1st of June I moved my com- mand, with the exception of the Eighth New York Cavalry, which was left to picket and hold the Richmond and Hanover Court House road, to the south bank of Mechumps creek opposite Han- over Court House, and went into position to cover the movement of the First Brigade. Subsequently, having received orders to cross the creek, I moved forward the command and with one regiment, the First Vermont, re-enforced the Second New York Cavalry, which was skirmishing with a force of the enemy's cavalry (Mary- land Battalion) on the Virginia Central railroad. The enemy was steadily driven back, moving off on the road running parallel with the South Anna river. In the meantime the Third Indiana Cavalry and French's battery were ordered forward, moving in column on the road, and the Second New York Cavalry were re- lieved, the First Vermont remaining in advance and skirmishing with the enemy until he left our front at the Fredricksburg rail- road. When the enemy had been driven beyond Wickham's House I sent a squadron under Captain Cushman, of the First Vermont, to destroy the railroad bridge on the Central road over the South Anna river. Upon reaching the Fredricksburg railroad the same detail was sent to destroy the bridge on that road over the same stream. Both of these bridges were effectually destroyed by fire, including the trestle work as well as superstructure, as also the water tanks; the road was further damaged by the destruction of small bridges and cattle guards at different points.
"While still upon the Fredricksburg railroad and before the detail sent to destroy the bridge had returned, I received an order
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