The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-06-30
copyright. 1904. by C. L. Kilmer.l

mac took place in connection
with the movement of the Second and
Sixth corps against the Weldon rail
road. General Sheridan was at this
time, June %, 1864. absent on the ex-
petition to Lynchburg, which resulted
in a cavalry battle at Trevilian
Station, on the Central railway, north
of Richmond, between Sheridan with
the divisions of Gregg and Torbert and
the COnfederates< under Hampton and
Fi:Z-Hugh Lee. Sheridan left the divi-
sion of James II. Wilson to accompany
the Army of the Potomac, and it took
the lead from the field of Cold Harbor
to the James river.
After crossing the river and taking a
short rest Wilson was REINFORCED by
KautZ's division, belonging to But
ler's army, and the column started on
the 22d with general instructions to
cross the country south of Petersburg
and strike the intersection of the Pc
tersburg and Lynchburg and the Rich
mond and Danville railroads. This
would cut communications from Pc
tersburg and Richmond south and
west.
Wilson's combined force was less
than 5000 men. He crossed the Wei
don road without opposition, dashed
across the Lynchburg road and struck
it fourteen miles below Petersburg,
sweeping south thirty miles to the
crossing of the Danville road. The
rDi 1pCo al h.. 4
all the rolling stock were completely
destroyed. At the crossing of Staun-
ton river, twenty miles farther south,
Wilson found the bridge guarded by
earthWorks, garrisoned by infantry and
supplied with artillery. The river was
not fordable, and brave attack, led
by General KautZ, failed to carry the
position. At this moment w. II. f.
Lee brought up his cavalry division
and attacked Wilson in the rear and
managed to divide Wilson and Kautz
and to put his whole force between
them.
The raiders were now 100 miles with
in the cnemy's lines. The news of
their destructive work had gone into
Petersburg, and the forces there We're
scattering in all directions to intercept
them. At every crOssrOad they found
militia troops in position to oppose
them, and often their scouting parties
and pickets were surrounded and made
prisoners. The cavalrymen of Wilson
and Kautz were continually in the sad
die, not daring to encamp for sleep or
to cook rations. Their fare was any
thing that could be had, sometimes
kernels of hard corn, which men and
horses munched together.
Wilson sent word to KautZ to retire
the best he could, and with his own
force he travelled as rapidly as possible
back toward the Weldon road. a rap
id ride of eighty miles brought him to
the NOttoway river, thirty miles south
of Petersburg and ten miles from the
Weldon road. From this point Wilson
started northeast on road that would
carry him across the Weldon road and
to Prince Georges Court House, east
of Petersburg and in rear of Meade's
army. But w. II. +. Lee had sent
w O!d " CltlSDulS VI llc bICCt'l NUS
position in which lie had placed his en-
emieS, and General Robert +. Lee at
once recalled Hampton, who at that
time was logging Sheridan's column
across the peninsula toward James riV-
er. Hampton brought up three bri-
gades of cavalry and reached Ream's
Station, on the Weldon railroad. on
June %. Here he met Chambliss' bri-
Gade Of w. II. T. Lees division and
also found two brigades of infantry
from Petersburg, under command of
General Malone, posted to cover the
railroad. This point was Wilson's
crossing place, and he expected to meet
here the infantry of Meades army sent
out to seize and hold this road. Hamp-
ton now deployed two brigades across
the road where Wilson was coming up.
and he attacked the moving coluL.1,
keeping up the battle until night. Viii
sons men, aided by Kautz, who was
again with him, fought desperately.
But Wilson learned what force was
behind Hampton, and he now deter
mined to push north again up the Wei
don road toward Petersburg where he
expected to find some of Meade's men.
Wilson withdrew in the night, leaving
Kautz in position.
At the time of the separation of Gen
eral Kautz from the main command
that daring commander found himself
surrounded on three sides by the en-
envy in overwhelming force. On the
| fourth side was the steep embankment
leading to a cut in the Weldon railroad,
beyond which was a supposedly i'm
passable swamp. Kautz had but two
| regiments. Most men would have sur
rendered, but not he. Squirting down
the embankment amid plunging fire,
he led his regiments up the opposite
embankment, rode boldly into the
swamp, which drought had fortu-
nately rendered passable, and escaped
with nearly his whole command.
One of General Wilson's staff officers
had remained with the party cut off
from Wilson's moving column when
| Hampton intercepted it, and General
Kautz sent him with a small body
guard to cut his way through the en-