Today in History:

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

Page 823 Chapter LIV. THE RICHMOND CAMPAIGN.

The following is a summary of the losses, viz:

Killed Wounded Missing

1st District of Columbia 4 3 212

Cavalry a

11th Pennsylvania Cavalry - - 1

3rd New York - 1 1

Total 4 4 214

aTwo majors, 1 captain, 6 lieutenants, prisoners; 1 lieutenant killed.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

AUGUST V. KAUTZ,

Brigadier-General, Commanding Division.

Captain H. C. WEIR,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Second Cavalry Division.


HDQRS. CAVALRY DIVISION, ARMY OF THE JAMES,
October 13, 1864.

COLONEL: I have the honor to transmit herewith my report of the enemy's assault on the 7th instant:

My division of about 1,700 men, including two batteries, in an exposed position, partially intrenched, held the Darby, or Central, road at the rebel intrenchments at Doctor Johnson's farm. The pickets extended up the Central road about a mile, and to the Charles City road at Jordan's and White's Tavern. Before daylight the pickets on the Charles City road were attacked. They were immediately re-enforced by Colonel Spear, who personally attended to delaying the enemy. The advance of the enemy was delayed until about 7 a.m. About this time the enemy were quiet for about half an hour, and, as no great force had been reported, it was uncertain whether a serious attack was contemplated or only a reconnaissance similar to others on one or two previous occasions. The information received from refugees the night before indicated a reconnaissance in some force, but from all I had heard up to this time I believed the division would be able to hold its position. About 8 o'clock, however, the enemy appeared in overpowering force. The situation was such that it was necessary to send the horses to the rear, for the horses would all have been killed by the time the dismounted men should be driven from their intrenchments. The command was thus depleted one-fourth by the absence of the horse-holders.

The superior force of the enemy made it necessary to put every available man in the rifle-pits, which were, owing to the scarcity of entrenching tools, but partially completed. Four guns of the Fourth Wisconsin Battery, supported by the First Brigade, held the left. The Second Brigade held an unfinished rifle-pit on the right, and Battery B, First U. S. Artillery, under Lieutenant Hall, was thrown to the rear on commanding ground and partially intrenched. The right, commanded by Colonel Samuel P. Spear, gave way first. He could not have had more than 400 men, and was assaulted by a line of infantry bearing four battle-flags. This necessitated the falling back of the left, which was simultaneously assaulted, also, by a line with four battle-


Page 823 Chapter LIV. THE RICHMOND CAMPAIGN.