I awoke about sunrise. As I opened my eyes, quick firing came from the
direction of Burgess's Mill. The fire speedily became more rapid and
continuous; I hastened to mount my horse; and as I did so, a courier
passed at full gallop.
"What news?" I asked.
"The enemy are advancing in force! They have crossed!"
"Where?"
"Near Armstrong's!"
And the courier disappeared, at full speed, in the woods. In a moment I
had abandoned my design of inspecting, and was riding back.
"Armstrong's" was a mill on the Rowanty, near the Boydton road. If the
enemy had crossed there, in force, it was to make a heavy advance
toward the Southside road.
I was not mistaken. Reaching the debouchment of the "Quaker road," I
found the cavalry drawn up in order of battle--a dispatch had been sent
to hurry up the rest--on the lower waters of the Rowanty, and General
Hampton informed me of the situation of affairs.
The enemy had advanced in heavy force at sunrise, driven in the
pickets, and, crossing the Rowanty, seized on the Boydton road and the
bridge at Burgess's Mill. From prisoners taken, it was ascertained that
the force consisted of the Second, Fifth, and part of the Ninth Corps;
Grant, Meade, and Hancock, accompanying the troops in person.
That left nothing in doubt.
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