Today in History:

850 Series I Volume XXXVI-I Serial 67 - Wilderness-Cold Harbor Part I

Page 850 OPERATIONS IN SE. VA. AND N. C. Chapter XLVIII.

wounded was General Rosser, commanding Hampton's old division, and a colonel commanding a brigade was killed, his body, along with most of the enemy's killed and wounded, falling into our hands. Few less than 200 prisoners, including 6 or 8 officers, were taken by the brigade. The enemy's retreat finally became a rout, led horses, mounted men, and artillery all fled together in the wildest confusion. williston, with his battery, took position near by, and did elegant practice with his guns, planting shells in the midst of the confused masses of the retreating enemy. Trevilian Station was thus gained. In this retreat part of the enemy went toward Gordonsville, while fragments were driven off on the road to Louisa Court-House. In their headlong career these latter came in contact with the First Brigade, which, being engaged toward its rear by the advance of Fitzhugh Lee's division coming from Louisa Court-House, was compelled to abandon some captures it had made from the led horses and trains of the force that was engaging the rest of the First Division, as above described. This brigade soon formed a junction and took position to the left rear of the Reserve Brigade. In the meanwhile, Fitz. Lee's division advanced on the Louisa Court-House road and took up a line on the left of the Reserve Brigade, his line being perpendicular to the last. The two parts of the line at this time formed a right angle, the Reserve Brigade occupying the right of the line, to the vortex of the angle, the Second Brigade, on its left, occupying part of the other line, and the First Brigade, with the Second Division, remained in echelon to the left rear, as above mentioned.

On the night of the 11th the enemy retired from our left front and took up position on the Gordonsville front.

About 3 p. m. on the 12th the brigade was ordered to attack the enemy's left, while it was intended that the First Brigade should co-operate on its left, while the Second Brigade of the division wa held in reserve. The brigade went in on an open field to its right and attack the enemy's left flank vigorously. It was slow work, however, and as the enemy was not pressed on the left he concentrated his force on the brigade, and by large numbers and fresh troops, gave the command as much as it could attend to. Still both officers and men stood up to their work, doing manfully all that their former prowess wound lead the most sanguine to expect, holding everything they had gained on the left, where the line was weakest, and driving the enemy on the right befor them in expectation of a general advance. In thus advancing the right of the brigade was so swung round as to be exposed to the enemy's attack on its wing. This he was not slow to take advantage of, when a squadron of the Second Cavalry, my only remaining mounted support to the battery, was thrown in to meet the attack. Here again the Second did nobly. coming up on the right of the Sixth Pennsylvania, which up to that time had been the extreme right regiment in line, they charged gallantly, and, though few in numbers, by the impetuosity of their onslaught, drove the enemy back and protected the right until relieved by two regiments of the Second Brigade (the Fourth and Sixth New York). After these two regiments got in position this squadron of the Second was withdrawn to again act as support to the battery, which was ordered to advance, a good position having been gained on the right. Right gallantly did the battery come up in the midst of a heavy musketry fire, we being at that time so close to the enemy that their shells all flew over us. Planting three


Page 850 OPERATIONS IN SE. VA. AND N. C. Chapter XLVIII.