Civil War Overview: War on Horseback

Custer's First Stand - Battle of Trevilian Station, Va.

Feisty and indefatigable, "Little Phil" Sheridan proved such an able and aggressive commander that Grant placed him at the head of all the cavalry of the Army of the Potomac. At Spotsylvania, ordered by Grant to move around Lee, hitting railroads and supply lines, Sheridan began what became a sixteen-day ride and raid toward Richmond on May 9, 1864, drawing J.E.B. Stuart's Confederate cavalry away from the Spotsylvania battlefield in pursuit. The two cavalry forces engaged May11th at Yellow Tavern - where Stuart was mortally wounded.

Gen. Phillip Sheridan

The permanent injury of Lee's lines of supply was an important element in Grant's purposes. To this end, on the 26th of May, General Hunter was directed by Grant to move down through the Shenandoah Valley to Lynchburg, cut the James River Canal, and return over the Lynchburg branch of the Virginia Central Railroad to Charlottesville, where it was expected he would meet Sheridan.

Grant also once again "cut loose" Sheridan's cavalry from his army. Sheridan as before was ordered to tear up the Virginia Central Railroad near the important railroad junction of Gordonsville and to cooperate with General Hunter, if practicable. The purpose of this raid was to injure Lee's lines of supply, and, as he had done at Spotsylvania, to draw off the southern cavalry  during Grant's movement forward by the left flank, following his unsuccessful attempt to take the strong Confederate position at Cold Harbor by direct assault. This movement ultimately caused the second largest cavalry engagement in the western hemisphere to occur at a small railroad station at Trevilian Virginia and resulted in a situation for young General Custer which was to foreshadow unfortunate events in his career many years later.

In obedience to instructions Sheridan, on June 7th, started another amazing twenty-day ride (see yellow route on figure below) with the divisions of  Torbert and Gregg, about eight thousand cavalrymen, started  from the town of New Castle on the Pamunkey River (just east of Richmond - see map below), moved on via Aylett's to Chilesburg, and crossed the South Anna River, and bivouacked on the evening of the 10th about three miles from Trevilian Station, a station on the Virginia Central Railroad, just outside of Gordonsville. On the march, whenever the column passed near the railroad it was cut in several places. The weather was hot, and the roads heavy with dust, causing the weaker horses to drop out; in all cases where this occurred the disabled animals were shot by the rear-guard. As on the Sheridan's Richmond raid (see figure below), transportation and supplies had been reduced to a minimum, the entire train, including ammunition wagons and ambulances, not exceeding 125 vehicles. Two days' short forage, carried on the saddle, three days' rations, and one hundred rounds of ammunition were carried by each trooper.

Route of Sheridan's Trevilian Raid of June 7 to June 27, 1864.

While moving along the north side of the North Anna river, Sheridan heard that the infantry of Breckinridge was en route to Gordonsville, and that the cavalry of Hampton and Fitzhugh Lee were in pursuit of Sheridan's column, and straining every nerve to reach the objective point first. The purpose of this move was to protect the vital railroad junction at Gordonsville.

But Sheridan's intention was to cut the main line of the Virginia Central at Trevilian Station, and the Lynchburg branch at Charlottesville. At dawn of the 11th of June shots were interchanged by the pickets near Trevilian. The First Brigade of Gregg's Division was assigned to guard the corps train and the rear. Custer was sent with his brigade by a wood-road to the left to strike the Louisa Court House road, and move up to the station from the east, while the remainder of Torbert's First Division approached that point from the north-east. The bulk of Sheridan's command, preceded by the Reserve Brigade (Merritt's), passed through his picket line, and as the leading regiment, 2nd United States Cavalry, took the trot when it encountered a Confederate patrol, or advance-guard. This was driven back, and several prisoners taken, who stated that they belonged to the brigade of General M. C. Butler, of  Hampton's cavalry. 

The Reserve (Merritt's) Brigade advanced a quarter of a mile farther, when it found the Confederate cavalry in force, dismounted, in a piece of timber, which extended across the road for some distance. The Union cavalry was partly dismounted, and the entire First (Torbert's) Division became engaged. Assured of Custer's position, Sheridan dismounted Torbert's two remaining brigades, and aided by one of Gregg's Second Brigade (J. Irvin Gregg's) was put in on the left of Torbert. They drove Hampton's Division back onto Custer, and even through his lines. The Confederates were driven back through a thick, tangled brushwood for over two miles to Trevilian Station with heavy losses. Among the Confederate wounded was General Rosser and a colonel commanding brigade was killed. According to Merritt's report fewer less than two hundred prisoners were taken by his brigade. The Confederate orderly retreat from the field became a rout. Horse Batteries of the 2nd US Artillery (E. B. Williston) planted shells in the midst of the confused mass of the Confederates.

Part of the Butler's force retreating became reengaged in combat when it came in contact with the First (Custer's) Brigade, consisting of the 1st, 5th, 6th, and 7th Michigan Cavalry who was sent to destroy Trevilian Station from the east.

General Custer's operations are described by Colonel A. C. M. Pennington, then commanding Horse Battery " M," 2d United States Artillery :

" We moved out about 6 : 30 A. M., the battery following the leading regiment. As the command struck the road we discovered the impedimenta of a cavalry column, pack-mules, ambulances, wagons, etc., all of which we captured and sent to our rear a short distance. The enemy, which turned out to be Hampton's division going toward Gordonsville ahead of us, halted and began to form. I was ordered to bring two guns forward to a position selected by General Custer ; found Custer at a high board-fence, which separated him from the station (Trevilian). He told me to bring one gun on the road and bring the other to where he stood with his staff, mounted. I took up the gun and placed it in position, pointing at the board-fence, from which we were to knock the boards to enable us to enfilade a battery of the enemy. Number one at the gun had his axe uplifted in the act of striking, when we discovered a line of dismounted rebel cavalry getting over a rail-fence, about a hundred yards on our right. Custer ordered every one 'to get out of there,'-and we lost no time."

Gen. Fitzhugh Lee

Battlemap of  Trevilian Station showing positions of  forces on June 11th and June 12th, 1864. Yellow line shows main route of Custer's First Brigade  forces and the almost complete surrounding of Custer on the battlefield by Fitz Lee, Rosser and Butler elements.

While moving upon the rear of the First (Custer's) Brigade, Fitz Lee's men also saw one of Pennington's guns in a tempting spot and drove away its slight support and captured the piece, but most of the artillerymen escaped. Upon reporting this loss, Pennington said he thought the enemy intended to keep it. "I'll be d - d if they do," responded Custer; and collecting some thirty men, led them in person where the gun was being hauled off by hand. Failing in his first attempt, he dismounted every other man of a lot of horse-holders near, and, aided by several mounted staff officers, charged and recovered the gun.
 

Gen. G. A. Custer

Torbert tried to communicate with Custer several times, without success until after noon, when Captain Dana, assistant adjutant-general, managed to reach the isolated brigade, which he found in a tight place; it formed a hollow triangle pressed on all sides, by elements of Butler, Rosser and Fitz Lee. At one time Custer's color-bearer was killed, and to prevent the capture of the flag Custer tore it from the staff and thrust it in his bosom.

Finally about 5 p.m. Custer's brigade was extricated and took position to Merritt's left rear. Fitz Lee now faced the Union left flank, his line being perpendicular to Merritt's. The two parts of the Union line formed a right angle; the Reserve Brigade occupying the right of the line to the vertex of the angle, the Second (Gregg's) Brigade on its left occupying part of the other line with the Second Division, and the First (Custer's) Brigade formed en echelon to the left rear. On the night of the 11th, the Confederates retired toward Gordonsville.

Sheridan's troops spent the next morning thoroughly destroying the Central Virginia Railroad for five miles, from Louisa Court House to a point one mile west of Trevilian. 

At 3 p.m., Torbert advanced toward Gordonsville to find the most direct route by which to return to the south. He found the enemy strongly entrenched across his path. The Confederate line faced to the east, Fitz Lee being on the right, perpendicular to the railroad. Merritt reported :

" The Reserve Brigade was ordered to attack the enemy's left, and it was intended that the First Brigade should cooperate on our left, while the Second Brigade was held in reserve. The Reserve Brigade went in on an open field to its right and attacked the enemy's left flank vigorously. It was slow work, however, and as the enemy was not pressed on the left, he concentrated his force on the brigade, and by larger numbers and fresh troops gave the command as much as it could attend to. . . . In thus advancing, the right of the brigade was so swung around as to be exposed to the enemy's attack on its wing. This he was not slow to take advantage of, when a squadron of the 2d Cavalry, my only remaining mounted support to the battery, was thrown in to meet the attack. Coming up on the right of the 6th Pennsylvania., which up to that time had been the extreme right regiment in line, they charged gallantly, and, though few in numbers, by the impetuosity of their onslaught drove the enemy back and protected the right until relieved by two regiments of the Second Brigade. After these two regiments got in position this squadron (2d United States Cavalry) was withdrawn to again act as support to the battery, which was ordered to advance, a good position having been gained on the right. Right gallantly did the battery come up in the midst of a heavy musketry fire, we being at that time so close to the enemy that their shells all few far over us. Planting three guns of the battery in this position, where it dealt the enemy heavy blows, Lieutenant Williston moved one of the brass 12-pounders on to the skirmish line ; in fact, the line was moved to the front to allow him to get an eligible position, where he remained with his gun in the face of the strengthened enemy (who advanced to its very muzzle) dealing death and destruction in their ranks with double loads of canister.  It was now dark, and I was directed to retire the brigade, . . . the enemy not advancing."

"At 3:30 p.m. (12th) a heavy attack was made on my left, where Butler's brigade was posted. Being repulsed, the enemy made a succession of determined assaults, which were all handsomely repulsed. In the meantime General Lee had, by my direction, reenforced my left with Wickham's brigade, while he took Lomax's across to the Gordonsville road as to strike the enemy on his right flank. This movement was successful, and the enemy, who had been heavily punished in front, when attacked on his flank fell back in confusion. I immediately gave orders to follow him up, but it was daylight before these orders could be carried out, the fight not having ended until 10 p.m."

Hampton reported a loss in his own division of 59 killed, 258 wounded, and 295 missing; aggregating 612. Fitzhugh Lee's losses are not given.

General Sheridan reported this day's fight as:

"by far the most brilliant one of the present campaign. The enemy's loss was very heavy. My loss in killed and wounded will be about 575. Of this number 490 were wounded. I brought off in my ambulances 377 - all that could be transported. The remainder were, with a number of the rebel wounded that fell into my hands, left behind. surgeon and attendants were detailed and remained in charge of them. I captured and have now with me 370 prisoners of war, including 20 commissioned officer. My loss in captured will not exceed 150."

During the night of the 12th,  Sheridan crossed the North Anna River at Carpenter's Ford, unsaddled the horses and turned them out to graze ; the poor animals had been without food for two days. Confederate forces came in sight but once during the entire march to West Point on the York River where the Trevilian wounded were sent by transport to Washington.
 
On the 18th of June, Sheridan learned that the Union supply depot at White House on the Pamunkey River was to be relocated to a new location and that he was assigned to accompany the supplies to the new base. On the 20th at the White House, Sheridan found orders directing him to breakup the supply depot and to conduct 900 wagonloads of supplies to Petersburg. This was successfully accomplished. Thus ended Sheridan's Trevilian Raid.

It is interesting to note that in the period of great activity for the Sheridan's Cavalry Corp   (May 5 to August 1,1864), the casualties in the corp were nearly 4900 men, and the loss of horses from all causes about 1500. The captures by the cavalry exceeded 2000 men and 500 horses, besides many artillery pieces and colors. 

Custer's First Stand - The Battle of Trevilian Station, Virginia
References Consulted

• Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, Volume 4, pp 233-236
• The Photographic History of the Civil War - Part Four: The Cavalry, pp 124-128
• The Confederate Soldier in the Civil War, p 260

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