The Washington herald., 1914-05-28


severely contested cavalry engagements
of the war was fought at Hawes Shop,
fourteen miles from Richmond, for the
control of road leading from the po-
sition of Grants army toward the Con-
federate capital
The battle, which was waged all day,
resulted at nightfall in victory for the
Federals. 1t revealed to Grant ths
movement, then in progress, by which
Lee was again TO bar his way to Rich
mond. .-~
Events were now moving rapidly and
with dramatic force in Grants cam
paign against Richmond. Three times
Lee had interposed between Grants
army and the Confederate capital on
the march of the Federals from the
Rapidan River southwark Three times
Grant had fought Aim and moved on.
Grants route represented a series of
half-circles on the map, while that of
Lee might be represented by series
of nearly straight lines.
Grants last flank movement had been
from the North Anna River, where Lee
had taken up an impregnable position.
1t had brought the head of his army to
the Pamunkey River Hanover Town,
seventeen miles from Richmond on the
morning of May q. - ..rs-
All through that day and the following
night the army and its trains had been
CROSSING the vPamunkey at two points
four smiles apart by means Of pontoon
bridges. On the morning of May Is the
long columns of troops were still passing
from the north to the south bank of the
river. and Grants infantry was going
into position near the points of crossing.
Lee Seizes Crossroads.
Once across the Pamunkey. it was
necessary for Grant to know what forces
Of the enemy lay between him and the
next and last river on his road to Rich
mond. the Chickahominy. Experience
had taught him to expect that Lee would
again anticipate him and bar his way;
but as vet he had received no intelli-
gence by which he could determine
whether the Confederate army would
make a stand in front of the Chicka-
hominy or behind it
For the purpose of learning Lees
whereabouts, Grant ordered Gen. Sher-
idan, his cavalry chief, to throw for
ward a part of his corps on the morning
of May % on the roads leading toward
Richmond and to Hanover Courthouse.
The latter had been Lees base behind
the North Anna
The principal road from Grants front
to the Chickahominy crossed a road to
Hanover Courthouse at Hawe's Shop,
three miles from the Pamunkey River.
This crossroad, therefore. was an i'm
portant one to both commanders. Lee
had anticipated the movement of Grants
cavalry upon it and had hurried a heavy
force of cavalry forward, to seize it.
This consisted of Gen. Wade Hamp-
toms and Gen. Fitz Hugh Lees divisions, !
REINFORCED by large brigade under Col |
NJ. c. Butler, which had recently ar |
rived from South Carolina. This con-
sisted of the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth /
South Carolina regiments and the Twen-
tieth Georgia Battalion, an aggregate of
about 1000 men.
p The Confederates had time before the
arrivel of Sheridan's advance troops to |
erect a barricade of fence rails across |
the road and other defenses in a line
through woods and small clearings on
its right and left
Dismounting all of his men except a
few retained as skirmfshers and videttes,
Hampton manned these improvised works
and awaited the coming of the Federals |
Cavalry Fights Dismounted.
When Sheridan's Cavalry advanced
that morning in line several miles
long. the division of Gen. D. McM. Grege
was ordered forward to Hawe's Shop
The brigade soon rode into range of bat.
teries which the Confederates had post
ed in and near the road.
The engagement which now begun was
unique among cavalry fights in the war.
Both sides fought, dismounted, all day
The Confederates had in all nineteen
or twenty resiments-possibly 5000 men.
The Federals had at first nine regiments,
REINFORCED late in the day by four, q
total OF thirteen regiments-possibly $500
men.
Weapons of long range were used on
both sides-the Federals being armed
with Spencer repeating carbines, firing
seven shots without reloading. and the
South Carolinans with Enfield rifles.
The field was so much broken by woods,
thickets, and swamps, that only few
of the men engaged got more than a
glimpse Of their enerH'. In the few clear
ings were fences and bitches that were
seized npon by both sides as rallying
points when the fight became close.
Throughout the forenoon the fighting
was chiefly at long range. The batteries
Of both sides kept up an almost contin-
uous fire. The dismounted troopers fired
In volleys or singly as the character OF
the field in their front ami the appear
ance of their enemy indicated. On some
parts of the line there were charges and
counter charges Occasionally small bod
les OF men met in close combat but more
commonly the fighting was of deliberate
Indian fashion. less spectacular, but near
ly as deadly
The Confederates fought with conspic-
Gen. Buffers command which had never
-efore been in battle. His troops were
young. eager. and intelligent
A single incident will illustrate the
apirit Of these soldiers One Of them.