personal memoirs-1-第69章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



driven　the　enemy's　pickets　up　to　White　Oak　bridge；　where　he　waited

for　our　infantry。　　When　that　came　up；　he　pushed　on　as　far　as　Riddle's

Shop；　but　late　that　evening　the　Confederate　infantry　forced　him　to

withdraw　to　St。　Mary's　Church；　for　early　in　the　morning　General　Lee

had　discovered　the　movement　of　our　army；　and　promptly　threw　this

column　of　infantry　south　of　the　Chickahominy　to　White　Oak　Swamp；　with

the　design　of　covering　Richmond。　　From　St。　Mary's　Church　Wilson

guarded　all　the　roads　toward　White　Oak　Swamp　and　Riddle's　Shop；

McIntosh's　brigade　joining　him　on　the　14th；　by　way　of　Long　Bridge；　as

the　rear　of　the　Army　of　the　Potomac　passed　the　Chickahominy。　　In　the

performance　of　this　duty　Wilson　did　not　have　to　fight　any　engagement

of　magnitude；　for　the　bulk　of　the　enemy's　cavalry　had　followed　me　to

Trevillian。　　During　the　15th　and　16th　Wilson　drew　his　troops　in

toward　the　James　River；　and　next　day　crossed　it　on　the　pontoon…bridge

and　camped　on　the　Blackwater；　near　Mt。　Sinai　Church。　　Here　he

remained　till　the　22d　of　Junethe　same　day　I　reached　the　White　House

with　Gregg　and　Torbertwhen；　under　orders　from　General　Meade；　he　set

out　to　cut　the　enemy's　communications　to　the　south　and　southwest　of

Petersburg。



His　instructions　implied　that　the　breaking　up　of　the　Petersburg　and

Lynchburg；　and　Richmond　and　Danville　railroads　at　Burkeville　was　the

most　important　part　of　his　mission；　and　that　when　the　work　of

destruction　began；　it　should　be　continued　till　he　was　driven　off　by

the　enemy。　　Wilson's　force　consisted　of　about　5；500　men；　General　A。

V。　Kautz；　with　the　cavalry　of　the　Army　of　the　James；　having　joined

him　for　the　expedition。　　In　moving　out　Wilson　crossed　the　Weldon　road

near　Ream's　Station；　first　destroying　it　effectually　at　that　point。

About　fourteen　miles　west　of　Petersburg　he　struck　the　Southside

railroad；　and　broke　it　up　clear　to　Burkeville；　a　distance　of　thirty

miles。　　Having　destroyed　everything　at　Burkeville　Junction；　he　moved

along　the　Danville　road　to　Staunton　River；　completely　wrecking　about

thirty　miles　of　that　line　also。　　At　Staunton　River　he　found　the

railroad　bridge　strongly　guarded；　and　seeing　that　he　could　not　burn

it；　he　began　his　return　march　that　night；　and　reached　Nottoway　River；

some　thirty　miles　south　of　Petersburg；　at　noon　of　the　next　daythe

28th。



In　this　expedition　Wilson　was　closely　followcd　from　the　start　by

Barringer's　brigade　of　W。　H。　F。　Lee's　cavalry；　but　the　operations

were　not　interfered　with　materially；　his　success　being　signal　till　he

reached　the　vicinity　of　Stony　Creek　depot　on　his　return。　　At　this

point　General　Hampton；　with　his　own　and　Fitzhugh　Lee's　cavalry；　got

between　Wilson　and　the　Army　of　the　Potomac；　there　being　behind　them

at　Ream's　Station；　at　the　same　time；　two　brigades　of　infantry　under

General　Mahone。　　A　severe　battle　ensued；　resulting　in　Wilson's

defeat；　with　the　loss　of　twelve　guns　and　all　his　wagons。　　In

consequence　of　this　discomfiture　he　was　obliged　to　fall　back　across

the　Nottoway　River　with　his　own　division；　and　rejoined　the　army　by

way　of　Peter's　bridge　on　that　stream；　while　Kautz's　division；　unable

to　unite　with　Wilson　after　the　two　commands　had　become　separated　in

the　fight；　made　a　circuit　of　the　enemy's　left；　and　reached　the　lines

of　our　army　in　the　night　of　the　28th。



Neither　the　presence　of　Hampton's　cavalry　at　Stony　Creek　depot；　nor

the　possession　of　Ream's　Station　by　the　Confederate　infantry；　seems

to　have　been　anticipated　by　Wilson；　for　in　the　report　of　the

expedition　he　states：



〃Foreseeing　the　probability　of　having　to　return　northward；　I　wrote　to

General　Meade　the　evening　before　starting　that　I　anticipated　no

serious　difficulty　in　executing　his　orders；　but　unless　General

Sheridan　was　required　to　keep　Hampton's　cavalry　engaged；　and　our

infantry　to　prevent　Lee　from　making　detachments；　we　should　probably

experience　great　difficulty　in　rejoining　the　army。　　In　reply　to　this

note；　General　Humphreys；　chief…of…staff；　informed　me　it　was　intended

the　Army　of　the　Potomac　should　cover　the　Weldon　road　the　next　day；

the　Southside　road　the　day　after；　and　that　Hampton　having　followed

Sheridan　toward　Gordonsville；　I　need　not　fear　any　trouble　from　him。〃



I　doubt　that　General　Meade's　letter　of　instructions　and　Wilson's　note

of　the　same　evening；　warrant　what　General　Wilson　here　says。　　It　is

true　that　the　Weldon　railroad　near　Ream's　Station　was　not　covered　by

our　infantry；　as　General　Humphreys　informed　him　it　would　be；　but

Wilson　is　in　error　when　he　intimates　that　he　was　assured　that　I　would

look　after　Hampton。　　I　do　not　think　General　Meade's　instructions　are

susceptible　of　this　interpretation。　　I　received　no　orders　requiring

me　to　detain　Hampton。　　On　the　contrary；　when　I　arrived　at　the　White

House　my　instructions　required　me　to　break　up　the　depot　there；　and

then　bring　the　train　across　the　Peninsula　as　soon　as　practicable；　nor

were　these　instructions　ever　modified。　　I　began　the　duty　imposed　on

me　on　the　morning　of　the　23d；　totally　in　the　dark　as　to　what　was

expected　of　Wilson；　though　it　seems；　from　some　correspondence　between

Generals　Grant　and　Meade；　which　I　never　saw　till　after　the　war；　that

Grant　thought　Wilson　could　rely　on　Hampton's　absence　from　his　field

of　operations　throughout　the　expedition。





〃HEADQUARTERS　ARMY　OF　THE　POTOMAC；

〃June　21；　1864。　9：20　A。　M。



〃BRIGADIER…GENERAL　WILSON；

〃Commanding　Third　Division　Cavalry　Corps。



〃The　major…general　commanding　directs　that　you　move　your　command　at

2　A。　M。　to…morrow；　the　22d　instant；　in　execution　of　the　duty　assigned

you　of　destroying　certain　railroads。　　Despatches　received　from　the

White　House　state　that　Hampton's　cavalry　was　before　that　place

yesterday　evening；　and　that　General　Sheridan　had　also　reached　there；

hence　it　is　desirable　that　you　should　march　at　the　earliest　moment。

In　passing　Petersburg　you　will　endeavor　to　avoid　the　observation　of

the　enemy；　and　then　move　by　the　shortest　routes　to　the　intersection

of　the　Petersburg　and　Lynchburg；　and　the　Richmond　and　Danville

railroads；　and　destroy　both　these　roads　to　the　greatest　extent

possible；　continuing　their　destruction　until　driven　from　it　by　such

attacks　of　the　enemy　as　you　can　no　longer　resist。　　The　destruction　of

those　roads　to　such　an　extent　that　they　cannot　be　used　by　the　enemy

in　connection　with　Richmond　during　the　remainder　of　the　campaign　is

an　important　part　of　the　plan　of　campaign。　　The　latest　information

from　Major…General　Hunter　represents　him　to　be　a　few　miles　west　of

Lynchburg。　　He　may　endeavor　to　form　a　junction　with　this　army；　you

will　communicate　with　him　if　practicable；　and　have　delivered　to　him

verbally　the　contents　of　the　following　copy　of　a　communication　from

Lieutenant…General　Grant　to　the　major…general　commanding　this　army。

Lieutenant　Brooks；　who　will　accompany　your　expedition　part　of　the

way；　should　be　informed　where　General　Hunter　will　probably　be　found。



〃The　success　of　your　expedition　will　depend　upon　the　secrecy　with

which　it　is　commenced；　and　the　celerity　with　which　its　movements　are

conducted；　your　command　will；　therefore；　have　with　it　the　lightest

supplies　and　smallest　number　of　wheels　consistent　with　the　thorough

execution　of　the　duty；　the　supplies　of　the　section　of　country　you

will　operate　in　being　taken　into　account。　　Upon　the　completion　of　the

work　assigned　you；　you　will　rejoin　this　army。



〃The　chief　quartermaster　was　directed　yesterday　to　supply　you　with

the　implements　and　material　for　the　destruction　of　railroads　obtained

for　General　Sheridan。



＇Signed＇　〃A。　A。　HUMPHREYS；

〃Major…General；　Chief…of…Staff。〃







〃HEADQUARTERS　CAVALRY　FORCES；

Mount　Sinai　Church；　June　21；　18646　P。M。



〃MAJOR…GENERAL　HUMPHREYS；〃

〃Chief…of…Staff。

〃The　instructions　of　the　major…general　commanding；　of　this　date；　are

received。　　I　shall　march　in　obedience　thereto　at　2　A。　M。　to…morrow。

Before　starting　I　would　like　to　know　if　our　infantry　forces　cover　the

Weldon　r