Sabres and Spurs
The First Regiment Rhode Island Cavalry
by Rev. Frederic Denison, Chaplain
Pub. 1876
Pages 453-4
April 5th--Our brigade was sent off on an expedition by itself. Halted a
little at Amelia Court Houe. Learned that Lee, Longstreet, Ewell and others held
a consultation the previous night in a room over the depot. Part of their
army left here this morning. On the road, in the afternoon, we picked up a
number of exhausted rebels. Striking across the country towards night, we joined
our division and found that during the day they had a big fight, capturing
thirty-three battle flags, seven general officers and thousands of prisoners.
April 6th--Off again the morning, passing the long line of prisoners
preparing to move to the rear. At Custer's headquarters floated the captured battle
flags. These were war times, and our patriotic spirits were up. The prisoners
seemed half starved, having had, as they said, nothing to eat for two days.
As we marched by, we tossed them hard-tack, for which they pushed and
scrabbled like desperate men. Finding the enemy behind breastworks of earth and
rails,we had a short fight and again routed them. Through this and the following
day, there was fighting nearly all the time. The retreating rebels , when
closely pressed, would turn and give battle, while the rest hurried on to build
new breastworks for a new stand; but all their works were succesively carried.
They retreated so rapidly that they left their dead and wounded behind.
Strange scenes. Dead men became so common as hardly to attract attention. They
lay scattered singly and in groups behind the piles of rails used as a
protection.
To be continued
Copied by Claire Dietz