The National tribune., 1901-03-14

1t appears that AnuersonS advance
guard got within three miles of Hanover
Court House early in the forenoon of the
9th, but mud and rain. stopped the col
umn's advance and it was unable TO reach
the field in time to aid Gen Branch, who
was expecting him all the afternoon. His
advance regiment was Griggss 1st s. @.
Rifles, whose baggage was captured Ill one
of the trains. Had Anderson reached the
field in time the report Of the battle would
have been very different, However, Gen.
Mcclellan directed Gen. Porler to send a
sufficient force to Hanover on the 9th
and dislodge the enemy. In pursuance
of these orders the First Division was or
dered to be in readiness to move at day
break.
1t had rained nearly all night, and was
pouring down in torrents at the hour we
were routed ont. That was about a.
M, consequently we could get no fires
started, and had no coffee. The First Bri-
gade (Martindale) was to take the lead,
but they were so slow in getting under
way that it was $50 before the rest OF
the division was in motion, so that we
were wet to the skin before starting out.
Each brigade escorted a battery. The di-
vision was preceded by two regiments of
q. s. cavalry and Capt. Bensons battery
of light artillery, under command of Gen.
Emory. At the same hour Gen. Porter
put in motion the force at Old Church, I'M
der Col. G. *. Warren. consisting of the
9th Pa. Cav. Uancers), Col. Rush; LIST
Conn, Col Tyler; 9th n. Y, Col. Dur
yea; 18th n. Y, Col. Marshall, Of the
First Brigade; Capt Weeden's Il. l. Bat
terry, six rified pieces; about 1000 of all
arms.
Col. Warren's orders were to move by
the Hanover road, and parallel with the
Pamunkey River, attack the enemy's flank
and rear. The First Division, under Gen.
Morell, was to move by the New Bridge
road and attack the enemy in front. The
distance from New Bridge to Hanover
Court House was about 10 miles, almost
due north The road upon which we trav-
eled was n wretched one at its best, now
made doubly so by the tremendous down
pour. Through mud and rain we marched
to within about three miles of the Court
House. 1t was now about 40 O'Clock, and
it had stopped raining. Then the sun
came out, and with such intense heat that
the dense fog that obscured his face was
converted into hot, sitting steam.
The weight of our clothing was begin
ming to tell on many of the boys, and knap-
sacks were frequently thrown on the road
side. Gen. Emory's advance found the
enemy, and messenger had been sent
to Porter for infantry supports. The
25th N. Y, of Martindale's Brigade, and
Berdan's SharpshoOters were sent for
ward. About noon Gen. Emory found
portion Of the enemy formed in line OF
battle south of the junction of the New
Bridge and Ashland roads. The two reg
iments sent forward Gen. Emory deployed
in line, with a section OF Benson's Bat
terry, and advanced slowly until the Third
Brigade (Butterfeld's) was brought up.
In the meantime, as some wounded were
being brought back, hospital was estab-
lished about half mile in rear of the
advance line on the New Bridge road, and
the 44th n. Y. left as guard.
Butterfield's Brigade was deployed east
Of the New Bridge read, and advanced
through the timber to the edge of wheat
field, and halted until the enemy's position
was known, then advanced=intO the DIR.
Kinnie fields, west of the New Bridge
road The artillery was also brought into
action. Gen. Butterfield formed his brig
ade in two lines, the SD Pa. and 18th N.
Y. in the front line, supported in the rear
by the 18th Mich. and 18th n. Y, little
northeast of the Kinnie house. The 9th
Y. c., about 800 strong, and two sections
of Latham's Battery opened terrific ire
on our advance. Our brigade advanced in
excellent order, firing as we advanced. The
enemy retreated, leaving one gun. The
horses having been killed and disabled,
they could not get it Off. This gun came
in the advance of the 18th N. T., and was
credited to that regiment. We continued
our advance as far as the railroad station,
over fields covered with strawberries. AT
the station we halted, awaiting orders to
advance on the enemy's camps, west of the
courthouse. While we were advancing, as
already mentioned, gray line appeared,
and with it some private carriages, along
u wooded ridge north Of DIR. kinnies. Our
artillery dispersed it. The cavalry and
section Of Benson's Battery followed in
pursuit. The First Brigade (Martindales)
did not follow our advance. Warren's
Brigade had encountered the enemy at
Taliaferro's Mill, on the Hanover road;
had defeated n small force of them there
and taken about 175 prisoners and killed
about eight. Warren arrived on our part
of the line too late to take part in the ac-
ton. Col. Warren then continued on, with
orders to destroy all private and public
bridges crossing the Pamunkey east of the
railroad. In the meantime Gen. Martin
dale got bis First Brigade together, and
with section Of artillery advanced on the
Ashland road, and encountered force of
the enemy's infantry, cavalry and artillery
in position at Peaks Station, on the Vir
ginia Central Railroad. After a hot en-
gament the enemy retreated toward Ash
land. The 25th n. Y. now rejoined the
First Brigade. Gen. MartindaIe was
directed to advance up the railroad to-
wards the enemy's camps, where Butter
fields Brigade was waiting his arrival, to
strike the enemy's front and flank, but he
only sent one regiment up the railroad and
remained with the "a Me. and Doth n. Y.
to guard the rear of the column. 1t was
most fortunate that he did remain, for the
enemy had made rapid flank movement
and struck our rear with tremendous force,
capturing our hospital and driving before
it the 44th n. Y, and capturing quite q
number of prisoners.
Gen. Martindale formed the I'd Me-,
25th y. Y. and u portion Of 44th n. Y. and
section of Martins Battery on the New
Bridge road, changing front to rear, and
facing his position of the morning. Then
fierce and desperate encounter took
place, both sides charging and counter
charging. Prisoners were taken on both
sides, and firing into each others faces.
Gen. Butterfield hearing the sound of bat
tie in the rear, ordered back by the near
est route the SD Pa. and 18th Mich. Gen
Porter, who was with us at the station, re
called the cavalry, sent in pursuit Of the
enemy, toward Ashland, and hastened to
the second scene of action. The Second
Brigade having not been up in the first
affair, had now arrived, Porter pushes in
the 18th and 14th N. Y. and Grifiin's Bat
terry direct to Martindale's assistance. Now
the battle ragged with the greater fury. The
enemy, under the direct command of Gen.
Brigade not having been up in the first
splendid body of men. The 9th Mass. and
62d Pa. were pushed through the woods
on the right-our original left-and at
tackled the flank of the enemy. The SD
Pa. and 10th Mich, personally led by Gen
Butterfeld, hastened toward the scene of