personal memoirs-1-第53节

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locomotive；　destroyed　the　railroad　for　some　distance；　and　rejoined

the　main　column　at　Allen's　Station　on　the　Fredericksburg　and　Richmond

railroad。　　From　Allen's　Station　the　whole　command　moved　on　Yellow

Tavern；　Merritt　in　the　lead；　Wilson　following；　and　Gregg　in　the　rear。



The　appearance　of　Davies's　brigade　at　Ashland　in　the　morning　had　had

the　effect　of　further　mystifying　the　enemy　as　to　my　intentions；　and

while　he　held　it　incumbent　to　place　himself　between　me　and　Richmond；

yet　he　was　still　so　uncertain　of　my　movements　that　he　committed　the

same　fault　that　he　did　the　first　day；　when　he　divided　his　force　and

sent　a　part　to　follow　me　on　the　Childsburg　road。　　He　now　divided　his

command　again；　sending　a　portion　to　hang　upon　my　rear；　while　he

proceeded　with　the　rest　to　Yellow　Tavern。　　This　separation　not　only

materially　weakened　the　force　which　might　have　been　thrown　across　my

line　of　march；　but　it　also　enabled　me　to　attack　with　almost　my　entire

corps；　while　occupying　the　pursuers　with　a　small　rearguard。



By　forced　marches　General　Stuart　succeeded　in　reaching　Yellow　Tavern

ahead　of　me　on　May　11；　and　the　presence　of；　his　troops；　on　the

Ashland　and　Richmond　road　becoming　known　to　Merritt　as　he　was

approaching　the　Brook　turnpike；　this　general　pressed　forward　at　once

to　the　attack。　　Pushing　his　division　to　the　front；　he　soon　got

possession　of　the　turnpike　and　drove　the　enemy　back　several　hundred

yards　to　the　east　of　it。　　This　success　had　the　effect　of　throwing　the

head　of　my　column　to　the　east　of　the　pike；　and　I　quickly　brought　up

Wilson　and　one　of　Gregg's　brigades　to　take　advantage　of　the　situation

by　forming　a　line　of　battle　on　that　side　or　the　road。　　Meanwhile　the

enemy；　desperate　but　still　confident；　poured　in　a　heavy　fire　from　his

line　and　from　a　battery　which　enfiladed　the　Brook　road；　and　made

Yellow　Tavern　an　uncomfortably　hot　place。　　Gibbs's　and　Devin's

brigades；　however；　held　fast　there；　while　Custer；　supported　by

Chapman's　brigade；　attacked　the　enemy's　left　and　battery　in　a　mounted

charge。



Custer's　charge；　with　Chapman　on　his　flank　and　the　rest　of　Wilson's

division　sustaining　him；　was　brilliantly　executed。　　Beginning　at　a

walk；　he　increased　his　gait　to　a　trot；　and　then　at　full　speed　rushed

at　the　enemy。　　At　the　same　moment　the　dismounted　troops　along　my

whole　front　moved　forward；　and　as　Custer　went　through　the　battery；

capturing　two　of　the　guns　with　their　cannoneers　and　breaking　up　the

enemy's　left；　Gibbs　and　Devin　drove　his　centre　and　right　from　the

field。　　Gregg　meanwhile；　with　equal　success；　charged　the　force　in　his

rear…Gordon's　brigadeand　the　engagement　ended　by　giving　us　complete

control　of　the　road　to　Richmond。　　We　captured　a　number　of　prisoners；

and　the　casualties　on　both　sides　were　quite　severe；　General　Stuart

himself　falling　mortally　wounded；　and　General　James　B。　Gordon；　one　of

his　brigade　commanders；　being　killed。



After　Custer's　charge；　the　Confederate　cavalry　was　badly　broken　up；

the　main　portion　of　it　being　driven　in　a　rout　toward　Ashland　and　a

small　part　in　the　direction　of　Richmond；　which　latter　force　finally

rejoined　Fitzhugh　Lee　near　Mechanicsville。　　A　reconnoitring　party

being　now　sent　up　the　Brook　turnpike　toward　the　city；　dashed　across

the　South　Fork　of　the　Chickahominy；　drove　a　small　force　from　the

enemy's　exterior　intrenchments　and　went　within　them。　　I　followed　this

party；　and　after　a　little　exploration　found　between　the　two　lines　of

works　a　country　road　that　led　across　to　the　pike　which　runs　from

Mechanicsville　to　Richmond。　　I　thought　we　could　go　around　within　the

outer　line　of　works　by　this　country　road　across　to　the　Mechanicsville

pike　on　the　south　side　of　the　Chickahominy；　and　encamp　the　next　night

at　Fair　Oaks；　so　I　determined　to　make　the　movement　after　dark；　being

influenced　in　this　to　some　extent　by　reports　received　during　the

afternoon　from　colored　people；　to　the　effect　that　General　B。　F。

Butler's　army　had　reached　a　small　stream　on　the　south　side　of　the

James；　about　four　miles　south　of　Richmond。　　If　I　could　succeed　in

getting　through　by　this　road；　not　only　would　I　have　a　shorter　line　of

march　to　Haxall's　landing；　but　there　was　also　a　possibility　that　I

could　help　Butler　somewhat　by　joining　him　so　near　Richmond。

Therefore；　after　making　the　wounded　as　comfortable　as　possible；　we

commenced　the　march　about　11　o'clock　on　the　night　of　the　1lth；　and

massed　the　command　on　the　plateau　south　of　the　Meadow　bridge　near

daylight　on　the　12th。



The　enemy；　anticipating　that　I　would　march　by　this　route；　had　planted

torpedoes　along　it；　and　many　of　these　exploded　as　the　column　passed

over　them；　killing　several　horses　and　wounding　a　few　men；　but　beyond

this　we　met　with　no　molestation。　　The　torpedoes　were　loaded　shells

planted　on　each　side　of　the　road；　and　so　connected　by　wires　attached

to　friction…tubes　in　the　shells；　that　when　a　horse's　hoof　struck　a

wire　the　shell　was　exploded　by　the　jerk　on　the　improvised　lanyard。

After　the　loss　of　several　horses　and　the　wounding　of　some　of　the　men

by　these　torpedoes；　I　gave　directions　to　have　them　removed；　if

practicable；　so　about　twenty…five　of　the　prisoners　were　brought　up

and　made　to　get　down　on　their　knees；　feel　for　the　wires　in　the

darkness；　follow　them　up　and　unearth　the　shells。　　The　prisoners

reported　the　owner　of　one　of　the　neighboring　houses　to　be　the

principal　person　who　had　engaged　in　planting　these　shells；　and　I

therefore　directed　that　some　of　them　be　carried　and　placed　in　the

cellar　of　his　house；　arranged　to　explode　if　the　enemy's　column　came

that　way；　while　he　and　his　family　were　brought　off　as　prisoners　and

held　till　after　daylight。



Meanwhile　the　most　intense　excitement　prevailed　in　Richmond。　　The

Confederates；　supposing　that　their　capital　was　my　objective　point；

were　straining　every　effort　to　put　it　in　a　state　of　defense；　and　had

collected　between　four　and　five　thousand　irregular　troops；　under

General　Bragg；　besides　bringing　up　three　brigades　of　infantry　from

the　force　confronting　General　Butler　south　of　the　James　River；　the

alarm　being　intensified　by　the　retreat；　after　the　defeat　at　Yellow

Tavern；　of　Stuart's　cavalry；　now　under　General　Fitzhugh　Lee；　by　way

of　Ashland　to　Mechanicsville；　on　the　north　side　of　the　Chickahominy；

for　falling　back　in　that　direction；　left　me　between　them　and

Richmond。



Our　march　during　the　night　of　the　11th　was　very　tedious；　on　account

of　the　extreme　darkness　and　frequent　showers　of　rain；　but　at　daylight

on　the　12th　the　head　of　my　column；　under　Wilson；　reached　the

Mechanicsville　pike。　　Here　Wilson；　encountering　the　enemy's　works　and

batteries　manned　by　General　Bragg's　troops；　endeavored　to　pass。　　In

this　he　failed；　and　as　soon　as　I　was　notified　that　it　was

impracticable　to　reach　Fair　Oaks　by　passing　between　the　works　and　the

Chickahominy；　Custer's　brigade　was　directed　to　make　the　crossing　to

the　north　side　of　the　Chickahominy；　at　the　Meadow　bridge。　　Custer

moved　rapidly　for　the　bridge；　but　found　it　destroyed；　and　that　the

enemy's　cavalry　was　posted　on　the　north　side；　in　front　of

Mechanicsville。　　When　this　information　came　back；　I　ordered　Merritt

to　take　his　whole　division　and　repair　the　bridge；　instructing　him

that　the　crossing　must　be　made　at　all　hazards；　for；　in　view　of　an

impending　attack　by　the　enemy's　infantry　in　Richmond；　it　was

necessary　that　I　should　have　the　bridge　as　a　means　of　egress　in　case

of　serious　disaster。



All　the　time　that　Merritt　was　occupied　in　this　important　duty；　the

enemy　gave　great　annoyance　to　the　working　party　by　sweeping　the

bridge　with　a　section　of　artillery　and　a　fire　from　the　supporting

troops；　so　a　small　force　was　thrown　across　to　drive　them　away。　　When

Merritt　had　passed　two　regiments　over；　they　attacked；　but　were

repulsed。　　The　work　on　the；　bridge　continued；　however；　not…

withstanding　this　discomfiture；　and　when　it　was　finished；　Merritt

crossed　nearly　all　his　division；　dismounted；　and　again　attacked　the

enemy；　this　time　carrying　the　line；　of　temporary　breastworks；　built

with　logs　and　rails；　and　pursuing　his　broken　troops　toward　Gaines's

Mills。



While　Merritt　was　engaged　in　this　affair；　the　Confederates　advanced

from　behind　their　works　at　Richmond；　and　attacked　Wilson　and　Gregg。

Wilson's　troops　were　driven　back　in　some　confusion　at　first；　but

Gregg；　in　anticipation　of　attack；　had　hidden　a　heavy　line　of

dismounted　men　in　a　bushy　ravine　on　his　front；　and　when　the　enemy

marched　upon　it；　with　much　display　and　under　the　eye　of　the　President

of　the　Confederacy；　this　concealed　line　opened　a　destructive　fire

with　repeating　carbines；　and　at　the　same　time　the　batteries　of　horse…

artillery；　under　Captain　Robinson；　joining　in　the　contest；　belched

forth　shot　and　shell　with　fatal　effect。　　The　galling　fire　caused　the

enemy　to　falter；　and　while　still　wavering　Wilson　rallied　his　men；　and

turning　some　of　them　against　the　right　flank　of　the　Confederates；

broke　their　line；　and　compelled　them　to　withd