During the preceding three days the infantry corps of the army had been engaged in the various conflicts known as the battles of the Wilderness.  The success of the Union troops in those battles had not been all that was desired, and General Grant now felt that it was necessary to throw himself on Lee’s communications if possible, while preserving his own intact by prolonging the movement to the left.  Therefore, on the evening of the 7th he determined to shift his whole army toward Spottsylvania Court House, and initiated the movement by a night march of the infantry to Todd’s Tavern.  In view of what was contemplated, I gave orders to Gregg and Merritt to move at daylight on the morning of the 8th, for the purpose of gaining possession of Snell’s bridge over the Po River, the former by the crossing at Corbin’s bridge and the latter by the Block House.  I also directed Wilson, who was at Alsop’s house, to take possession of Spottsylvania as early as possible on the morning of the 8th, and then move into position at Snell’s bridge conjointly with the other two divisions.  Wilson’s orders remained as I had issued them, so he moved accordingly and got possession of Spottsylvania, driving the enemy’s cavalry a mile beyond, as will be seen by the following despatch sent me at 9 A. M. of the 8th: 

“HEADQUARTERS THIRD DIVISION, CAVALRY CORPS,
“ARMY OF THE POTOMAC. 
“SPOTTSYLVANIA COURT HOUSE, May 8, 1864 9 A. M.
" LIEUTENANT-COLONEL FORSYTH, CHIEF-OF-STAFF, C. C.

“Have run the enemy’s cavalry a mile from Spottsylvania Court House; have charged them, and drove them through the village; am fighting now with a considerable force, supposed to be Lee’s division.  Everything all right.

“J.  H. WILSON,
“Brigadier-General Commanding.

During the night of the 7th General Meade arrived at Todd’s Tavern and modified the orders I had given Gregg and Merritt, directing Gregg simply to hold Corbin’s bridge, and Merritt to move out in front of the infantry column marching on the Spottsylvania road.  Merritt proceeded to obey, but in advancing, our cavalry and infantry became intermingled in the darkness, and much confusion and delay was the consequence.  I had not been duly advised of these changes in Gregg’s and Merritt’s orders, and for a time I had fears for the safety of Wilson, but, while he was preparing to move on to form his junction with Gregg and Merritt at Snell’s bridge, the advance of Anderson (who was now commanding Longstreet’s corps) appeared on the scene and drove him from Spottsylvania.

Had Gregg and Merritt been permitted to proceed as they were originally instructed, it is doubtful whether the battles fought at Spottsylvania would have occurred, for these two divisions would have encountered the enemy at the Pa River, and so delayed his march as to enable our infantry to reach Spottsylvania first, and thus force Lee to take up a line behind the Po.  I had directed Wilson to move from the left by “the