Today in History:

174 Series I Volume XXXVI-II Serial 68 - Wilderness-Cold Harbor Part II

Page 174 OPERATIONS IN SE. VA. AND N. C. Chapter XLVIII.

Early on the morning of the 14th Colonel Spear and Major Jacobs, with portions of their commands, were sent up the road to make a demonstration on Flat Creek bridge, while the rest of the command were engaged in destroying the track and buildings. The station-house, water-tank, freight-house, tow or three fregit-cars, and an engine were destroyed here. Finding that Flat Creek bridge was strongly contested, the column was put in motion toward the south, and we marched to Wellville, on the South Side Railroad. A short distance from Wellville, Colonel Spear was detached with his brigade and ordered to proceed to Wilson's Station to destroy it, which he reports he had successfully accomplished, besides taking up a good portion of the track. After tearing up the track at Wellville and burning the freight-house and an empty car, the whole command proceeded to Blacks and Whites Station, where there was quite a supply of forage and commissary stores, with which the command was supplied. The freight-house, woods-sheds, water-tank, and a train of freight-cars were here destroyed, and quite a portion of the track torn up, after which the command continued south 4 or 5 camped for the night.

On the 16th we took the road toward Belfied, but all the information going to show that the Hicksford bridge was strongly entrenched and defended with two redoubts, four pieces of artillery, a regiment of infantry, and a battalion of zouaves, besides the home guards, and a great deal of our ammunition having become unserviceable by the great quantity of rain that had fallen, it was deemed advisable to turn toward Jarratt's Station. Here we found the track repaired, a new water-tank just completed, and a train of cars which left just before our arrival. The water-tank was again burned, a few rails were torn up, but nothing more could be done, as the condition of the command rendered our return necessary as soon as possible. A pontoon train near by and some baggage were also destroyed, and the roads and vacated camps showed that white a large force had passed that way toward Petersburg, and we learned that Beauregard's forces that had been cut off by the first raid had gone by this road. We found a structure sufficient to permit trains to cross over the Nottoway, replacing the bridge we had destroyed on the 8th. It was guarded, and late in the evening, and would have delayed us another day to destroy it. We therefore continued to march to Feeman's, where we frightened away a party, destroying the bridge. We were delayed until near daylight repairing the bridge and then proceeded on to City Point, where we arrived late in the afternoon of the 17th, having met a number of small parties of the enemy on our flanks.

We marched from 30 to 40 miles daily for six days, during which a great deal of rain had fallen, and the roads in some places very heavy. Considering the work done, comparatively few of the horses have failed. We captured about as many horses as we lost on the marches, and brought in besides several hundreds mule and a large number of negroes; many more of the latter would have followed if we had had transportation for them.


Page 174 OPERATIONS IN SE. VA. AND N. C. Chapter XLVIII.