ards. There is some reason to believe that a
part of Breckinridge's infantry had come out from Gordonsville to
reinforce Hampton. Such was the impression at the time, and one at
least, of Sheridan's commanders, states in his report that he was
confronted by infantry. The writer is of the opinion that the "infantry"
was Butler's dismounted cavalry which, when in a good position as they
were that day, could do as good fighting as any infantry in the
confederate service.

The Michigan brigade moved out first and the Sixth had the advance. The
order was to proceed to a certain point named and then halt until the
division closed up. Memory does not recall what the place was, but is
quite clear as to that being the specific direction given by General
Custer to the officer in command of the advance regiment. We had gone
but a short distance, not more than a mile or two at most, when the
advance guard reported the enemy entrenched across the way. Skirmishing
began at once between our mounted men in front and dismounted
confederates behind breastworks of considerable strength. A squadron was
deployed and Sergeant Avery was directed to make his way far enough into
the woods to find, if possible, what we had in our front. He came back
in about ten minutes and reported that the breastworks in our immediate
front were thoroughly manned, and that he had seen a column of at least
a thousand men moving into the entrenchments on the enemy's right, in
front of our left flank. He was sent back to give Custer this
information, and the general came up and ordered the entire regiment to
be dismounted to fight on foot. The Sixth was put in on the right of the
road and directly thereafter the Seventh was sent in on the left. It did
not take long to demonstrate that two regiments were not enough and the
First and Fifth went into the action on the right of the Sixth. Then
Torbert reinforced the line with the Reserve brigade and a portion of
the Second, all under Merritt. The entire division became engaged.
Several assaults were made upon the confederate line but without
success. They were in each instance repulsed. Fitzhugh Lee got in on the
right flank of the division and inflicted severe damage upon the Reserve
brigade. We have never been able to understand why, if it was intended
to break the enemy's line, Gregg's division was not brought into the
engagement to protect that flank. General Merritt in his report
intimates that he had to do more