CHAPTER LVII.

Raid on the Virginia central railroad—­raid on the Weldon railroad
—­early ’S movement upon Washington—­mining the works before Petersburg
—­explosion of the mine before Petersburg—­campaign in the Shenandoah
valley—­capture of the Weldon railroad.

On the 7th of June, while at Cold Harbor, I had as already indicated sent Sheridan with two divisions of cavalry to destroy as much as he could of the Virginia Central Railroad.  General Hunter had been operating up the Shenandoah Valley with some success, having fought a battle near Staunton where he captured a great many prisoners, besides killing and wounding a good many men.  After the battle he formed a junction at Staunton with Averell and Crook, who had come up from the Kanawha, or Gauley River.  It was supposed, therefore, that General Hunter would be about Charlottesville, Virginia, by the time Sheridan could get there, doing on the way the damage that he was sent to do.

I gave Sheridan instructions to have Hunter, in case he should meet him about Charlottesville, join and return with him to the Army of the Potomac.  Lee, hearing of Hunter’s success in the valley, started Breckinridge out for its defence at once.  Learning later of Sheridan’s going with two divisions, he also sent Hampton with two divisions of cavalry, his own and Fitz-Hugh Lee’s.

Sheridan moved to the north side of the North Anna to get out west, and learned of the movement of these troops to the south side of the same stream almost as soon as they had started.  He pushed on to get to Trevilian Station to commence his destruction at that point.  On the night of the 10th he bivouacked some six or seven miles east of Trevilian, while Fitz-Hugh Lee was the same night at Trevilian Station and Hampton but a few miles away.

During the night Hampton ordered an advance on Sheridan, hoping, no doubt, to surprise and very badly cripple him.  Sheridan, however, by a counter move sent Custer on a rapid march to get between the two divisions of the enemy and into their rear.  This he did successfully, so that at daylight, when the assault was made, the enemy found himself at the same time resisted in front and attacked in rear, and broke in some confusion.  The losses were probably very light on both sides in killed and wounded, but Sheridan got away with some five hundred prisoners and sent them to City Point.

During that day, the 11th, Sheridan moved into Trevilian Station, and the following day proceeded to tear up the road east and west.  There was considerable fighting during the whole of the day, but the work of destruction went on.  In the meantime, at night, the enemy had taken possession of the crossing which Sheridan had proposed to take to go north when he left Trevilian.  Sheridan learned, however, from some of the prisoners he had captured here, that General Hunter was about Lynchburg, and therefore that there was no use of his going on to Charlottesville with a view to meet him.