COLONEL:
I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations
of the cavalry under my command since the 1st ultimo:
On
the 1st of June my division, consisting of the brigades of Brigadier-General
Duffié, Colonel Schoonmaker, and Col. J. H. Oley, was encamped
at Bunger's Mills, Greenbrier County, waiting for supplies from Charleston
of horses, shoes, clothing, &c. Crook's division crossed the
river on that day, leaving me to bring up my detachments and supplies,
which did not arrive.
On
the 2d Mr. David Creigh, a citizen of Lewisburg, was tried by a military
commission and found guilty of murdering a Union soldier in November
last. The proceedings were subsequently approved and Mr. Creigh was
hanged at Belleview on Friday, the 10th of June.
The
detachments and supplies for which we had so long waited failing
to arrive, I followed Crook's division on the 3d to White Sulphur
Springs with 3,200 mounted and 1,200 dismounted men; 600 men were
without shoes, and many other articles of clothing were much needed.
From
the 18th of May until this day we had waited near Lewisburg upon
half rations, most of the time for necessary supplies of horseshoes,
nails, and clothing; but owing to the miserable, inadequate, and
insufficient transportation furnished from the Kanawha we were obliged
to set out again almost as destitute as when we arrived. The march
from Sulphur Springs to Staunton was made in five days via Morris'
Hill, Warm Springs, Goshen, and Middlebrook. My barefooted men suffered
terribly, but without complaint on this march. At Staunton the much
needed supplies were received.
On
the 9th Brigadier-General Duffié was placed in command of
the First Cavalry Division and my own was reorganized as follows, <ar70_146> viz:
First Brigade, Colonel Schoonmaker--Fourteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry,
Eighth Ohio; Second Brigade, Colonel Oley--Seventh West Virginia
Cavalry, Thirty-fourth Ohio Volunteer Mounted Infantry, Third West
Virginia Cavalry, Fifth West Virginia Cavalry; Third Brigade, Colonel
Powell--First West Virginia Cavalry, Second West Virginia Cavalry.
The
Third West Virginia Cavalry was assigned temporarily to the division
of Crook and has remained with it since.
At
the request of the major-general commanding the department, on the
9th I submitted a plan of operations the purpose of which was the
capture of Lynchburg and the destruction of railroads running from
that place in five days. The plan proposed the movement of Sullivan's,
Crook's, and my own division by different roads up the Valley, while
the division of Duffié, after threatening the position of
the enemy at Rockfish Gap, was to pass southward along the western
base of the Blue Ridge, making demonstrations at the various gaps,
sending scouting parties to destroy the Orange and Alexandria Railroad
and to arrive at Buena Vista Furnace, on Jackson River, at the close
of the second day. On the third day he was to move through White's
Gap to Amherst Court-House, destroying the railroad, sending a detachment
of his division toward Lynchburg for that purpose, while he proceeded
with his main body across the James River below Lynchburg and destroyed
the South Side Railroad east of the city, his entire division forming
a junction with the corps of Major-General Hunter south of Lynchburg.
The plan was approved and adopted, and orders were issued covering
the operation for the first day. By direction of the major-general
commanding I gave to Brigadier-General Duffié complete and
comprehensive verbal instructions with regard to the route he was
to take and the services his division was to render. He was also
furnished with memoranda to assist his memory.
On
the 10th my division marched via Summerdean to Belleview, on Hays
Creek, with little opposition, communicating with Crook at Brownsburg,
two and one-half miles to the east.
Efforts
were made to cut off the rebel force of McCausland, which had attempted
to make a stand against Crook on the Brownsburg pike. Taking the
route via Cedar Grove, on the 11th my division crossed North River
at the Rockbridge Bath and endeavored again to cut off McCausland,
who had burned the bridge at Lexington, and was opposing the crossing
of Crook. The enemy, however, avoided the danger by a hasty flight
and the town of Lexington fell into the hands of my division with
little or no resistance.
No
communication having been received from General Duffié, I
sent scouts to find him during the evening of the 11th and the ensuing
day, which time was wasted in waiting to hear from him. Fearing he
might fail in the execution of the most important part of his work,
I dispatched 200 men, under Lieutenant Grim, First West Virginia
Cavalry, and Lieutenant Kerr, Fourteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, on
the evening of the 12th, from Lexington through White's Gap, via
Amherst Court-House and around Lynchburg, to destroy the railroad.
The perilous duty assigned to these officers was most gallantly performed,
and they rejoined their regiments on the 15th. The report of Lieutenant
Grim is inclosed.(*) <ar70_147>
At
2 a.m. on the 13th my division moved toward Buchanan, driving McCausland
in disorder across the James River. He was pursued the last eight
miles to Buchanan at a gallop, my advance endeavoring to save the
bridge at that place, but the flying forces of McCausland set it
on fire before he himself had crossed, obliging him to ford the river
to escape capture. Two brigades were immediately thrown across to
a fruitless pursuit. Several bateaux, loaded with provisions and
stores, were captured near this town. Two of my scouts who had been
sent to Duffié the day previous returned, having fallen in
with a reconnoitering party of the enemy ten miles from Lexington,
from the commanding officer of which they received a dispatch to
bear to Breckinridge, a copy of which is inclosed.(*) A
spy from the enemy who came into my camp soon after my arrival was
killed by my order. I soon received a notification from the major-general
commanding that he should remain that day at Lexington, and instructions
to wait for his arrival at Buchanan.
The
14th was occupied in destroying some important iron furnaces in the
neighborhood of Fincastle.
On
the 15th my division followed Crook's over the Blue Ridge between
the Peaks of Otter to Fancy Farm, where General Crook, having received
information that Breckinridge was at Balcony Falls, desired me to
wait until the arrival of the main body, as our left flank would
be too much exposed. The brigade of Colonel Powell was sent forward
to Liberty, and the country in that direction was most thoroughly
scouted by him that evening. Scouts were sent to Lynchburg and every
other direction.
The
following morning my command pushed on through Liberty, rebuilt the
bridge over Little Otter River, forded Big Otter, and attacked McCausland
at New London about dark. He had been re-enforced by Imboden with
400 men and two guns, but relinquished his position after a short
action, in which he lost about a dozen men.
At
sunrise on the 17th my command moved by the old road toward Lynchburg,
some two miles to the right of Crook, who moved on the direct road
from New London. The enemy resisted our advance at every step after
arriving within eight miles of the city, but it was not until we
came in sight of the stone church, four miles from Lynchburg, that
he seemed determined to give battle. I constantly advised General
Crook of my progress, and after a brief reconnaissance of the position,
opened the attack. The ground was difficult for cavalry, and its
peculiar formation made the following disposition necessary: Schoonmaker's
brigade furnished a strong skirmish line, mounted, across the open
ground, supported by squadrons with intervals in columns of fours,
open order, ready to charge or dismount to fight: Oley's brigade
on the right in column, Powell's on the left, in the same order.
The enemy retired as the attack was developed, with very little skirmishing,
but as it approached the crest of the hill upon which the church
stands a rapid artillery fire was opened upon us, and their small-arms
became unmasked. Schoonmaker's and Oley's brigades dismounted and
ran to the front; the section of artillery with my division galloped
up to the church, supported by Powell, and opened its fire. The enemy
signally failed in his ruse to draw us into a position from which
he expected to drive us. After a short but sharp contest he was driven
nearly a mile toward Lynchburg. <ar70_148> Crook brought up
two brigades, which were soon deployed and advanced to the support
of my line, and two of his batteries also arrived at the front. The
enemy, driven to his field-works, received re-enforcements, and confidently
advanced to charge my line. Had the infantry support been in position,
to have carried on our success, then we might have achieved some
important advantages. As it was my line had a hard struggle to maintain
its position until the infantry arrived, but with it came the dusk
of evening, and although the boldness of the enemy was severely punished,
our attack was delayed until the morning.
During
the night, by the direction of the major-general commanding, efforts
were made to communicate with Duffié, who had lost himself
on the extreme left. Scouting parties were also sent to obtain information
from the city. Re-enforcements continually arrived to the enemy.
On the following morning Duffié was found and ordered to
attack on the Forest road. Two hundred men under Captain Duncan,
Fourteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, were sent to the enemy's extreme
left to harass him, and, if possible, destroy the railroad. Later
Powell's brigade was sent to attack the enemy at the Campbell Court-House
road.
The
enemy busied himself with throwing up earth-works during the night
of the 17th and the day of the 18th, until 4 p.m., when he advanced
from his works, making an attack, which was quickly repulsed. Schoonmaker's
brigade was placed in position during the action, but was not called
upon to enter it. Oley was looking out for the rear and left. It
was evident that too many lives must be expended to carry the enemy's
position. The morrow would find him in a condition to assume the
offensive, if not already so. The delay at Lexington, rendered necessary
by the deviation of the First Cavalry Division from the course ordered
for it, and the change of place made by ordering it to join the main
body, instead of going around Lynchburg, had proved fatal to the
successful execution of the original project.
The
orders of the major-general commanding to withdraw westward along
the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad left me as rear guard of the
column, which position was maintained until our arrival at Liberty.
Between the Big and Little Otter Rivers I received orders from the
major-general commanding to make a movement upon the Danville railroad,
which were suspended soon after at Liberty. Upon the arrival of the
army at the latter place it halted to rest west of the town. I had
requested that a brigade of infantry be left to support me, anticipating
an attack from the indications in rear; but my request was not granted,
and unaided my division stood the brunt of a severe attack for two
hours. Schoonmaker's brigade especially distinguished itself by its
obstinate resistance. My ammunition failing, the division was withdrawn
behind Crook's, which had been formed in line of battle a mile in
the rear. My loss in this severe engagement was 122.
At
3 a.m. the 20th the march was resumed in the direction of Buford's
Gap. Scouts had informed us that a heavy force of cavalry had passed
the night before to the northward in the direction of the Peaks of
Otter. Arrived west of the gap, my division was placed in position
in connection with Crook's to enable the troops to rest and refresh
themselves. At sundown the column was again in motion toward Salem,
Duffié division in advance of the trains, and my own in rear,
with the exception of Powell's brigade, which was left with <ar70_149> General
Crook in rear. Staff officers were sent forward to direct General
Duffié to picket strongly all the side reads until the column
had passed. At Bonsack's Station no picket was found on the road
to Fincastle, and scouts sent by me upon that road reported a cavalry
force of the enemy moving in the direction of Salem. An officer was
dispatched to General Duffié with directions to take a strong
position near that place, and patrol a distance of four miles upon
every road leading to it.
I
received during the night an order from the major-general commanding
to send the train on at once from Salem upon the road to New Castle,
but not feeling assured that the road indicated had been properly
patroled, I postponed the execution of the order until my arrival
at Salem, to which place I hastened, finding the division of Duffié asleep
among the wagons at daylight, with one brigade in the village and
pickets only just outside· Without leaving my saddle I roused
one of his regiments and sent it at once upon the New Castle road,
with orders to attain the summit of Catawba Mountain, seven miles
from Salem, and await further orders· Immediately after it
I sent one of his brigades to support it. I directed the two brigades
of my division with me to be posted opposite the Fincastle road to
await the attack of the approaching enemy. It was soon reported from
Duffié's advance that the New Castle road was blockaded. I
directed him to take his entire division present and proceed to clean
out the gap and hold it until the column had passed, placing a regiment
upon the summit of Catawba Mountain to hold that position. The wagon
train followed him. The cavalry of the enemy at this time attacked
my brigades on the Fincastle road, but were repulsed. The action
could have been made much more decisive in our favor had General
Sullivan granted assistance, for which he was vainly importuned,
although he had a brigade within a few hundred yards of the scene.
Meeting the major-general commanding upon my return from the flank,
I represented to him the necessity for resting and refreshing the
troops, explaining to him the arrangements which had been made and
the positions taken, all of which he approved, directing provisions
to be cooked in the town, and the artillery and troops to bivouack.
Shortly after it was reported that the enemy had attacked our trains
in the gap, and later that he had captured some pieces of artillery.
Who had started the artillery upon the road or who knew that it was
not in camp as had been directed, I am unable to say. With the brigades
of Colonel Schoonmaker and Oley the enemy was soon routed in a brilliant
manner, the guns retaken and several of the enemy killed and captured.
It was found upon proceeding through the gap that General Duffié had
neglected to observe any of the instructions he had received. Not
a single precaution had been taken by him to prevent the attack which
had occurred, and not a regiment nor a man had been left by him upon
the summit of Catawba Mountain, but pushing northward he was only
halted by a staff officer sent by me. During the night of the 21st
my division followed the First to New Castle, guarding the roads
leading to the east and west until the main body had passed. The
march thence to this place via Sweet Springs White Sulphur Springs,
and Lewisburg was made without incident. The officers and men suffered
greatly from hunger, but no complaint was heard. From White Sulphur
Springs the Eighth Ohio Cavalry was sent to overtake and accompany
a train to Beverly which had left us on the 16th at Liberty. <ar70_150>
I
beg leave to commend for enterprise and activity, for an intelligent
and faithful execution of orders, Lieutenant Grim, First West Virginia
Cavalry, and Lieutenant Kerr, Fourteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry. Captain
Winger, Eighth Ohio Cavalry, elicited the admiration and encomiums
of his comrades by his daring gallantry in the attack in front of
Lynchburg. Colonels Schoonmaker and Moore in front of Liberty behaved
with great credit. Colonel Powell proved himself at all times a capable
brigade commander.
WM.
W. AVERELL.
Lieut.
Col. CHARLES G. HALPINE,
Asst.
Adjt. Gen., Department of West Virginia.