Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 22.djvu/166

 154 Southern Historical Society Papers.

had information from a prisoner from the Seventh Virginia Cavalry, who reported that Hampton had broken through at Sycamore Church, and had captured 2,500 head of cattle with but little loss, etc. Humphries ordered General Davies to strike the returning enemy at once.

HAMPTON REPORTED FOURTEEN THOUSAND STRONG.

The next is a dispatch at 6 A. M. of the i6th, from General Kautz to Captain H. C. Weir, assistant adjutant-general, to the effect that his pickets had been driven in from Mt. Sinai Church to Powhatan stage road; that the commanding officer of the Eleventh Pennsyl- vania Cavalry thought quite a number of horses had been captured. He did not consider it serious, as the reserves had not yet been dis- turbed. He had not the news good yet. At 7 A. M. he says he feared the First District Cavalry had been entrapped, and that the sounds of firing were quite lively on the Powhatan road, and that he had sent a squadron of the Third New York Cavalry to the stage road, and that Colonel Jacobs had been ordered to dislodge them. At 8:30 he knew we were after the cattle; at 9:15 he knew that the cattle guard and the First D. C. Cavalry were captured; at 11:30 he knew that we had the cattle, and that we were " 14,000 strong."

"GENERAL HAMPTON'S LEGION FIVE THOUSAND STRONG!"

A dispatch from Major W. A. Van Rensselaer, of the Eighth New York Infantry, to General Patrick, provost-marshal, says: " I have just met a private of the First District of Columbia Cavalry, who was captured, and he says they had four killed and about 300 cap- tured. They also got one herd of 2,600 cattle. One man reports he saw ten regiments of infantry and a battery of eight guns. The First District is terribly demoralized. One of their captains says he killed a brigadier-general. From what I can learn I think the rebels are about 5.000 strong, with eight guns. They all belong to Hampton's Legion. Generals Kautz and Gregg are after them." The suggestion that General Hampton's Legion was 5,000 strong is amusing. J don't believe he ever had over half that amount in the best days. This same major reports us in full retreat at 9 A. M. I think in this he was correct.

General Patrick at once ordered Colonel T. B. Gates, commanding at City Point, to put his command in a position to protect the depot. At 10 A. M. of the i6th General Meade advised General Grant that