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

Page 188 OPERATIONS IN SE. VA. AND N. C. Chapter XLVIII.

regiment at that place. As soon as the destruction was completed, the dead buried, and the wounded cared for, we were ordered to march in the direction of Nottoway bridge. On arriving near the bridge I was ordered to take a by-road leading to the railroad, striking it about 1 mile below and southeast of the bridge. Here, by direction of Colonel Spear, I dismounted my men, preparing to fight on foot, and found the enemy's skirmishers directly in my front. All my dismounted men, with the exception of about one squadron for the protection of the led horses, were formed in column, and under the personal command of Colonel Spear dashed through the enemy's skirmishers on a double-quick in the direction of the bridge, which was held by a regiment of the enemy's infantry in a strong earthwork. The attention of the enemy had been previously engaged by the dismounted men of the Third New York Cavalry and First District of Columbia Cavalry, and were being shelled by our artillery. My men were ordered to move directly and rapidly on the bridge and destroy it. This they did with so much impetuosity that nothing could impede their way, and while a strong party of the rebels found there captured. The bridge was fired by Company G, of my regiment, commanded by Captain Ker, under a most galling fire. After this was accomplished my men were ordered to retire, which they did slowly and in good order.

I captured 23 prisoners during this engagement, 1 being a captain. The enemy's loss was very heavy from the fact that they were driven for a mile so closely that they were not able to fire a shot, while my men were deliberately shooting them down. The loss in my regiment at that place was as follows: Killed, 1; wounded, 9. On the second raid I lost 1 man, Private Patrick Gartland, severely wounded by an attack made by bushwhackers near the Petersburg and Weldon turnpike. The following is a statement of the casualties in my regiment during the late raids: Two men killed, 1 captain and 16 men wounded, and 4 men missing.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

C. KLEINZ,

Major, Commanding.

Lieutenant J. D. MAHON,

Actg. Asst. Adjt. General, Cavalry Brigade.


Numbers 84. Report of Lieutenant Colonel George Stetzel, Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry, of operations May 5-17.


HDQRS. ELEVENTH PENNSYLVANIA VOL. CAVALRY,
Near Bermuda Hundred, Va., May 24, 1864.

COLONEL: Pursuant to orders from headquarters Second Brigade, Kautz's division, Eighteenth Army Corps, I have the honor to transmit the following report of the operations of my regiment in the recent raid commanded by Brigadier General A. V. Kautz:

My regiment left Portsmouth, Va., in light marching order May 5 at sunrise. Arrived at Andrews' Corners at sundown; bivouacked until 12 o'clock midnight. Marched thence via Windsor, near Sycamore Church, Isle of Wight Court-House, to Fearnsville, where we arrived at 10 a. m. May 6. After feeding resumed march, via Cypress Church, Cypress Swamp bridge, to Birch Island Bridge, across


Page 188 OPERATIONS IN SE. VA. AND N. C. Chapter XLVIII.