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606 Series I Volume XLII-I Serial 87 - Richmond-Fort Fisher Part I

Page 606 OPERATIONS IN SE. VA. AND N. C. Chapter LIV.

the Peebles house moved into Fort Sampson. On the 22nd they moved to Fort Gregg. On the evening of the 26th one of the pieces in Fort Gregg took position in an earth-work about 300 yards to the right of Fort Sampson, and the caissons moved to the rear of the Peebles house. On the 27th gun stationed in the earth-work on the right of Fort Sampson returned to Fort Gregg. During the afternoon of the 28th the [battery] returned to the vicinity of Fort Wheaton.

I have the honor to be, lieutenant, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

SAMUEL H. RHOADS,

Captain, Commanding Battery.

Lieutenant THOMAS HEASLEY,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General


Numbers 229. Reports of Bvt. Major General David McM. Gregg, U. S. Army, commanding Second Cavalry Division, of operations August 22-26, October 26-28, November 7, and December 1, 4, and 7-12.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND DIVISION, CAVALRY CORPS, August 28, 1864.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations o this division from the time General Barlow began destroying the railroad up to the morning of the 26th instant:

The Second Division was concentrated on the left of the Fifth Army Corps on the Weldon railroad on the morning of the 22nd instant, and during that day was employed picketing from the Jerusalem plank road across the Weldon railroad and to the left of the Fifth Corps. Just before dark a reconnaissance was made to Reams' Station and no enemy found. On the 23rd the division was concentrated at the Perkins house on the railroad,l picketing as before. In the afternoon of this day, in compliance with instructions from headquarters Army of the Potomac, I moved the division to Reams' Station, there to establish a line of pickets with the left of the of the Fifth Corps and to connect with General Barlow's command after it should have moved south of the station. Soon after my arrival at Reams' Station I was informed that Colonel Spear, commanding a brigade of General Kautz's cavalry division (this brigade acting under the orders of General Barlow, commanding division, Second Army Corps, engaged in destroying Weldon railroad), had been engaged with the enemy about a mile and a half out on the Dinwiddie stage road. To ascertain what force of the enemy was on the road leading directly from Reams' Station to the Brigade Dinwiddie stage road, I directed two regiments of the Second Brigade of this division to make a reconnaissance on this road. If the enemy was found in any reasonable distance that those regiments should engage him, and that the remainder of the division would be move up to the point where the enemy was found.

When about a mile and a half from the station, being with these advanced regiments. I saw in the open fields in front a dismounted force of the enemy, which I estimated at one division of cavalry. This force having been deployed under cover of woods was advanced toward my position.

As rapidly as my regiments could be dismounted they were brought to the front, and at 5 p. m. the action had fairly begun. The enemy


Page 606 OPERATIONS IN SE. VA. AND N. C. Chapter LIV.