personal memoirs-1-第58章

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Had　Gregg　and　Merritt　been　permitted　to　proceed　as　they　were

originally　instructed；　it　is　doubtful　whether　the　battles　fought　at

Spottsylvania　would　have　occurred；　for　these　two　divisions　would　have

encountered　the　enemy　at　the　Pa　River；　and　so　delayed　his　march　as　to

enable　our　infantry　to　reach　Spottsylvania　first；　and　thus　force　Lee

to　take　up　a　line　behind　the　Po。　　I　had　directed　Wilson　to　move　from

the　left　by　〃the　Gate〃　through　Spottsylvania　to　Snell's　bridge；　while

Gregg　and　Merritt　were　to　advance　to　the　same　point　by　Shady　Grove

and　the　Block　House。　　There　was　nothing　to　prevent　at　least　a　partial

success　of　these　operations；　that　is　to　say；　the　concentration　of　the

three　divisions　in　front　of　Snell's　bridge；　even　if　we　could　not

actually　have　gained　it。　　But　both　that　important　point　and　the

bridge　on　the　Block　House　road　were　utterly　ignored；　and　Lee's

approach　to　Spottsylvania　left　entirely　unobstructed；　while　three

divisions　of　cavalry　remained　practically　ineffective　by　reason　of

disjointed　and　irregular　instructions。



On　the　morning　of　the　8th；　when　I　found　that　such　orders　had　been

given；　I　made　some　strong　remonstrances　against　the　course　that　had

been　pursued；　but　it　was　then　too　late　to　carry　out　the　combinations

I　had　projected　the　night　before；　so　I　proceeded　to　join　Merritt　on

the　Spottsylvania　road。　　On　reaching　Merritt　I　found　General　Warren

making　complaint　that　the　cavalry　were　obstructing　his　infantry

column；　so　I　drew　Merritt　off　the　road；　and　the　leading　division　of

the　Fifth　Corps　pushed　up　to　the　front。　　It　got　into　line　about　　11

o'clock；　and　advanced　to　take　the　village；　but　it　did　not　go　very　far

before　it　struck　Anderson's　corps；　and　was　hurled　back　with　heavy

loss。　　This　ended　all　endeavor　to　take　Spottsylvania　that　day。



A　little　before　noon　General　Meade　sent　for　me；　and　when　I　reached

his　headquarters　I　found　that　his　peppery　temper　had　got　the　better

of　his　good　judgment；　he　showing　a　disposition　to　be　unjust；　laying

blame　here　and　there　for　the　blunders　that　had　been　committed。　　He

was　particularly　severe　on　the　cavalry；　saying；　among　other　things；

that　it　had　impeded　the　march　of　the　Fifth　Corps　by　occupying　the

Spottsylvania　road。　　I　replied　that　if　this　were　true；　he　himself　had

ordered　it　there　without　my　knowledge。　　I　also　told　him　that　he　had

broken　up　my　combinations；　exposed　Wilson's　division　to　disaster；　and

kept　Gregg　unnecessarily　idle；　and　further；　repelled　his　insinuations

by　saying　that　such　disjointed　operations　as　he　had　been　requiring　of

the　cavalry　for　the　last　four　days　would　render　the　corps　inefficient

and　useless　before　long。　　Meade　was　very　much　irritated；　and　I　was

none　the　less　so。　　One　word　brought　on　another；　until；　finally；　I

told　him　that　I　could　whip　Stuart　if　he　（Meade）　would　only　let　me；

but　since　he　insisted　on　giving　the　cavalry　directions　without

consulting　or　even　notifying　me；　he　could　henceforth　command　the

Cavalry　Corps　himselfthat　I　would　not　give　it　another　order。



The　acrimonious　interview　ended　with　this　remark；　and　after　I　left

him　he　went　to　General　Grant's　headquarters　and　repeated　the

conversation　to　him；　mentioning　that　I　had　said　that　I　could　whip

Stuart。　　At　this　General　Grant　remarked：　〃Did　he　say　so？　Then　let　him

go　out　and　do　it。〃　　This　intimation　was　immediately　acted　upon　by

General　Meade；　and　a　little　later　the　following　order　came　to　me：



〃HEADQUARTERS　ARMY　OF　THE　POTOMAC

〃May　8th；　1864　1　P。　M。



〃GENERAL　SHERIDAN；

〃Commanding　Cavalry　Corps。



〃The　major…general　commanding　directs　you　to　immediately　concentrate

your　available　mounted　force；　and　with　your　ammunition　trains　and

such　supply　trains　as　are　filled　（exclusive　of　ambulances）　proceed

against　the　enemy's　cavalry；　and　when　your　supplies　are　exhausted；

proceed　via　New　Market　and　Green　Bay　to　Haxall's　Landing　on　the　James

River；　there　communicating　with　General　Butler；　procuring　supplies

and　return　to　this　army。　　Your　dismounted　men　will　be　left　with　the

train　here。



〃A。　A。　HUMPHREYS；

〃Major…General；　Chief…of…staff。〃





As　soon　as　the　above　order　was　received　I　issued　instructions　for　the

concentration　of　the　three　divisions　of　cavalry　at　Aldrich's　to

prepare　for　the　contemplated　expedition。　　Three　days'　rations　for　the

men　were　distributed；　and　half　rations　of　grain　for　one　day　were

doled　out　for　the　horses。　　I　sent　for　Gregg；　Merritt；　and　Wilson　and

communicated　the　order　to　them；　saying　at　the　same　time；　〃We　are

going　out　to　fight　Stuart's　cavalry　in　consequence　of　a　suggestion

from　me；　we　will　give　him　a　fair；　square　fight；　we　are　strong；　and　I

know　we　can　beat　him；　and　in　view　of　my　recent　representations　to

General　Meade　I　shall　expect　nothing　but　success。〃　　I　also　indicated

to　my　division　commanders　the　line　of　march　I　should　takemoving　in

one　column　around　the　right　flank　of　Lee's　army　to　get　in　its　rear

and　stated　at　the　same　time　that　it　was　my　intention　to　fight　Stuart

wherever　he　presented　himself；　and　if　possible　go　through　to　Haxall's

Landing；　but　that　if　Stuart　should　successfully　interpose　between　us

and　that　point　we　would　swing　back　to　the　Army　of　the　Potomac　by

passing　around　the　enemy's　left　flank　by　way　of　Gordonsville。　　At

first　the　proposition　seemed　to　surprise　the　division　commanders

somewhat；　for　hitherto　even　the　boldest；　mounted　expeditions　had　been

confined　to　a　hurried　ride　through　the　enemy's　country；　without

purpose　of　fighting　more　than　enough　to　escape　in　case　of

molestation；　and　here　and　there　to　destroy　a　bridge。　　Our　move　would

be　a　challenge　to　Stuart　for　a　cavalry　duel　behind　Lee's　lines；　in

his　own　country；　but　the　advantages　which　it　was　reasonable　to

anticipate　from　the　plan　being　quickly　perceived；　each　division

commander　entered　into　its　support　unhesitatingly；　and　at　once　set

about　preparing　for　the　march　next　day。









CHAPTER　XIX。



THE　EXPEDITION　STARTSDESTROYING　SUPPLIESOPENING　OF　THE　FIGHT　AT

YELLOW　TAVERNGENERAL　CUSTER'S　BRILLIANT　CHARGEDEATH　OF　GENERAL

STUARTREMOVING　TORPEDOESEXCITEMENT　IN　RICHMONDA　NIGHT　MARCH

ENTERPRISING　NEWSBOYSTHE　EFFECTS　OF　STUART'S　DEFEAT　AND　DEATHEND

OF　THE　FIRST　EXPEDITIONITS　GREAT　SUCCESS　AND　BENEFICIAL　RESULTS。



The　expedition　which　resulted　in　the　battle　of　Yellow　Tavern　and　the

death　of　General　Stuart　started　from　the　vicinity　of　Aldrich's　toward

Fredericksburg　early　on　the　morning　of　May　9；　1864；　marching　on　the

plank…road；　Merritt's　division　leading。　　When　the　column　reached

Tabernacle　Church　it　headed　almost　due　east　to　the　telegraph　road；

and　thence　down　that　highway　to　Thornburg；　and　from　that　point

through　Childsburg　to　Anderson's　crossing　of　the　North　Anna　River；　it

being　my　desire　to　put　my　command　south　of　that　stream　if　possible；

where　it　could　procure　forage　before　it　should　be　compelled　to　fight。

The　corps　moved　at　a　walk；　three　divisions　on　the　same　road；　making　a

column　nearly　thirteen　miles　in　length；　and　marched　around　the　right

flank　of　the　enemy　unsuspected　until　my　rear　guard　；　had　passed

Massaponax　Church。　　Although　the　column　was　very　long；　I　preferred　to

move　it　all　on　one　road　rather　than　to　attempt　combinations　for

carrying　the　divisions　to　any　given　point　by　different　routes。

Unless　the　separate　commands　in　an　expedition　of　this　nature　are　very

prompt　in　movement；　and　each　fully　equal　to　overcoming　at　once　any

obstacle　it　may　meet；　combinations　rarely　work　out　as　expected；

besides；　an　engagement　was　at　all　times　imminent；　hence　it　was

specially　necessary　to　keep　the　whole　force　well　together。



As　soon　as　the　Ny；　Po；　and　Ta　rivers　were　crossed；　each　；of　which

streams　would　have　afforded　an　excellent　defensive　line　to　the　enemy；

all　anxiety　as　to　our　passing　around　Lee's　army　was　removed；　and　our

ability　to　cross　the　North　Anna　placed　beyond　doubt。　Meanwhile

General　Stuart　had　discovered　what　we　were　about；　and　he　set　his

cavalry　in　motion；　sending　General　Fitzhugh　Lee　to