me　on　the　morning　of　the　23d；　totally　in　the　dark　as　to　what　was
  expected　of　Wilson；　though　it　seems；　from　some　correspondence　between
  Generals　Grant　and　Meade；　which　I　never　saw　till　after　the　war；　that
  Grant　thought　Wilson　could　rely　on　Hampton's　absence　from　his　field
  of　operations　throughout　the　expedition。
  〃HEADQUARTERS　ARMY　OF　THE　POTOMAC；
  〃June　21；　1864。　9：20　A。　M。
  〃BRIGADIER…GENERAL　WILSON；
  〃Commanding　Third　Division　Cavalry　Corps。
  〃The　major…general　commanding　directs　that　you　move　your　command　at
  2　A。　M。　to…morrow；　the　22d　instant；　in　execution　of　the　duty　assigned
  you　of　destroying　certain　railroads。　　Despatches　received　from　the
  White　House　state　that　Hampton's　cavalry　was　before　that　place
  yesterday　evening；　and　that　General　Sheridan　had　also　reached　there；
  hence　it　is　desirable　that　you　should　march　at　the　earliest　moment。
  In　passing　Petersburg　you　will　endeavor　to　avoid　the　observation　of
  the　enemy；　and　then　move　by　the　shortest　routes　to　the　intersection
  of　the　Petersburg　and　Lynchburg；　and　the　Richmond　and　Danville
  railroads；　and　destroy　both　these　roads　to　the　greatest　extent
  possible；　continuing　their　destruction　until　driven　from　it　by　such
  attacks　of　the　enemy　as　you　can　no　longer　resist。　　The　destruction　of
  those　roads　to　such　an　extent　that　they　cannot　be　used　by　the　enemy
  in　connection　with　Richmond　during　the　remainder　of　the　campaign　is
  an　important　part　of　the　plan　of　campaign。　　The　latest　information
  from　Major…General　Hunter　represents　him　to　be　a　few　miles　west　of
  Lynchburg。　　He　may　endeavor　to　form　a　junction　with　this　army；　you
  will　communicate　with　him　if　practicable；　and　have　delivered　to　him
  verbally　the　contents　of　the　following　copy　of　a　communication　from
  Lieutenant…General　Grant　to　the　major…general　commanding　this　army。
  Lieutenant　Brooks；　who　will　accompany　your　expedition　part　of　the
  way；　should　be　informed　where　General　Hunter　will　probably　be　found。
  〃The　success　of　your　expedition　will　depend　upon　the　secrecy　with
  which　it　is　commenced；　and　the　celerity　with　which　its　movements　are
  conducted；　your　command　will；　therefore；　have　with　it　the　lightest
  supplies　and　smallest　number　of　wheels　consistent　with　the　thorough
  execution　of　the　duty；　the　supplies　of　the　section　of　country　you
  will　operate　in　being　taken　into　account。　　Upon　the　completion　of　the
  work　assigned　you；　you　will　rejoin　this　army。
  〃The　chief　quartermaster　was　directed　yesterday　to　supply　you　with
  the　implements　and　material　for　the　destruction　of　railroads　obtained
  for　General　Sheridan。
  ＇Signed＇　〃A。　A。　HUMPHREYS；
  〃Major…General；　Chief…of…Staff。〃
  〃HEADQUARTERS　CAVALRY　FORCES；
  Mount　Sinai　Church；　June　21；　18646　P。M。
  〃MAJOR…GENERAL　HUMPHREYS；〃
  〃Chief…of…Staff。
  〃The　instructions　of　the　major…general　commanding；　of　this　date；　are
  received。　　I　shall　march　in　obedience　thereto　at　2　A。　M。　to…morrow。
  Before　starting　I　would　like　to　know　if　our　infantry　forces　cover　the
  Weldon　road。
  〃I　propose　striking　the　Southside　road　first　at　Sutherland　Station；
  or　some　point　in　that　vicinity；　tearing　up　the　track　sufficiently　to
  delay　railroad　communication　ten　or　twelve　hours。　　At　this　place　I
  shall　detach　a　force　to　strike　the　Richmond　and　Danville　road；　by　a
  rapid　march；　at　the　nearest　point；　tearing　up　the　track　at　every
  practicable　point　between　there　and　Burkeville。
  〃From　Sutherlands　I　shall　move　the　main　body　of　my　command　by　the
  Great　road　（breaking　the　railroad　at　every　convenient　point）　directly
  to　Burkeville；　which；　if　we　succeed　in　capturing；　will　afford　us　the
  opportunity　of　prosecuting　our　work　with　great　advantage。　　As　soon　as
  I　have　made　dispositions　for　communicating　with　Hunter　and　done　all
  the　damage　possible；　I　shall　move　with　all　possible　rapidity　for
  Danville　and　Grenboro'。
  〃Circumstances　must；　however；　is　a　great　degree　control　our　movements
  after　leaving　Burkeville。
  〃If　Sheridan　will　look　after　Hampton；　I　apprehend　no　difficulty；　and
  hope　to　be　able　to　do　the　enemy　great　damage。　　The　ammunition　issued
  to　my　command　is　very　defective。　　The　implements　for　destroying　roads
  have　not　yet　arrived；　but　I　learn　from　General　Ingalls　that　they　will
  certainly　be　here　early　to…morrow。
  ＇Signed＇　J。　H。　WILSON；
  〃Brigadier…General　Commanding。
  The　moment　I　received　orders　from　General　Meade　to　go　to　the　relief
  of　Wilson；　I　hastened　with　Torbert　and　Gregg　by　way　of　Prince　George
  Court　House　and　Lee's　Mills　to　Ream's　Station。　　Here　I　found　the
  Sixth　Corps；　which　Meade　had　pushed　out　on　his　left　flank　immediately
  on　hearing　of　Wilson's　mishap；　but　I　was　too　late　to　render　any
  material　assistance；　Wilson　having　already　disappeared；　followed　by
  the　enemy。　　However；　I　at　once　sent　out　parties　to　gather
  information；　and　soon　learned　that　Wilson　had　got　safe　across　the
  Nottoway　at　Peter's　bridge　and　was　making　for　the　army　by　way　of
  Blunt's　bridge；　on　the　Blackwater。
  The　benefits　derived　from　this　expedition；　in　the　destruction　of　the
  Southside　and　Danville　railroads；　were　considered　by　General　Grant　as
  equivalent　for　the　losses　sustained　in　Wilson's　defeat；　for　the
  wrecking　of　the　railroads　and　cars　was　most　complete；　occasioning　at
  this；　time　serious　embarrassment　to　the　Confederate　Government；　but　I
  doubt　if　all　this　compensated　for　the　artillery　and　prisoners　that
  fell　into　the　hands　of　the　enemy　in　the　swamps　of　Hatcher's　Run　and
  Rowanty　Creek。　　Wilson's　retreat　from　the　perilous　situation　at
  Ream's　station　was　a　most　creditable　performancein　the　face　of　two
  brigades　of　infantry　and　three　divisions　of　cavalryand　in　the
  conduct　of　the　whole　expedition　the　only　criticism　that　can　hold
  against　him　is　that　he　placed　too　much　reliance　on　meeting　our
  infantry　at　Ream's　station；　seeing　that　uncontrollable　circumstances
  might；　and　did；　prevent　its　being　there。　　He　ought　to　have　marched　on
  the　28th　by　Jarrett's　Station　to　Peter's　bridge；　on　the　Nottoway；　and
  Blunts　bridge　on　the　Blackwater；　to　the　rear　of　the　Army　of　the
  Potomac。
  When　the　safety　of　Wilson's　command　was　assured；　I　was　ordered　back
  to　Light　House　Point；　where　I　had　gone　into　camp　after　crossing　the
  James　River　to　rest　and　recruit　my　command；　now　very　much　reduced　in
  numbers　by　reason　of　casualties　to　both　horses　and　men。　　It　had　been
  marching　and　fighting　for　fifty　consecutive　days；　and　the　fatiguing
  service　had　told　so　fearfully　on　my　animals　that　the　number　of
  dismounted　men　in　the　corps　was　very　large。　　With　the　exception　of
  about　four　hundred　horses　that　I　received　at　the　White　House；　no
  animals　were　furnished　to　supply　the　deficiencies　which　had　arisen
  from　the　wearing　marches　of　the　past　two　months　until　I　got　to　this
  camp　at　Light　House　Point；　here　my　needs　were　so　obvious　that　they
  could　no　longer　be　neglected。
  I　remained　at　Light　House　Point　from　the　2d　to　the　26th　of　July；
  recuperating　the　cavalry；　the　intensely　warm　weather　necessitating
  almost　an　entire　suspension　of　hostilities　on　the　part　of　the　Army　of
  the　Potomac。　　Meanwhile　fifteen　hundred　horses　were　sent　me　here；　and
  these；　with　the　four　hundred　already　mentioned；　were　all　that　my
  troops　received　while　I　held　the　personal　command　of　the　Cavalry
  Corps；　from　April　6　to　August　1；　1864。　　This　was　not　near　enough　to
  mount　the　whole　command；　so　I　disposed　the　men　who　could　not　be
  supplied　in　a　dismounted　camp。
  By　the　26th　of　July　our　strength　was　pretty　well　restored；　and　as
  General　Grant　was　now　contemplating　offensive　operations　for　the
  purpose　of　keeping　Lee's　army　occupied　around　Richmond；　and　also　of
  carrying　Petersburg　by　assault　if　possible；　I　was　directed　to　move　to
  the　north　side　of　the　James　River　in　conjunction　with　General
  Hancock's　corps；　and；　if　opportunity　offered；　to　make　a　second
  expedition　against　the　Virginia　Central　railroad；　and　again　destroy
  the　bridges　on　the　North　Anna；　the　Little　and　the　South　Anna　rivers。
  I　started　out　on　the　afternoon　of　the　26th　and　crossed　the　Appomattox
  at　Broadway　landing。　　At　Deep　Bottom　I　was　joined　by　Kautz's　small
  division　from　the　Army　of　the　James；　and　here　massed　the　whole
  command；　to　allow　Hancock's　corps　to　take　the　lead；　it　crossing　to
  the　north　bank　of　the　James　River　by　the　bridge　below　the　mouth　of
  Bailey's　Creek。　　I　moved　late　in　the　afternoon；　so　as　not　to　come
  within　the　enemy's　view　before　dark；　and　after　night…fall　Hancock's
  corps　passed　me　and　began　crossing　the　pontoon…bridge　about　2　o'clock
  in　the　morning。
  By　daylight　Hancock　was　across；　the　cavalry　following。　　Soon　a
  portion　of　his　corps　attacked　the　enemy's　works　on　the　east　side　of
  Bailey's　Creek；　and；　aided　by　the　cavalry　moving　on　its　right；
  captured　four　pieces　of　artillery。　　This　opened　the　way　for　Hancock
  to　push　out　his　whole　corps；　and　as　he　advanced　by　a　wheel；　with　his
  left　as　a　pivot；　the　cavalry　joined　in　the　movement；　pressing　forward
  on　the　New　Market　and　Central　or　Charles　City　ro