596 Norto Carorina Troops, 1861-’65.

least 12,000 effective mounted men and one brigade, six bat-
teries, of artillery under command of Captain James M. Rob-
ertson, of the regular United States Army. He moved via
Chilesburg and Beaver Dam, at which latter place he de
stroyed large and valuable Confederate ration and medical
supplies. Vol. 67, pp. 787-790 and 285.

It was absolutely necessary for some’cavalry to be present
with General Lee’s Army and Hampton’s Division and Cham-
bliss’ Brigade were left there for duty. So to contend with
this great invading force and direct attack upon the capital of
the Confederacy, for that was the ultimate purpose of the
raid, its highest hope and aim, Stuart could command only
three brigades, Lomax’s and Wickham’s, Fitz. Lee’s Division,
and Gordon’s imperfect brigade, and of artillery only John-
ston’s Battery and a section of Hart’s. All told not over four
thousand. Vol. 1 North Carolina Regiments, p. 429. Vol.
67, p. 1045. Sheridan reported his cavalry force at 10,000,
but it was much more, according to their organization re-
turns. Sheridan had three entire divisions, Stuart had three
incomplete brigades. General Stuart harrassed him in rear
and on his flank with Fitz. Lee’s forces, until Gordon could
come up, which we did promptly. By forced marches, Stuart
put Fitz. Lee’s two brigades in Sheridan’s front at Yellow
Tavern on the Brook Turnpike at an early hour on the morn-
ing of the 11th, and at once began the battle of Yellow Tav-
ern. About the same time Gordon attacked his rear fero-
ciously at Goodall’s Tavern, near Ground Squirrel Church.
Devin’s Federal brigade burned the Ground Squirrel bridge
over the South Anna river in the early morning of the 11th,
Vol. 67, p. 834 and p. 846, to impede our progress, and it
would have direfully delayed almost any other man than Gor-
don. He knew or quickly found an old, steep-banked, almost
impassable ford. As I remember it, it seems to me that the
tops of the banks were at least fifteen feet from the water. Of
course they were not. Gordon knew that Stuart wanted him
and that Richmond needed him over that river fast. He gal-
loped to this ford with the Sixty-third in front, pointed to it
and told us that it was our only place of crossing, gave the or-
der “Forward !” and with a mighty plunge he led the way, and

Stxty-Tuirp ReaiMent. 597

over that old ford every man of his brigade followed him.
Some were seriously hurt, but we were out there expecting to
get hurt. We were not “squirrel” hunting just then, even
there. In a few minutes we were all up the high hill on the
south side of the river, where the enemy had camped and in
full sight now of their rear guard, whose skirmishers were
firing on us as we crossed that ford and were driven off by our
charge up that hill. Vol. 67, p. 846. Our regiment was
all quickly dismounted, except one squadron. Company F
was in the lead of the regiment, and as we walked up the
road in column of fours the fire was fierce from their skir-
mishers and Lieutenant Gibson, at the head of the com-
pany, was badly wounded. In splendid style we swung out
into line on the right of that road and went at their dis-
mounted men with a steady step and fire, and drove them
back in disorder and “confusion.” On page 864, Vol.
67, we read: “May 11—Started from Goodall’s Tavern,
First Maine as rear guard. It became necessary to dismount
the whole regiment to hold back a strong force of the enemy
while the column moved on. On withdrawing these dis-
mounted men, the enemy charged, both mounted and dis-
mounted, and caused the regiment to fall back with some con-
fusion and considerable loss.” That “strong force” was just
four-fifths of our regiment “fighting on foot,” for one squad-
ron was then mounted and no mounted charge was made until
the dismounted men drove them back. That First Maine was
a superb regiment. There was no better in the Army of the
Potomac. Buta part of the Sixty-third North Carolina beat
them “back with some confusion and considerable loss” at
Goodall’s 11 May, 1864. They quickly had another force in
front of our dismounted line and while we were driving them
also with a rattling fire from their men and ours that grand
old First Maine was in the saddle for coming events on horse-
back. Gordon then charged past our left with the Ninth
North Carolina and that squadron of the Sixty-third. It
was hand-to-hand, saber to saber, in deadly close conflict be-
tween the Ninth North Carolina and that squadron of the
Sixty-third on our side, and the First Maine, now remounted,
and the Tenth New York, Vol. 67, p. 870, on their side; and