J. P. Wilson to C. S. Haldeman, July 10, 1862

CAPTAIN:

On the evening of the 6th instant I received orders from the general commanding to make a reconnaissance through Gloucester, Matthews, and King and Queen Counties. I accordingly crossed the river with 200 men of Companies B, E, L, and M. Started from the other side (Gloucester Point) at 6-o’clock on the morning of the 7th instant. We arrived at Gloucester Court-House about 11 o’clock, and there found a great number of the citizens of the county, it being court day. Ireleased 7 negroes who had been imprisoned by the citizens, and notified the inhabitants that if they arrested negroes without cause, or assisted in taking citizens of the county who had deserted the Southern rebel army for the purpose of sending them back to Richmond, or arrested the Union men in any way, they would be themselves arrested and severely punished. I then dispatched Captain Kleinz, of Company E, with his command of 55 men, to the right, to Matthews Court-House, for the purpose of arresting Carter B. Hudgins, who had been very active in taking deserters from the rebel army, and then toe join us at a point called Dragon Ordinary, on the road to King and Queen Court-House. I proceeded with the rest of my command on the way to King and Queen Court-House. Ascertaining at Wood’s CrossRoads, 7 miles from Gloucester Court-House, that it was 8 miles out of the direct road by the way of the Dragon Ordinary, I dispatched Captain Faith with 20 men to await Captain Kleinz at the latter point and proceed with him to a small place called Plain View, on the direct road _ to King and Queen Court-House, and about 13 miles from Gloucester Court-House, there to await further orders.

With Companies B and L [ went on to Corbin’s Mill, 12 miles from

King and Queen Court-House and 22 miles from. Gloucester CourtHouse, and there encamped for the night, being well screened from observation from all sides. Owing to the excessive heat of the day most of the horses were very much jaded. One of the team horses died during the night.

On the next morning at 5 o’clock I picked out 20 men, and with Captain Hagemeister, of Company L; Adjt. H. A. Vezin, and Lieut. Samuel H. Bayley, proceeded to King and Queen Court-House, where we arrived at 6.30 a.m. There were no white men in the place. On the road there we met with but two, one of whom gave us a letter to take to Richmond. All able-bodied men seemed to bein the army. Passing through the Court-House, I proceeded to Frazier’s Ferry, on the Mattapony River, 2 miles from the town, for the purpose of destroying the communication with, the opposite side. I there arrested 4 rebel] deserters—1 of the Forty-sixth and 3 of the Twenty-sixth Virginia Regiments—who had left their homes near Gloucester Court-House for the purpose of rejoining their regiments, evidently fearing that since our forces had evacuated Gloucester Point they might be taken to Richmond and shot.

Finding that a small canoe was the only means of crossing the stream I did not wait to destroy it. Learning that a wagon with bacon, eggs, and other prowisions had left the Court-House that morning one hour and a half before our arrival to go to Richmond, and that no troops of either side had been in that neighborhood since the evacuation of Gloucester Point by the rebels, I dispatched Lieutenant Bayley with 10 men to capture it, and also to destroy the ferry at a place called Walkerton, on the Mattapony, 12 miles from the Court-House, and sent the prisoners in a wagon with three of the men to the main command, men I awaited Lieutenant Bayley’s return.

About 3 p.m. a private (Natzer),of Company B, galloped into town and reported that Lieutenant Bayley had been wounded, and that he had been cut off and taken prisoner with the rest of the men, Niezer being the only one that escaped; that the farmers were armed and collecting where Bayley was. Considering the proximity to Richmond (the place where Lieutenant Bayley was shot being only 19 miles from Richmond), and that it would require the rest of the day to bring up the force of 50 or 60 men from the mill, 12 miles back; that it would be impossible to rescue our men or to effect anything in the thick woods in that country, and that as we should have to remain there for the night we would be almost sure of being cut off, I deemed it most advisable to hurry back to our small command and take up the march to Gloucester CourtHouse, which I did, arriving there at 11 o’clock that night, the 8th instant. Captain Kleinz rejoined me next day at noon. He had not succeeded in arresting Carter B. Hudgins. I then proceeded to this place, where I arrived with the whole of my command in the evening.

On examining Private Niezer more closely I learned that Lieutenant Bayley had overtaken the wagon with 4 men, one of whom had just come from Richmond; that he left a corporal and 5 men to guard them, being still 4 miles from Walkerton Ferry, and that he went to Walkerton with 4 men. He entered a store there, seeing nothing but women, and on mounting his horse again five or six shots were fired from the store; Lieutenant Bayley wounded in the shoulder probably with four buckshot and his horse killed. Three men seized him, but he was released by his own men, one of the enemy being killed; jumped on the horse of a trooper and escaped with only two of our men, the others having fallen. During his absence a number of farmers had been near the wagon and threatened that the guard would be killed if the wagon was not allowed to goon. Our men charged on them, but they, being on fresh horses, escaped. On the way back armed farmers were discovered on either side of the road in the woods 8 or 10 in number. The horses being very weak and Lieutenant Bayley very faint, he called for two of the men to volunteer to charge through and bring the news to me at the Court-House, 8 miles from there. Only one of the two who offered to go escaped. Some distance farther on he was fired upon again by farmers in the woods. Those men who fired upon Lieutenant Bayley at Walkerton were in uniform, perhaps 10 or 15 in number, hidden in the adjoining woods. The soldier that escaped saw on his ” way back three farmers with guns galloping toward the place where Lieutenant Bayley was halted with his men, being only a mile or two from him. We lost Lieutenant Bayley (wounded), 1 corporal, and 8 privates, 2 or 3 of the latter being wounded or killed.

Very respectfully, your most obedient servant,