572
ACTIONS ON THE IVELDON RAILROAD.
work of our men, but were easily kept off byGregg, who held the roads toward Dinwiddie CourtHouse and Petersburg. Gibbon ’s division wasabout to proceed down the track to resume itslabors when Spear , farther down to the left, re-ported the enemy advancing in force. Gregg de-ployed and advanced to meet them, and developedthe fact that their cavalry was supported by in-fantry. During the skirmish a party broke throughGregg’s pickets to the left and rear. This partywas driven back by a regiment of our cavalry withits infantry supports, and the whole demonstra-
FROM A PHOTOGRAPH.
tion —■ probably a reconnoissance — was over.Prisoners taken in the skirmish proved to befrom C. M. Wilcox’s, Heth’s, and Field’s divisions,of A. P. Hill ’s command. In fact, there were ninebrigades, including two of Mahone’s, and Pegram’sartillery, present or coming up. Developmentsso far were reported to army headquarters andpreparations were made for a vigorous defense.Gibbon ’s division was drawn into the left breast-works, which were strengthened and extendedsomewhat to the rear, and Miles, with Barlow’sdivision, occupied the right. Both flanks wereexposed to reverse fire from the front, as may beeasily seen from Hancock’s map. Until 12 o’clockall communications with Meade were by couriersthrough Warren’s headquarters. At noon the heldtelegraph line was brought down to within half amile. It was not until 2 o’clock that the enemymade another move, when they attacked Miles,
were repulsed, and again attacked more vigor-ously, and were again repulsed, this time leavingtheir killed and wounded within a few yards ofMiles’s front.
Meantime Meade had ordered all the availabletroops from Mott’s division that were on Warren’sright to move down the plank-road to its intersec-tion with the Kearns’s Station cross-road, four milesback from the station, and report from there toHancock. And now, since this last attack at 2: 45p. M., Willcox’s division of the Ninth Corps, heldin reserve on Warren’s center, was ordered to thesame point. Hancock had been advised by tele-graph from Warren’s headquarters, where Meadehad come to be in closer communication: “ Call him[Willcox] up if necessary ”; and the dispatch adds:“I hope you’ll give the enemy a good thrashing.All I apprehend is his being able to interposebetween you and Warren.”
I proposed to the officer who brought me myorders — I forget whether it was General Parke,commanding the Ninth Corps,\ or a staff-officer—to march straight down the railroad, four or fivemiles at most, and join Hancock at once, insteadof marching round twelve miles by the plank-road,but was told that there was some apprehension ofthe enemy’s getting round Hancock’s left and rear,and that I must look out for that side. We passedthe Gurley House at 3:55, marched across lots tothe plank-road, and down to the cross-roads atShay’s Tavern, where we arrived before 6, and re-ceived'a message from Hancock calling me up rap-idly. My troops were in good spirits. They heardthe cannon-firing and felt that, having assistedWarren of late materially and in the nick of anextremity, they were rather honored by this callfrom the grand old Second Corps, and we pushedahead at a swinging gait. Very soon we began tomeet stragglers from the front, and some wagonsand ambulances. Farther on an orderly handedme an order from Hancock to arrest the strag-glers and “form them according to their regi-ments,” for which I had to deploy and leave the20th Michigan Infantry, and that delayed us alittle of course. With the rest of the division Ipushed on, without halting, until 7 o’clock, whenI received word that if one or two brigades couldbe got up in time the day might yet be saved.This was communicated to the troops, who threwoff their blanket rolls and started at a double-quick,which they kept up, with few breathing intervals,the rest of the way until I reported to Hancock.
Meantime a bitter fight had been going on.After the 2 o’clock affair everything looked promis-ing to Hancock for an hour or two. However, therest of Hill ’s troops were coming up, and the chop-ping of trees and the rumble of artillery wereheard in the forest. Hancock only felt solicitousto keep the road open leading to the plank-road,up which he looked for aid, “if necessary,” andby which he must retreat if worsted. At 4:15he became more anxious, and telegraphed Meade
\ On August 13t,li General Burnside was granted a leave of absence and General Jolm G. Parlie was assigned tothe command of the Ninth Corps. General Burnside resigned April 15 th, 1865.— Editors.
it? This order was intended for the officer commanding Mott’s troops, still at Shay’s Tavern.— O. B. W.