320

HANOVER COURT HOUSE AND GAINES’S MILL.

At 4 a. m. on the 27th General G. W. Morell, commanding the division con-sisting of J. H. Marti ndale’s, Daniel Butterfield ’s, and James McQuade’sbrigades, marched from New Bridge preceded by an advance-guard of tworegiments of cavalry and a battery of artillery under command of GeneralW. H. Emory. At the same hour Colonel Warren with his brigade movedfrom Old Church. Cavalry under General George Stoneman and regularinfantry under General George Sykes followed at a later hour, to protectour left flank and rear. The first two commands were to fall upon theenemy, who I had reason to believe were camped in strong force nearHanover Court House. The first command, under my immediate direction,was to take the enemy in front, while Colonel Warren, taking the road alongthe Pamunkey, was to fall upon him in flank and rear. In a peltingstorm of rain, through deep mud and water for about 14 miles, the com-mand struggled and pushed its way to Peake’s Station on the Virginia

vShady Grove\ Church

SCALE 07 MILES

b i v5>7 bottom A

^CKETTS"

MAP OF THE UPPER CHICKAHOMINY AND NEIGHBORING COUNTRY. [FOR HANOVER COURT HOUSE, SEE MAP, P. 272.

During tlie battles of Mechanicsville and Gaines’sMill, the Union army, except Porter’s corps and thecavalry engaged in protecting McClellan’s right flankand communications, was posted on the south side ofthe Cliiclcahominy behind the line of intreiichments hereshown. The divisions of Longstreet and the two Hillswho had confronted McClellan were withdrawn, in order

tounite with Jackson’s three divisions (comingfrom theShenandoah) in the attack in force upon Porter’s corpsat Gaines’s Mill. Magruder’s and Huger’s divisions wereleft to engage the attention of Sumner, Keyes, Heint-zelman, and Franklin The attack of Lee’s six divisionsfell upon Porter’s corps, which was reenforced duringthe battle by Slocum’s three brigades of Franklin.