Description:

BATTLE OF TREVILIAN STATION
Post-war A.Ms. (unsigned), 33pp. 8vo., [n.p., n.d.], a Confederate cavalryman's account of the Battle of Trevilian Station. On June 11-12, 1864. Gen. Philip Sheridan, sent by Grant on a diversionary raid, clashed with Confederate cavalry under Major Generals Wade Hampton and Fitzhugh Lee. Brig. Gen. George Custer briefly captured Hampton's supply train, but Confederate brigades soon surrounded Custer's men, and only the arrival of other troopers saved Custer and allowed the capture of Trevilian Station. The account reads, in part: '...we were 1200 strong...our people placed a battery on the hill behind us...and draw their fire and attention from us - to our great relief...Capt. Gregg's of my company 'B' - had bought a negro...from Capt. Anderson on the Coast, and brought him to Virginia with him...would get a hundred Kentucky horses and bring them to Atlanta, Ga. and sell them...we mounted our horses - directly we heard firing - rifles...after a while our turn (2nd squadron Com. 'B' and 'H') came we 'dismounted to fight'...we marched into the thicket...we got to forward and got to shooting and then the men were all right. There is nothing so demoralizing to troops - even old troops than to be shot at and not allowed to shoot back - of course it's worse with raw soldiers - this is not fair!...Our Col. Hugh Aiken...got shot...for all the trials of war, the worst to me was to be made prisoner - so I kept the best watch I could - finally I heard some troops coming up on our rear - my heart was in my mouth for fear they were yanks...we got with the others of my squadron (Co. 'B' and 'H') heard that Capt. Gregg had got lost and shot in the arm - and I was in command - we hadn't fought long before Maj. Emmett Seibert of Gen. Butler's staff...told us to come out quietly, mount our horses and report to Genl. Hampton - we found on getting out that we were surrounded...I shot the officer leading the charge, and the man next to him...Capt. James J. Gregg of Co. B...went back to the ambulance corps. and when Sheridan's men were about to capture the train he cut the braces of one of the horses...At the end of the...thicket we could see a lot staff officers giving orders and directions , I directed the fire of our six Enfields at them...one of them...asked me to try a shot, which I did - aiming at an officer on a white horse, I saw him fall in his saddle, and two others came to his assistance and carried him off...I gave orders to man the bank, the enemy were surrounding...I caught him in my arms and laid him on the railroad track...he was brave, utterly fearless, and the promptest to obey an order - a true Christian...And there we were in the right angle of the railroad...we fought all day until after 10 o'clock at night - the house across the railroad was occupied by the enemy...I felt the wind of that shell every time it passed...Major Hart told me after the war, how he happened to kill the sharp shooter...When Hart sent his first shell with that house, didn't we cheer him!...I think the first shell set it on fire but a couple more were sent in to make sure...'. Much more. Heavily chipped on a few pages, toned. Fine battle content. Lot also includes a first edition book: ‘Glory Enough for All' (Washington, D.C.: Brassey's), 2001. 391pp. 8vo., written by Eric Wittenberg. This black hardcover comes with the dust jacket.

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August 15, 2024 10:00 AM EDT
Elkton, MD, US

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