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39 Series I Volume XXV-I Serial 39 - Chancellorsville Part I

Page 39 Chapter XXXVII. SCOUT TO FALMOUTH, VA.

I arrived in Falmouth at 2 p. m., with mu command in good condition having marched 80 miles in thirty-one hours.

One the 1st of March I remained in Falmouth to allow my horses to recruit their strength. One the 2nd of March I marched to Maple Valley, by way of Stafford Court-House.

This morning I crossed the Occoquan, at Wolf Run Shoals, and arrived at this place at 1 p. m. At the request of Colonel Gray, I allowed the Michigan cavalry to continue its march to Washington.

Had Stuart crossed the river, this movement would have very successful, in conjunction with the cavalry of General Stoneman.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully,

R. WYNDHAM,

Colonel, Commanding Cavalry Brigade.

Captain C. H. POTTER,

Asst. Adjt. General, Department of Washington.


Numbers 2. Report of Colonel George Gray, Sixth Michigan Cavalry.

MERIDIAN HILL, D. C., March 4, 1863.

LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to report that on the morning of the 26th ultimo, in obedience to orders from your headquarters, dated February 25, 1863, I reported with six companies of this regiment to Colonel R. Butler Price, at Fort Scott, were soon after joined by the Fifth Regiment Michigan Cavalry, under command of Colonel Norvell. i was there ordered by Colonel Price to take command of both regiments, and proceed to Fairfax Court-House, there to report to Colonel Percy Wyndham. We left Colonel Price's headquarters little before 9 a. m., and arrived at Fairfax Court-House at 3 p. m., when Colonel Wyndham, by one for the night.

Next morning, about 7 o'clock, with a detachment of the Eighteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, we left Centreville by the Warrenton road, and, having crossed Bull Run, the command was formed into a column of squadrons, in mass, to the right of the road, and in that order awaited the arrival of detachments of the First Virginia and the Fifth New York Cavalry. On the arrival of the troops last mentioned, the Virginia, New York, and Pennsylvania cavalry were formed into one brigade, designated, and designated the Second Brigade.

At 10 o'clock the march was resumed, we being in the rear. We arrived at Warrenton about 3.30 in the afternoon, and rapidly left the town by the road leanding to Falmouth and Fredericksburg, from which we deviated to our right, coming upon Orange and Alexandria Railroad about 4 miles southeast of Warrenton Junction. We followed the course, of this railroad to the southeast about 1 mile, where we camped for the night.

Saturday, the 28th of February, at 6 o'clock in the morning, the march was resumed; the brigade of which I was in command being again ordered to take the rear. We proceeded to Falmouth Station, where the head of the column arrived at about 2 p. m. Here we remained until Monday.

During the march from Centreville to Falmouth Station, we made frequent deviations from the directed road. The distance thus marched


Page 39 Chapter XXXVII. SCOUT TO FALMOUTH, VA.