personal memoirs-1-第54节

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

broke　their　line；　and　compelled　them　to　withdraw　for　security　behind

the　heavy　works　thrown　up　for　the　defense　of　the　city　in　1862。



By　destroying　the　Meadow　bridge　and　impeding　my　column　on　the

Mechanicsville；　pike；　the　enemy　thought　to　corner　us　completely；　for

he　still　maintained　the　force　in　Gregg's　rear　that　had　pressed　it　the

day　before；　but　the　repulse　of　his　infantry　ended　all　his　hopes　of

doing　us　any　serious　damage　on　the　limited　ground　between　the

defenses　of　Richmond　and　the　Chickahominy。　　He　felt　certain　that　on

account　of　the　recent　heavy　rains　we　could　not　cross　the　Chickahominy

except　by　the　Meadow　bridge；　and　it　also　seemed　clear　to　him　that　we

could　not　pass　between　the　river　and　his　intrenchments；　therefore　he

hoped　to　ruin　us；　or　at　least　compel　us　to　return　by　the　same　route

we　had　taken　in　coming；　in　which　case　we　would　run　into　Gordon's

brigade；　but　the　signal　repulse　of　Bragg's　infantry　dispelled　these

illusions。



Even　had　it　not　been　our　good　fortune　to　defeat　him；　we　could　have

crossed　the　Chickahominy　if　necessary　at　several　points　that　were

discovered　by　scouting　parties　which；　while　the　engagement　was　going

on；　I　had　sent　out　to　look　up　fords。　　This　means　of　getting　out　from

the　circumscribed　plateau　I　did　not　wish　to　use；　however；　unless

there　was　no　alternative；　for　I　wished　to　demonstrate　to　the　Cavalry

Corps　the　impossibility　of　the　enemy's　destroying　or　capturing　so

large　a　body　of　mounted　troops。



The　chances　of　seriously　injuring；　us　were　more　favorable　to　the

enemy　this　time　than　ever　they　were　afterward；　for　with　the　troops

from　Richmond；　comprising　three　brigades　of　veterans　and　about　five

thousand　irregulars　on　my　front　and　right　flank；　with　Gordon's

cavalry　in　the　rear；　and　Fitzhugh　Lee's　cavalry　on　my　left　flank；

holding　the　Chickahominy　and　Meadow　bridge；　I　was　apparently　hemmed

in　on　every　side；　but　relying　on　the　celerity　with　which　mounted

troops　could　be　moved；　I　felt　perfectly　confident　that　the　seemingly

perilous　situation　could　be　relieved　under　circumstances　even　worse

than　those　then　surrounding　us。　　Therefore；　instead　of　endeavoring　to

get　away　without　a　fight；　I　concluded　that　there　would　be　little

difficulty　in　withdrawing；　even　should　I　be　beaten；　and　none　whatever

if　I　defeated　the　enemy。



In　accordance　with　this　view　I　accepted　battle；　and　the　complete

repulse　of　the　enemy's　infantry；　which　assailed　us　from　his

intrenchments；　and　of　Gordon's　cavalry；　which　pressed　Gregg　on　the

Brook　road；　ended　the　contest　in　our　favor。　　The　rest　of　the　day　we

remained　on　the　battle…field　undisturbed；　and　our　time　was　spent　in

collecting　the　wounded；　burying　the　dead；　grazing　the　horses；　and

reading　the　Richmond　journals；　two　small　newsboys　with　commendable

enterprise　having　come　within　our　lines　from　the　Confederate　capital

to　sell　their　papers。　　They　were　sharp　youngsters；　and　having　come

well　supplied；　they　did　a　thrifty　business。　　When　their　stock　in

trade　was　all　disposed　of　they　wished　to　return；　but　they　were　so

intelligent　and　observant　that　I　thought　their　mission　involved　other

purposes　than　the　mere　sale　of　newspapers；　so　they　were　held　till　we

crossed　the　Chickahominy　and　then　turned　loose。



After　Merritt　had　crossed　the　Chickahominy　and　reached

Mechanicsville；　I　sent　him　orders　to　push　on　to　Gaines's　Mills。　　Near

the　latter　place　he　fell　in　with　the　enemy's　cavalry　again；　and

sending　me　word；　about　4　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　I　crossed　the

Chickahominy　with　Wilson　and　Gregg；　but　when　we　overtook　Merritt　he

had　already　brushed　the　Confederates　away；　and　my　whole　command　went

into　camp　between　Walnut　Grove　and　Gaines's　Mills。



The　main　purposes　of　the　expedition　had　now　been　executed。　They　were

〃to　break　up　General　Lee's　railroad　communications；　destroy　such

depots　of　supplies　as　could　be　found　in　his　rear；　and　to　defeat

General　Stuart's　cavalry。〃　　Many　miles　of　the　Virginia　Central　and　of

the；　Richmond　and　Fredericksburg　railroads　were　broken　up；　and

several　of　the　bridges　on　each　burnt。　　At　Beaver　Dam；　Ashland；　and

other　places；　about　two　millions　of　rations　had　been　captured　and

destroyed。　The　most　important　of　all；　however；　was　the　defeat　of

Stuart。　　Since　the　beginning　of　the　war　this　general　had

distinguished　himself　by　his　management　of　the　Confederate　mounted

force。　　Under　him　the　cavalry　of　Lee's　army　had　been　nurtured；　and

had　acquired　such　prestige　that　it　thought　itself　well…nigh

invincible；　indeed；　in　the　early　years　of　the　war　it　had　proved　to　be

so。　　This　was　now　dispelled　by　the　successful　march　we　had　made　in

Lee's　rear；　and　the　discomfiture　of　Stuart　at　Yellow　Tavern　had

inflicted　a　blow　from　which　entire　recovery　was　impossible。



In　its　effect　on　the　Confederate　cause　the　defeat　of　Stuart　was　most

disheartening；　but　his　death　was　even　a　greater　calamity；　as　is

evidenced　by　the　words　of　a　Confederate　writer　（Cooke）；　who　says：

〃Stuart　could　be　ill　spared　at　this　critical　moment；　and　General　Lee

was　plunged　into　the　deepest　melancholy　at　the　intelligence　of　his

death。　　When　it　reached　him　he　retired　from　those　around　him；　and

remained　for　some　time　communing　with　his　own　heart　and　memory。　　When

one　of　his　staff　entered　and　spoke　of　Stuart；　General　Lee　said：　'I

can　scarcely　think　of　him　without　weeping。'〃



》From　the　camp　near　Gaines's　Mills　I　resumed　the　march　to　Haxall's

Landing；　the　point　on　the　James　River　contemplated　in　my　instructions

where　I　was　to　obtain　supplies　from　General　Butler。　　We　got　to　the

James　on　the　14th　with　all　our　wounded　and　a　large　number　of

prisoners；　and　camped　between　Haxall's　and　Shirley。　　The　prisoners；

as　well　as　the　captured　guns；　were　turned　over　to　General　Butler's

provost…marshal；　and　our　wounded　were　quickly　and　kindly　cared　for　by

his　surgeons。　　Ample　supplies；　also；　in　the　way　of　forage　and

rations；　were　furnished　us　by　General　Butler；　and　the　work　of

refitting　for　our　return　to　the　Army　of　the　Potomac　was　vigorously

pushed。　By　the　17th　all　was　ready；　and　having　learned　by　scouting

parties　sent　in　the　direction　of　Richmond　and　as　far　as　Newmarket

that　the　enemy's　cavalry　was　returning　to　Lee's　army　I　started　that

evening　on　my　return　march；　crossing　the　Chickahominy　at　Jones's

bridge；　and　bivouacking　on　the　19th　near　Baltimore　crossroads。



My　uncertainty　of　what　had　happened　to　the　Army　of　the　Potomac　in　our

absence；　and　as　to　where　I　should　find　it；　made　our　getting　back　a

problem　somewhat　difficult　of　solution；　particularly　as　I　knew　that

reinforcements　for　Lee　had　come　up　from　the　south　to　Richmond；　and

that　most　likely　some　of　these　troops　were　being　held　at　different

points　on　the　route　to　intercept　my　column。　　Therefore　I　determined

to　pass　the　Pamunkey　River　at　the　White　House；　and　sent　to　Fort

Monroe　for　a　pontoon…bridge　on　which　to　make　the　crossing。　　While

waiting　for　the　pontoons　I　ordered　Custer　to　proceed　with　his　brigade

to　Hanover　Station；　to　destroy　the　railroad　bridge　over　the　South

Anna；　a　little　beyond　that　place；　at　the　same　time　I　sent　Gregg　and

Wilson　to　Cold　Harbor；　to　demonstrate　in　the　direction　of　Richmond　as

far　as　Mechanicsville；　so　as　to　cover　Custer's　movements。　　Merritt；

with　the　remaining　brigades　of　his　division；　holding　fast　at

Baltimore　crossroads　to　await　events。



After　Gregg　and　Custer　had　gone；　it　was　discovered　that　the　railroad

bridge　over　the　Pamunkey；　near　the　White　House；　had　been　destroyed

but　partiallythe　cross…ties　and　stringers　being　burned　in　places

onlyand　that　it　was　practicable　to　repair　it　sufficiently　to　carry

us　over。　　In　view　of　this　information　General　Merritt's　two　brigades

were　at　once　put　on　the　duty　of　reconstructing　the　bridge。　　By

sending　mounted　parties　through　the　surrounding　country；　each　man　of

which　would　bring　in　a　board　or　a　plank；　Merritt　soon　accumulated

enough　lumber　for　the　flooring；　and　in　one　day　the　bridge　was　made

practicable。　　On　the　22d　Gregg；　Wilson；　and　Custer　returned。　　The

latter　had　gone　on　his　expedition　as　far　as　Hanover　Station；

destroyed　some　commissary　stores　there；　and　burned　two　trestle

bridges　over　Hanover　Creek。　　This　done；　he　deemed　it　prudent　to

retire　to　Hanovertown。　　The　next　morning　he　again　marched　to　Hanover

Station；　and　there　ascertained　that　a　strong　force　of　the　enemy；

consisting　of　infantry；　cavalry；　and　artillery；　was　posted　at　the

South　Anna　bridges。　　These　troops　had　gone　there　from　Richmond　en

route　to　reinforce　Lee。　　In　the　face　of　this　impediment　Custer's

mission　could　not　be　executed　fully；　so　he　returned　to　Baltimore

crossroads。



The　whole　command　was　drawn　in　by　noon　of　the　22d；　and　that　day　it

crossed　the　Pamunkey　by　Merritt's　reconstructed　bridge；　marching　to

Ayletts；　on　the　Mattapony　River；　the　same　night。　　Here　I　learned　from

citizens；　and　from　prisoners　taken　during　the　day　by　scouting　parties

sent　toward　Hanover　Court　H