Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1905-06-08
Written for he II -
Pelham -Breathed ltery.
Br 81. Il. MARI
PART xsIE.
Trevilian Station tit.

Treviiian station <Ht.
After the death of General :. b. Stu
art, May L, 1864. the AIRY and
Breathed's battery were a'1Aged daily
with Sheridan's cavalry aloa the Po and
and South Anna rivers. WsEar1ly knew
what it was to go into cakxp Tor more
than few moments at q .inae Sheridan
had extended his lines CO Huch great
length that we had Co move rom point
to point in order TO preveat him from
turning our tanks or pelRIraIing our
rear. From May 10th totsa 18th Me-
Gregor's and Breathed's. - Accs were
actively engages w..k ise4 ia;-ss
niacently equipped horse batteries. We
lost a number of horses, but had the con-
ISOLATION of knowing thai we inflicted Sc
we're losses upon the enemy, which Eact is
proven by Sheridan n'soflicialreports. On
May 10th, Gen. Lee began his movement
paralelling Grants lines In the direction
of Richmond. On May 31st we encoun-
tered a heavy force of the enemy-infan-
try and cayalry-moving in the direction
of Cold HarbOr. We attacked them at
once and staid with them the entire day,
Notwithstanding the disparagement of
numbers. The enemy at last gave way,
moving in the direction of the Grapevine
bridge on the Chicahominy river. Pre-
vious to this movement we encountered
Clusters brigade, the best In the Federal
army, between Hanovertown and Haw's
Shop, in which Fitz Lee and his side part
ner, Breathed, gave Custer severe drub-
bing. Custer in his report of this action
says, My loss was very heavy" Sheri-
dan says his loss was greater in the
Haw's shop affair than in any other en-.
gagement of the campaign" The casu-
alties among his officers were particular
ly heavy. Our loss was small. The ene-
my retired after dark in the direction OF
a gallant officer in MeGregor's battery,
who was with us, was instantly killed.
Breathed's battery was i'm amost deplor-
able condition as to ohorses. Wehad been
constantly on the go from the early part
of the campaign up to the present time,
frequently fighting all day and marching
at night to- the next position. often
wonder how we stood this terrible strain
upon tired and exhausted systems; moth
ing to eat worth recording; hardly any
clothes to wear; no shoes in many cases;
stockings were considered an extraya-
gance not to be thought of. Our only
stock in trade was love for the South
and her hallowed institutions, consecrat-
ed by blood of patriots who had shed it
in the holy cause; a patriotism that fired
every true heart to exert every effort to
hurl back from Virginia's sacred soil the
unwelcome intruder. This was the Sc
cret that kept US shoulder to shoulder
to shoulder and enabled US to bear any
kind of hardships and to overcome OBJ
stables that under any other rcircumstan-
ces would have caused US to hesitate be-
fore we moved. Many poor Southern
boys bones are scattered over the battle
fields of the South, whose patriotism was
his incentive to duty. 0n June 1st the
enemy made his appearance at Bottom 9
bridge in force. Fitz Lee and Breathed
were ON hand as usual disputing his eros
sing. We kept them back with shell and
canister, driving them in the direction
of Gaines Mill. On the Bird the enemy
at dawn attempted to turn our left flank,
where Kershaw and Breckenridge were
stationed. We took hand in this fracas
and were warmly engaged with the enc
my, repulsing him and driving him in
the direction OF the Pamunky. On the
4th, Fftz Lee and Breathed Were station
ed on and along the north bank of the
Chicahominy river, Bottom Bridge being
the central point. The enemy'y cavalry
made several demonstrations, but were
eherkmated by the ever yigilant Fits
Lee. Skirmishing was keps mp for seve
raj days. While Grant and Lee were con.
testing for position on the fields of Cold
Harbor and Gaines mill . Ian started
on that fizzle Of his, know gthe Lynch.
burg raid. Their object was, according
Sheridan's report, to proceed TO Char.
louisville or Lynchburg and with Gen
Hunter cut the Virginia Central r. r. and
Orange 4 Alex. r. X. near Gordonsville
bringing Hunters command over to the
Army of the Potomac In front of Rich.
} mond. On June Sheridan crossed from
the south side to the north bank of the
Pamunky river at New Castle with Tor.
bert's and Gregg's divisions OF cavalry
and batteries or horseartillery. In the
meantime General Lee had been advised
of this movement Gen. Wade Hampton
was ordered take one division Of cavalry
and his own. He selected Fitz Lees al
the other, and on the Sth OF June we left
in front OF Gaines mill, marching rapid
, ly day and night, via Hanover Junction
: along the line of the Virginia Central r
r., encamping near Louisa C. III. on the
, evening Of the 10th. Hampton, who had
taken a different route, eneamped neal
Trevilian Station. Hart's and Thomp
: sons batteries were with him, under the
command of Major r. p. Chew. Hamp
ton having learned from his scouts tha,
Sheridan had crossed the North Anna
river at Carpenters ford, determined tC
attack him at daylight the next day, tn,
11th. Gen. NJ. C. Butler OF Hampton,
division, marched out with flying color,
to meet thegreat tSheridaH-that modest
: truthful man-who in his report of tn,