614 NortuH Caronina Troops, 1861-’65.

ning reads a landscape, absolutely imperturbed. He took in
the situation at a glance. His orders rang out clear and
strong. His regiment faced and wheeled to the left, the per-
sonification of his orders. And in a moment the fire of the
Nineteenth and the fire of the extreme right of the Sixty-
third was pouring into Chapman’s left flank and rear.
The tide of battle was turned and McGregor’s guns and the
day were saved. Chapman flew in disorder into the railroad
cut and formed behind its banks and the battle raged on till
darkness ended it. And during the night he “quietly with-
drew,” leaving his dead and wounded in our hands so en-
tirely that he marks their number with a on page 645.

Next morning Wilson, veered off to the right, entirely out
of his intended course, driven from the South Side Railroad
and, by Hungarytown, tried to reach Staunton river bridge.
He did not touch the South Side any more.

General R. E. Lee 25 June, says: “He withdrew from
General Lee’s front at daylight on the 24th, leaving his dead
and wounded on the field, taking the road to Hungarytown.
General Lee is still following them.” 751.

And at Blacks and Whites we broke the backbone of Wil-
son’s raid. But he had high orders and he was doing a sol-
dier’s best to obey them. I am. quite certain that, on the
night of 23 June, 1864, he totally abandoned all thought of
crossing into North Carolina and joining and strengthening
General Sherman in North Georgia.

On the 24th and 25th we were “still following them.”
The artillery was sent back. The North Carolina Cavalry
Brigade alone pressed the pursuit, General W. H. F. Lee ac-
companying. They did do some tearing up of the Danville
Railroad and burned also two private mills. 734.

We were “following them” when they reached Staunton
river bridge “at 6 p. m. on the 25th.” 626.

The south side of the river was defended by the “Home
Guard” with some artillery, who made a gallant defence of
the bridge. General Wilson terms them “the militia of eight
counties.” 627. General Kautz had rejoined him. Now let
General Wilson tell the tale: “Our forces were unable to
get closer than seventy or eighty yards to the bridge. After

Srxty-THirD REGIMENT. 615

a determined effort, lasting till after dark, the attack was
terminated and the troops directed to hold an advanced posi-
tion, covering the road crossing at Roanoke Station. Simul-
taneously with Kautz’s attack of the bridge, Lee’s cavalry at-
tacked our rear, under Chapman, but as usual, was held in
check without any serious difficulty or loss. Finding that
the bridge could not be carried without severe loss, if at all,
the enemy being again close upon our rear, the Staunton too
deep for fording and unprovided with bridges or steam ferries
Idetermined to push no farther south, but to endeavor to reach
the army by returning toward Petersburg. Our position,
from the peculiar topography of the site, was rather danger-
ous, and in order to extricate the command it became neces-
sary to move it by night. The march was therefore begun
about midnight.” 627. The presence of Lee’s cavalry
“close upon his rear” possibly, to some slight extent, caused
him to see “the peculiar topography of the site;” certain it is
that he did not here exercise his own unaffected “judgment
as to what route to pursue in returning to the Army of the
Potomac or the James river.” And oh! how much worse that
“Judgment” was all shattered later on by Hampton and our
infantry at Stony Creek, Sappony Church and Reams Sta-
tion, after the horrible heat, dust, smoke and fights of this
raid and pursuit. Sketches 631, 632 and 633.

General R. E. Lee, 26 June, says: “This afternoon Gen-
eral W. H. F. Lee reports that he attacked the enemy near
Staunton river bridge yesterday afternoon and drove him
until dark. He also states that the enemy was signally re-
pulsed at the bridge the same evening and retreated this morn-
ing, leaving about thirty of his dead on the field.” 751.

The North Carolina Cavalry Brigade was much dimin-
ished in its effective force by the awful heat, dust and
marches of the last few days. Turning back the disabled
men and horses Lee renewed the chase with Dearing’s Bri-
gade and the remnant of our brigade. Most of this foree
moved on Wilson’s flank to drive him into the snare set for
him by Hampton at Stony Creek and Sappony Church. But
Wilson was hurt and hastened and horrified most by a select
detail of men and horses solely from our brigade, who fol-