The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1864-06-24

lnuuu w liiS p'ih', WI" :. - a,
its operation since leaving New Casue
Ferry. | crossed the Pamunkey rlver
on the 18th inst, marching via Aylets,
and encamped on Herring Creek. On
the morning of the Sth, l resumed the
march via Polecat Station and en-
canned three miles west of the station.
On the 9th marched through Childs-
burgh and New Market, encamplng on
Eve Creek, near Young's bridge. On
the 10th marched via Andrews Tav-
ern and Levman's Store, crossing both
branches of the North Anna and en-
camped at Buckchild's, about three
miles northeast of Trevilian Station.
NV intention was to break the railroad
at this station, march through Me
gainesville. cut the Gordonsville and
Charlottesville railroad near Lyndsays
house and to march on Charlottesville,
but on our arrival at Buckchild's, |
found the enemy's cavalry in my I'M
mediate front. On the morning OF the
11th, Gen. Forbert with his division.
and Col Gregg of Gen. Gregg's diyls-
ion attacked the enemy. After an OBJ
stinate contest they drove him from
successive lines of breastworks through
an almost impassable forest back on
Trevilian Station. In the meantime
Gen. Custer was ordered with his brig
ade to proceed by country road so as
to reach the station III the rear of the
enemy's cavelryi On his arrival at this
point the enemy broke into a complete
rout, leaving his dead and nearly all
his wounded in our hands, also twenty
officers, five hundred men and three
hundred horses.
These operations occupied the whole
of the day. At night / encamped at
Trevihan station, and on the morning
of the 18th inst, commenced destroy
ing the railroad from this point to
Lewan Court House. This was thor
oughly done, the ties burned and the
rails rendered unserviceable. The de
struction of the railroad occupied until
3 o'clock of that day, when l directed
Gen Forbert to advance with his di-
vision and Gen. Davis brigade of Gen
Gregg's division in the direction oil
Gordonsville and attack the enemy
who had concentrated and been rein
forced by infantry during the night anc
had also constructed rifle pits at O
point about five miles from Gordons.
vile. The advance was made but as
the enemy's position was found toe
strong to assault, no general assault
was made
On the extreme right of our lines {
portion of the reserve brigade carried
the enemy's works twice and was twic,
driven therefrom by infantry. Night
closed the contest. | found on exam.
nation of the command that there was
not sufficiency of ammunition left t.
continue the engagement.
THE next day trains of cars came
down to where we were engaged with
the enemy. The reports of prisoners
and citizens were that Procket's old
division was coming to prevent the
taking Of Gordonsville ! therefore
during the night and next morning
withdrew my command over the North
Anna yia Carpenters Ford, near Mi
ner's bridge In addition, the animals
were, for the entire days iii which We
were engaged, without forage. The
surrounding country afforded nothing
but grazing Of very inferior quality and
generally at such points as were mac
ccssible to rs.
The cavalry engagement of the l2tl
was bv far the most brilliant one of the
present campaign. The enemy's loss
was very heavy. They lost the follow
ing named officers in killed anc
wounded; Col McAlhster, command
ing a regiment, killed; Brig. Gen. Ros
ser, commanding q brigade, wounded
and Col. Custer, commanding a req
ment wounded My loss in killed ant
wounded will be about 575 OF THU
number 800 are wounded / brought
off my ambnlances, 377, all that coulC
be transported. The remainder were
with a number of rebel wounded tina
fell into my hands left behind. Sur
geons and attendants were detailed anC
remained in charge of them / cap
tured and have now with me tire,
hundred and seventy prisoners of war
including twenty commissioned officers
My loss in captured will not exceed
one hundred and sixty. They wer,
principally from the 9Th Michigan cav
airy. This regiment gallantly charged
down the Gordonsville road, capturing
fifteen hundred horses and about eigh
hundred men, but were finally sur
rounded and had to give them up.
when the enemy broke they hur
ried between Gen. Custar's comman,
and Col. Gregg's brigade capturing fy,
caissons of Pennington's Battery, tire,
of which were afterwards re-captured
leaving in their hands two caissons. 4
; more detailed report will be made here
after"
Il. NJ STANTON,
Secretary of War.
WAR DEPARTMENT, !
Washington, June $40 p. IN. I
II MAJ |fs. Tl,r.