D. Mom. Gregg to Seth Williams, November 23, 1864

November 23, 1864.

GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the Second Cavalry Division from the 7th until the 30th day of July, 1864:

After crossing the James River the division was encamped near LightHouse Point, picketing in rear and on left of the army until the 26th of July, on the evening of which day it marched with the First Division of the Cavalry Corps, the two divisions under command of Major-General Sheridan, from its camp across the Appomattox at Point of Rocks, and thence north of the James River, crossing at Deep Bottom. On the 27th the division occupied a position on Strawberry Plains. On the morning of the 28th an order from Major-General Sheridan directed me to move the division to Ridley’s Riddell’s] Shop, near the intersection of the New Market and Charles City roads. The division moved from Strawberry Plains in the following order: The First Brigade, Brig. Gen. H. E. Davies commanding, in advance, the Second Brigade, Col. J. I. Gregg commanding, following. Following a wood road leading from the Plains, the division struck the New Market road at the position occupied by the First Division, on the right of the Second Army Corps. Having moved one mile and a half down the

“For portion of report (here omitted) coverin i 1864, sed Vol, XEXVL Past oe ) § operations from May 6 to June 15,

New Market road, and being within the picket-line of the First Division, the pickets on the left of the advance of my column were observed skirmishing with an enemy, and falling back slowly toward the road. The Second Division was at this time marching in a column of fours, and the country on either side of the road was densely wooded, save one small opening, from the farther side of which the enemy were advancing. I at once ordered a regiment of the First Brigade to turn out of the column and move to the support of the pickets of the First Division. In a very few minutes a line of battle of the enemy’s infantry (Kershaw’s division) emerged from the woods and advanced toward the road occupied by my command. Without opportunity to form the command regiments were dismounted at once to oppose the enemy. Two guns of Light Battery A, Second U.S. Artillery, commanded by First Lieut. W. N. Dennison, were turned upon the enemy’s line, and their fire, together with that of the carbines of the dismounted regiments, checked temporarily the advance of the enemy; the suddenness of the attack, and the impracticability of forming my Second Brigade so as to bring it into action at once, gave the enemy an advantage, which he used in forcing back the First Brigade to the road. At this time the Second Brigade, having formed in rear of the road, was brought forward, but the enemy had made a precipitate retreat across the field and through the woods. Mounted regiments were pushed forward rapidly in pursuit, but the enemy, under cover of the dense pines which mounted troops could not penetrate, effected their escape, leaving about 30 of their dead and a number of wounded on the field. In resisting the advance of the enemy the guns of Dennison’s battery did most excellent service. Some of the horses attached to a rifled gun were killed and its support driven off by an overpowering force of the enemy, and the gun thus fell into the hands of theenemy. As soon as the narrow wood road upon which the gun was carried off by the enemy was discovered, a mounted regiment was sent to effect its recapture, but this was not accomplished. On the evening of the 28th the division returned to Strawberry Plains, two of its regiments occupying Malvern Hill and picketing the New Market and Quaker roads. On the 29th the division was in position the entire day on Strawberry Plains, the horses of one brigade having been sent during the preceding night to the south side of James River. On the night of the 29th the division recrossed the James River and on the 30th crossed the Appomattox and marched to Lee’s Mill, near the Jerusalem plank road, In the affair of the 28th the troops engaged behaved well.

The loss in the division on the 28th was 20 commissioned officers and enlisted men killed, 118 wounded, and 28 missing. Numerical and nominal lists have heretofore been forwarded.

very respectfully, your obedient servant,