Tag: Catharpin Road

Wikipedia says: Leaving Hammond’s regiment at Parker’s Store at 5:00 am on May 5, [1864, Brigadier General James H.] Wilson moved his two brigades south. His Second Brigade led the way, and it was commanded by Colonel George H. Chapman. His First Brigade was commanded by Colonel Timothy M. Bryan. Chapman reached Catharpin Road and moved west beyond Craig’s Meeting House, where he found 1,000 men from a Confederate cavalry brigade commanded by Brigadier General Thomas L. Rosser. After initially driving Rosser back, both of Wilson’s brigades fled east after finding Hill’s infantry on their north side and Rosser’s cavalry on the Catharpin Road on their south side. The 18th Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment was the rear guard, and it became surrounded on three sides. The regiment left the road and blended into the woods and a swamp.

While Wilson battled Rosser, Sheridan’s other two cavalry divisions were further east. Around noon, Meade notified Sheridan that Wilson had been cut off, and Gregg’s 2nd Cavalry Division was sent to explore the Catharpin Road. Gregg found Wilson and confronted Rosser, who was driven back across the Po River bridge. In late afternoon, Gregg also fought Major General Fitzhugh Lee’s cavalry division on the Brock Road near Alsop. At nightfall, Rosser sat on the high ground west of the Po River bridge, Lee’s men camped near Alsop, and Wilson’s exhausted division camped north and east of Todd’s Tavern. Wilson was surprised that evening when the 18th Pennsylvania Cavalry, thought to be captured, rejoined the division. During the night, Gregg remained at Todd’s Tavern, Wilson put Chapman’s Brigade on the Brock Road, and the brigade of George Armstrong Custer from Torbert’s Division began moving to relieve Wilson. While the remaining portion of Torbert’s Division was south of Chancellorsville at Alrich, Torbert checked into a hospital and Brigadier General Wesley Merritt assumed command of the division.