The Shasta courier., 1868-03-28
A Brave Record.


Evans, and from the Report shown in full
of D. W. c. Thompson, late Major of the
California Cavalry Battalion, we make the
following extracts describing a few of the
operations of the brave men of the "Califor.
MIA Battalion" and California Hundred, f"
during the closing scenes of the war:
"On the twenty seventh of February
| (1S65) the battalion was again in the saddle
| for one of the hardest marches made during
the war-from Winchester to Petersburg
about three hundred miles, through rain and
mud. fighting the enemy all the way and
destroying his railroads, canals and other
property The command consisted of the
First Division of Cavalry, under General
Devin, to which the battalion belonged ::
Third Division, under General Custer, with
a small force of artillery, pontoons, etc.
all under General Sheridan. On this march
the battalion moved from Winchester up the
valley, through Woodstock and Harrisburg.
to Stanton and Waynesboro. At the latter
place battle was fought, resulting in the
capture of the remnant of Early's army and
large amount of rebel supplies. The
march was continued to Charlottesville.
where the railroad and enemy's stores were
destroyed then to the James River, DESTROY.
ing the canals and the bridges over that river
down to Goochland then to the north of
Richmond, across the South and North Anna
Rivers, down to the White House Landing.
The battalion assisted in charging and taking
the railroad bridge across the South Anna,
with its defences and cannon. From the
White House the march was continued across
the peninsula and over the James River in
front of Petersburg, where the battalion
went into camp on the twenty sixth of March,
after one month of constant marching, fight.
ing and skirmishing, destroying railroads,
canals and the enemy's property beyond any
immediate repair, and overcoming impedi-
ments of nature and the enemy seldom offered
against the advance of troops.
The battalion marched from in front of
Petersburg on the the twenty-ninth of March,
and took part in the brilliant operations that
resulted in the surrender of General Lees
army at Appomattox Court House on the
ninth of April, eighteen hundred and sixty.
fSe. 1t formed part of General Gibbs
brigade, that gallantly attacked the enemy
at Dinwiddle Court House and forced him
to retire.
''On the first day of April the battalion
was in the hottest of the fight at Five Forks,
and was among the first troops inside of the
enemy's works. 1t was in Devin's Division,
referred to by President Lincoln in the fol
lowing dispatch The Five Forks, strongly
Division of Cavalry
''In this engagement, First Lieutenant
Lewis Munger, while leading his company,
was killed. This promising young officer
enlisted in California, and had been promoted
to First Lieutenant for faithful services and
distinguished bravery. lie was the fourth
officer of the battalion killed in battle
Eigenbrodt. Meader-Smith and Munger, are
names that will always be cherished by their
comrades in arms, and should be honored by
California, the State they loved so well.
ION the second of April the battalion
marched toward the South Side railroad,
and during the day they heard of the fall of
Petersburg. On the third of April it was in
an engagement on the South Side railroad
- The news of the fall of Richmond reach
ed the battalion on the fourth of April, while
following up Lees army. During the day
it was in an engagement at DEVILS Ford
On the fifth of April it assisted in cutting
the Danville railroad and capturing three
hundred wagons of General Lees trains.
g 1t took part in the battle of Sailors
Creek, on the sixth of April that resulted in
the capture of General Ewell and about ten
thousand men of General Lees army,
together with their artillery trains and sup
plies.
On the seventh of April it continued in
pursuit of Lees army, marching on their
left flank and skirmishing oil the way.
''On the eight of April, it marched rap
idly to Appomatox Station, on the Lynch.
burg railroad, and assisted in capturing five
trains of cars loaded with rebel supplies,
and during the night twenty pieces of
artillery.
''On the morning of the memorable ninth
of April, Sheridan's cavalry having formed
line of battle across Lees line of retreat, the
battalion was dismounted and deployed as
skirmishes Immediately in front of the enc.
my. When the army of Northern Virginia
attempted to advance that morning it found
every foot of ground stubbornly contested
For some time this spirited engagement was
kept up, the rebels expecting to break thro'
the cavalry and escape. While this was
going on, the Fifth. Twenty fourth, and part
of the Twenty fifth Corps, came up and
formed in rear of the Cavalry, which grad
ually moved to the right flank to allow them
to come into action When their long line
of battle advanced under General Ord, the
veterans of the best rebel army, who had
fought tor four years vainly but too we'll,
saw that their doom was sealed. They stop
ped firing and slowly fell back around Ap-
pomatox Court House, the Union troops fol
lowing and hemming them in on all sides
Soon white flag, in token of surrender.
was presented to Sheridan's cavalry-an
honor they well merited-and hostilities
ceased. Early in the afternoon the battalion
had the pleasure Of witnessing the meeting
of the General in Chief Of the Armies Of the
United States and the General in Chief Of
the Rebel Armies, and soon after the formal
surrender of the Army of Northern Virgin
ia"