up to a late hour at night. After Merritt's division crossed, Custer's brigade was ordered to Beaver Dam Station on the Virginia Central Railroad, where he recaptured 375 Union prisoners, taken by the enemy in the Wilderness; destroyed the station, 2 locomotives, 3 trains, 100 cars, 90 wagons, from 8 to 10 miles telegraph wire and railroad, 200,000 pounds bacon, and other supplies, amounting in all to about 1,500,000 rations, and nearly all medical stores of General Lee's army. These stores had been moved from Orange Court-House to this point, either because General Lee wished to have them directly in his rear-the road used for hauling from Orange Court-House to Spotsylvania being on a parallel line to his line of battle-or because he contemplated falling back, or being driven back, to the North Anna. On the morning of the 10th Gregg and Wilson were again attacked, but their crossing was covered by the division on the south side of the North Anna, and was effected without much loss.

An important point of the expedition had now been gained, and we had also obtained forage for our almost famished animals; our next object was to husband their strength and prepare to fight. it now became apparent that the enemy, in following up our rear, had made a great mistake, and he began to see it, for, when we leisurely took to Negro Foot road to Richmond, a doubt arose in his mind as to whether his tactics were good, whereat he immediately halted off from the rear, and urged his horses to the death so as to get in between Richmond and our column. This he effected, concentrating at Yellow Tavern, 6 miles from the city, on the Brook turnpike; consequently the march on the 10th was without much incident, and we quietly encamped on the south bank of the South Anna, where we procured all necessary forage, marching from 15 to 18 miles. On the night of the 10th and 11th of May Davies' brigade, of Gregg's division, was ordered to Ashland, and arriving before the head of the enemy's column, which had to make a wide detour to reach Yellow Tavern, drove out a force occupying the town; burnt a locomotive with train of cars attached; destroyed the railroad for some distance, and rejoined the main column at Allen's Station, on the Fredericksburg railroad. From Allen's the entire command moved on Yellow Tavern, Merritt in advance, Wilson next, and Gregg in rear. The enemy here again made an error in tactics by sending a large force to attack my rear, thus weakening his force in front, enabling me to throw all my strength on that which opposed my front, and fight this force with a small rear guard.

Merritt gallantly attacked the enemy at Yellow Tavern, and got possession of the Brook turnpike. The enemy, still confident, formed his line a few hundred yards to the east of this pike, enfilading it with his artillery fire, and making Yellow Tavern a hot place; but Gibbs and Devin held fast with their brigades, supported by artillery, and Custer charged the enemy's battery and line, supported by Chapman's brigade, of Wilson's division-in fact, by the whole of Wilson's divisions, Gregg having one brigade available to support. Custer's charge, with Chapman on his flank, was brilliantly executed; first at a walk, then at a trot, then dashing at the enemy's line and battery, capturing the guns and gunners and breaking the line, which was simple enough to receive the charge in a stationary position. In this assault General J. E. B. Stuart, commanding the enemy's cavalry, was mortally wounded.