WILSON’S CAVALRY DIVISION.
Junction with General Grant’s Army.
THE FIELD, NEAR MOUNT ZENA CHURCH, VA., June 30.—At dusk, on the afternoon of the 16th instant [June 16, 1864], the pickets of the Third Division of cavalry [3/Cav/AotP], operating with General GRANT, were drawn in, and we fell back to the James River. The enemy did not follow us up, as had been anticipated, but allowed us to withdraw without making any effort to annoy us.
The head of the column commenced crossing the James at Wilcox’s Ferry, at three o’clock the following morning, and at daybreak the column was all over the river. The division was marched to Little Brandon (a mile or so from the ferry), and received a supply of rations and forage, which both horses and men were greatly in need of, as their supplies were wholly exhausted.
At twelve o’clock A. M. on the 17th instant [June 17, 1864], we marched to Prince George Court House and bivouacked in that vicinity for the night. Heavy cannonading was heard during the night in the direction of Petersburg.
Next morning (the eighteenth) [June 18, 1864] General WILSON was sent about three miles south of Prince George Court House, to Mount Zena Church, on the Blackwater Creek, to enjoy a brief season of rest, and to protect the left flank and rear of the army in front of Petersburg. Our pickets extended from the left of the infantry line of battle to Blackwater Creek.1
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Source/Notes:
- “Wilson’s Cavalry Division.” The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, PA), June 24, 1864, p. 1, col. 2-3 ↩