personal memoirs-1-第51部分

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victory；　but　his　despatch　was　sent　early　in　the　day；　long　before　the

fight　ended；　and　evidently　he　could　not　have　known　the　final　result

when　he　made　the　announcement；　for　the　fight　lasted　until　dark。

After　dark；　our　own　and　the　Confederate　dead　having　been　buried；　I

withdrew；　and　moving　to　the　rear　of　our　infantry；　marched　all　night

and　till　I　reached　the　vicinity　of　Old　Church；　where　I　had　been

instructed　to　keep　a　vigilant　watch　on　the　enemy　with　Gregg's　and

Torbert's　divisi6ns。　　As　soon　as　I　had　taken　position　at　Old　Church

my　pickets　were　pushed　out　in　the　direction　of　Cold　Harbor；　and　the

fact　that　the　enemy　was　holding　that　point　in　some　force　was　clearly

ascertained。　　But　our　occupation　of　Cold　Harbor　was　of　the　utmost

importance；　indeed；　it　was　absolutely　necessary　that　we　should

possess　it；　to　secure　our　communications　with　the　White　House；　as

well　as　to　cover　the　extension　of　our　line　to　the　left　toward　the

James　River。　　Roads　from　Bethesda　Church；　Old　Church；　and　the　White

House　centred　at　Cold　Harbor；　and　from　there　many　roads　diverged　also

toward　different　crossings　of　the　Chickahominy；　which　were

indispensable　to　us。



The　enemy　too　realized　the　importance　of　the　place；　for　as　soon　as　he

found　himself　compelled　to　take　up　the　line　of　the　Tolopotomy　he

threw　a　body　of　troops　into　Cold　Harbor　by　forced　marches；　and

followed　it　up　by　pushing　a　part　of　this　force　out　on　the　Old　Church

road　as　far　as　Matadequin　Creek；　where　he　established　a　line　of

battle；　arranging　the　front　of　it　parallel　to　the　road　along　the

south　bank　of　the　Pamunkey；　this　for　the　purpose　of　endangering　our

trains　as　they　moved　back　and　forth　between　the　army　and　the　White

House。



Meanwhile　I　had　occupied　Old　Church　and　pushed　pickets　down　toward

Cold　Harbor。　　The　outposts　struck　each　other　just　north　of　Matadequin

Creek；　and　a　spirited　fight　immediately　took　place。　　At　first　our

pickets　were　sorely　pressed；　but　Torbert；　who　was　already　preparing

to　make　a　reconnoissance；　lost　no　time　in　reinforcing　them　on　the

north　side　of　the　creek　with　Devin's　brigade。　　The　fight　then　became

general；　both　sides；　dismounted；　stubbornly　contesting　the　ground。

Of　the　Confederates；　General　Butler's　South　Carolinians　bore　the

brunt　of　the　fight；　and；　strongly　posted　as　they　were　on　the　south

bank　of　the　creek；　held　their　ground　with　the　same　obstinacy　they　had

previously　shown　at　Hawe's　Shop。　　Finally；　however；　Torbert　threw

Merritt's　and　Custer's　brigades　into　the　action；　and　the　enemy

retired；　we　pursuing　to　within　a　mile　and　a　half　of　Cold　Harbor　and

capturing　a　number　of　prisoners。　　Gregg's　division　took　no　part　in

the　actual　fighting；　but　remained　near　Old　Church　observing　the　roads

on　Torberts　flanks；　one　leading　toward　Bethesda　Church　on　his　right；

the　other　to　his　left　in　the　direction　of　the　White　House。　　This

latter　road　Gregg　was　particularly　instructed　to　keep　open；　so　as　to

communicate　with　General　W。　F。　Smith；　who　was　then　debarking　his

corps　at　the　White　House；　and　on　the　morning　of　the　3ist　this

general's　advance　was　covered　by　a　brigade　which　Gregg　had　sent　him

for　the　purpose。



Torbert　having　pursued　toward　Cold　Harbor　the　troops　he　fought　at

Matadequin　Creek；　had　taken　up　a　position　about　a　mile　and　a　half

from　that　place；　on　the　Old　Church　road。　　The　morning　of　the　31st　I

visited　him　to　arrange　for　his　further　advance；　intending　thus　to

anticipate　an　expected　attack　from　Fitzhugh　Lee；　who　was　being

reinforced　by　infantry。　　I　met　Torbert　at　Custer's　headquarters；　and

found　that　the　two　had　already　been　talking　over　a　scheme　to　capture

Cold　Harbor；　and　when　their　plan　was　laid　before　me　it　appeared　so

plainly　feasible　that　I　fully　endorsed　it；　at　once　giving　directions

for　its　immediate　execution；　and　ordering　Gregg　to　come　forward　to

Torbert's　support　with　such　troops　as　he　could　spare　from　the　duty

with　which　he　had　been　charged。



Torbert　moved　out　promptly；　Merritt's　brigade　first；　followed　by

Custer's；　on　the　direct　road　to　Cold　Harbor；　while　Devin's　brigade

was　detached；　and　marched　by　a　left…hand　road　that　would　bring　him　in

on　the　right　and　rear　of　the　enemy's　line；　which　was　posted　in　front

of　the　crossroads。　　Devin　was　unable　to　carry　his　part　of　the

programme　farther　than　to　reach　the　front　of　the　Confederate　right；

and　as　Merritt　came　into　position　to　the　right　of　the　Old　Church　road

Torbert　was　obliged　to　place　a　part　of　Custer's　brigade　on　Merritt's

left　so　as　to　connect　with　Devin。　　The　whole　division　was　now　in

line；　confronted　by　Fitzhugh　Lee's　cavalry；　supported　by　Clingman's

brigade　from　Hoke's　division　of　infantry；　and　from　the　Confederate

breastworks；　hastily　constructed　out　of　logs；　rails；　and　earth；　a

heavy　fire　was　already　being　poured　upon　us　that　it　seemed　impossible

to　withstand。　　None　of　Gregg's　division　had　yet　arrived；　and　so

stubborn　was　the　enemy's　resistance　that　I　began　to　doubt　our　ability

to　carry　the　place　before　reinforcements　came　up；　but　just　then

Merritt　reported　that　he　could　turn　the　enemy's　left；　and　being

directed　to　execute　his　proposition；　he　carried　it　to　a　most

successful　issue　with　the　First　and　Second　regular　cavalry。　　Just　as

these　two　regiments　passed　around　the　enemy's　left　and　attacked　his

rear；　the　remainder　of　the　division　assailed　him　in　front。　　This

manoeuvre　of　Merritt's　stampeded　the　Confederates；　and　the　defenses

falling　into　our　hands　easily；　we　pushed　ahead　on　the　Bottom's　bridge

road　three…fourths　of　a　mile　beyond　Cold　Harbor。



Cold　Harbor　was　now　mine；　but　I　was　about　nine　miles　away　from　our

nearest　infantry；　and　had　been　able　to　bring　up　only　Davies's　brigade

of　cavalry；　which　arrived　after　the　fight。　　My　isolated　position

therefore　made　me　a　little　uneasy。　　I　felt　convinced　that　the　enemy

would　attempt　to　regain　the　place；　for　it　was　of　as　much　importance

to　him　as　to　us；　and　the　presence　of　his　infantry　disclosed　that　he

fully　appreciated　this。　　My　uneasiness　increased　as　the　day　grew

late；　for　I　had　learned　from　prisoners　that　the　balance　of　Hoke's

division　was　en　route　to　Cold　Harbor；　and　Kershaw　near　at　hand；

interposing　between　the　Union　left　near　Bethesda　Church　and　my

position。　　In　view　of　this　state　of　affairs；　I　notified　General　Meade

that　I　had　taken　Cold　Harbor；　but　could　not　with　safety　to　my　command

hold　it；　and　forthwith　gave　directions　to　withdraw　during　the　night。

The　last　of　my　troops　had　scarcely　pulled　out；　however；　when　I

received　a　despatch　from　Meade　directing　me　to　hold　Cold　Harbor　at

every　hazard。　　General　Grant　had　expected　that　a　severe　battle　would

have　to　be　fought　before　we　could　obtain　possession　of　the　place；　and

its　capture　by　our　cavalry　not　being　anticipated；　no　preparation　had

been　made　for　its　permanent　occupancy。　　No　time　was　to　be　lost；

therefore；　if　the　advantages　which　possession　of　Cold　Harbor　gave　us

were　to　be　improved；　so　at　the　same　hour　that　Meade　ordered　me　to

hold　the　place　at　all　hazards　the　Sixth　Corps　was　started　on　a　forced

march；　by　Grant's　directions；　to　aid　in　that　object；　and　on　arrival

to　relieve　my　cavalry。



The　moment　Meade's　order　was　received；　I　directed　a　reoccupation　of

Cold　Harbor；　and　although　a　large　portion　of　Torbert's　command　was

already　well　on　its　way　back　to　the　line　we　held　on　the　morning　of

the　31st；　this　force　speedily　retraced　its　steps；　and　re…entered　the

place　before　daylight；　both　our　departure　and　return　having　been

effected　without　the　enemy　being　aware　of　our　movements。　　We　now

found　that　the　temporary　breastworks　of　rails　and　logs　which　the

Confederates　had　built　were　of　incalculable　benefit　to　us　in

furnishing　material　with　which　to　establish　a　line　of　defense；　they

being　made　available　by　simply　reversing　them　at　some　points；　or　at

others　wholly　reconstructing　them　to　suit　the　circumstances　of　the

ground：　The　troops；　without　reserves；　were　then　placed　behind　our

cover　dismounted；　boxes　of　ammunition　distributed　along　the　line；　and

the　order　passed　along　that　the　place　must　be　held。　　All　this　was

done　in　the　darkness；　and　while　we　were　working　away　at　our　cover　the

enemy　could　be　distinctly　heard　from　our　skirmish…line　giving

commands　and　making　preparations　to　attack。



Just　after　daylight　on　the　1st　of　June　the　Confederate　infantry　under

General　Kershaw　endeavored　to　drive　us　out；　advancing　against　my

right　from　the　Bethesda　Church　road。　　In　his　assault　he　was　permitted

to　come　close　up　to　our　works；　and　when　within　short　range　such　afire

was　opened　on　him　from　our　horse…artillery　and　repeating　carbines

that　he　recoiled　in　confusion　after　the　first　onset；　still；　he　seemed

determined　to　get　the　place；　and　after　reorganizing；　again　attacked；

but　the　lesson　of　the　first　repulse　was　not　without　effect；　and　his

feeble　effort　proved　wholly　fruitless。　　After　his　second　failure　we

were　left　undisturbed；　and　at　9　A。M。　I　sent　the　following　despatch　to

army　headquarters：



〃HEADQUARTERS　CAVALRY　CORPS；

〃ARMY　OF　THE　POTOMAC。

〃Cold　Harbor；　Va。；　June　1；　18649　A。M。



〃MAJOR…GENERAL　HUMPHREYS；

〃Chief…of…Staff。



〃GENERAL：　In　obedience　to　your　instructions　I　am　holding　Cold　Harbor。

I　have　captured　this　morning　more　prisoners；　they　belong　to　three

different　infantry　brigades。　　The　enemy　assaulted　the　right　of　my

lines　this　morning；　but　were　handsomely　repulsed。　　I　have　been　very

apprehensive；　but　General　Wright　is　now　coming　up。　　I　built　slight

works　for　my　men；　the　enemy　came　up　to　them；　and　were　driven　back。

General　Wright　has　just　arrived。



〃P。　H。　SHERIDAN；

〃Major…General　Commanding。〃





About　10　o'clock　in　the　morning　the　Sixth　Corps　relieved　Torbert　and

Davies；　having　marched　all　night；　and　these　two　generals　moving　out

toward　the　Chickahominy　covered　the　left　of　the　infantry　line　till

Hancock's　corps　took　their　place　in　the　afternoon。　　By　this　time

Gregg　had　joined　me　with　his　two　brigades；　and　both　Torbert　and　Gregg

were　now　mar