The National tribune., 1897-03-25
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What Our Veterans Have to Say About
Their Old Campaigns.
CAVALRY MANNERS.

Gen. Henry f. Davies's Story of What His
Brigade Did the Last Few Days of the
War.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: send you
Gen. Henry E. Davis's story of the opera
tions of the cavalry under his command In
the last days of the war. The report cannot
be found among the official records. The
report is dated at the Headquarters of the
First Brigade, Second Division, Cavalry
Corps, Nottoway Courthouse, Va, April IA,
1865, and is addressed to Mai. G.. G. Weir,
A. A. c., Second Division Gen. Davis says:
"On the morning of the Goth of March the
brigade broke camp near Petersburg, and
marched via Noiine's Bridge to Dinwiddie
Courthouse, and encamped for the night on
the Boydton Plank Road. On the following
day, in the morning, reconnaissance went
out under Maj. Snyder, 10th N. Y. Cav. Com
municatiOns were made with our infantry
forces
In the afternoon of the 30th the brigade
moved out ON the road leading to Five Forks
and reported to Brevet Maj.-Ge Merritt,
whose forces were engaged at that point.
The brigade did not 60 into action, but stood
ready to act, though not called on.
"On the morning of the 31st of March
reconnaissance was sent out under Capt.
Craig, LIST N. J. Cav, and discovered the
presence of Johnston's Divisions of the
enemy's infantry and w. Fl. F. Lees Division
of cavalry on my left and front. Later in
the day / was ordered to move my brigade
to the rear and left flank to support Gen.
Smiths Brigade, heavily engaged with the
enemy on the road crossing Chamberlain's
Creek.
II at once moved in that direction. The
road being impossible for mounted troops,
/ took my men down dismounted. / rode
on in advance, and on reaching Gen. Smith
learned that he had succeeded in repulsing
the enemy, and was not at that time in need
of assistance. Immediately returned to my
former position, countermarching my COM
mand as / met it on the road, and hearing
the sound Of heavy firing on my own picket
line, l directed them to return to their former
position ut doube-quick. found that my
pickets at the bridge over Chamberlain's
Creek were attacked by overwhelming forces
of the enemy and driven back. The enemy
had succeeded in crossing large body of
troops, consisting of nearly the whole of
Pickett's Division of infantry. My brigade
coming up at once engaged the enemy, but
after severe struggle were driven back
having, however, saved the led horses,
which. at one time were almost within their
grasp.
Il fell back to the road leading from Din
widdie Courthouse to Five Forks, where /
reformed my line, connecting my right with
the First Division, and endeayoring to open
communications ON my left with the re-
mainder of the Second Division. My men
fought bravely, but the overwhelming supe-
riority in numbers of the enemy enabled
him to turn my left flank. / then fell back
across the country to the Boydton Plank
Road. / found there one mounted regiment
of the First Dvision-the 9th Mich. Cav.
The commanding officer made a vigorous
demonstration and checked further pursuit
on the plank road.
! reformed my brigade. and night coming
on, and the road being recently picketed by
the First Division which had also fallen
back to that point, moved to Dinwiddie
Courthouse, where my led horses had been
sent, when the engagement became heavy,
and went into camp for the night near that
point. In this action met with severe
loss in killed and wounded, and lost a few
prisoners. In view of the large force the
enemy brought in the field l fully believe
all that was practicable to do was done, and
that my brigade accomplished all that could
be expected from it.
"On April / and the brigade remained
in camp near Dinwiddie Courthouse, guard
ing the train Of the corps. On the night of
the I'd moved from Dinwiddie Ccurthousein
the rear of the train to the point where the
Claiborne road crosses Hatcher's Run, and