Today in History:

1254 Series I Volume XLVI-I Serial 95 - Appomattox Campaign Part I

Page 1254 N. AND SE.VA.,N.C.,W.VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter LVIII.

Various narrow escapes [though of trifling importance] may be mentioned as showing something of the nature of some of the engagements. Captains Erich, Philapy, and Hiteshew, at Clover Hill, on the 9th, were at close quarters with the enemy. The acting adjutant, Lieutenant Luckett, there received a ball through the hat, and Second Lieutenant McCullough was knocked down by a rail thrown by an exploding shell. Lieutenant Farrington was wounded in this affair severely. Near the Danville railroad, on the 5th, Acting Second Lieutenant Gibson had his horse shot under him.

All, or nearly all, the prisoners captured from us were recovered by the surrender of Lee's army. No correct record of prisoners taken from the enemy could be kept, as nearly all were immediately turned over. Between 65 and 70 are known to have been turned over by Major Von Koerber's command while detached.

A. W. EVANS,

Colonel First Maryland Cavalry.


Numbers 264. Report of Lieutenant Col Franklin A. Stratton, Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry.

HEADQUARTERS ELEVENTH PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY, Near Richmond, Va., April 29, 1865.

SIR: I have the honor to make the following report of operations of this regiment during the late campaign:

Breaking up the winter's camp on the north side of the James on the evening of the 28th of March, the command during the night crossing the James at Varina and the Appomattox at Point of Rocks, moved to the Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad, in the rear of the lines of the Army of the Potomac. The following day the regiment proceeded to Reams' Station, at which point it remained, with the division, until 3 o'clock on the morning of the 1st of April, when the march was resumed. The command proceeded to Dinwiddie Court-House and from there took the road leading into the White Oak road, the Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry, having the advance. At 1 p.m., about half a mile from the White Oak road, we struck the enemy's pickets, and pushing on soon developed a considerable force strongly posted in rifle-pits in the edge of a wood along the road named, with an open field in their front. Major McFarlan, commanding the advance battalion, deployed Captain Menzies' squadron [Companies G and H] on the right and left of the road, mounted, and Captain Elliott's squadron [Companies F and B] farther to the right and left, in the woods, dismounted. The remaining six companies were then ordered up under Major Skelley, temporarily in command of the regiment, to support the advance battalion. As soon as formed, about a quarter of a mile from the enemy's line, Major Monroe, with two squadrons [Companies A, E, K and C], was directed to charge the enemy's position, which was promptly done, the general commanding the division charging at the head of the column. The squadrons moved at first on the left of the road, and then crossing it obliquely struck the left of the enemy's position, charging over the works into the road and driving the enemy out in confusion; meantime Lieutenant Meekins, with Company I, had dislodged the left of the enemy's line, and Captain Ring, with part of his com-


Page 1254 N. AND SE.VA.,N.C.,W.VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter LVIII.