Page:History of the Ninth Virginia Cavalry in the War Between the States.djvu/31

Rh passed near a large hospital filled with sick and wounded men. On approaching the station we saw a squad of the enemy's cavalry. They fled as soon as we were seen. After a long halt we followed the line of the railroad in the direction of the Pamunkey. Beyond Tunstall's Station the enemy seemed prepared to dispute our passage across a run on the road leading to the White House. We were ordered, in company with the command of Colonel T. R. R. Cobb, to support a North Carolina regiment in its charge. In order to get the proper interval it was necessary to move the regiment back, and the order was given to wheel about. Just at that moment the rear squadron, which was on the crest of the hill, saw the Carolina regiment and, supposing them to be the enemy, wheeled and retreated in double-quick time. They were soon halted and good order restored. No charge was made; whether because of this sudden panic or not, we never knew. The men were dismounted and lay in the road while a section of artillery under Captain John Pelham, from an elevated point on our left, cannonaded the enemy until night. In moving off to bivouac the accidental discharge of a comrade's gun inflicted a serious flesh-wound upon young Robert J. Washington, of Company C.

At early morn the march was resumed to the White House, the private property and home of our Colonel. On reaching the run behind which the enemy was posted on the previous evening, we discovered the sills of the bridge had been so weakened that any charging party must have broken them in attempting to cross. The night's delay seemed to have lost us the opportunity to capture a very large quantity of commissary supplies and sutlers' stores. The great mass of them had been set on fire the night before, and the place hastily evacuated. Gunboats lying in the river fired a few shots, and the enemy's cavalry retreated on the road to New Kent Courthouse. To the latter place our regiment was sent in pursuit, and, returning in the evening, we joined the command at the White House.