Custer Rescued-An All-out Assault - Louisa VA - U.S. Civil War Sites on Waymarking.com

Custer Rescued-An All-out Assault
-The Battle of Trevilian Station -

By mid-morning on June 11, 1864, Gen. George A. Custer's attack on Confederate Gen. Wade Hampton's wagon train here had gone from success to near disaster as Southern cavalry surrounded Custer's force. A staff officer of Gen. Alfred T.A. Torbert, Gen. Philip H. Sheridan's 1st Cavalry Division commander, finally discovered Custer's predicament and reported it to Torbert. About 2 p.m., Torbert launched an all-out assault along the railroad with three brigades that broke through to Custer's Michigan men and rescued them. The 10th New York Cavalry of Col. J. Irvin Gregg's brigade also captured Trevilian Station. The Federals now controlled this portion of the Virginia Central Railroad, including the depot and Nertherland Tavern.

Two hours later, Confederate Gens. Matthew C. Butler and Thomas L. Rosser counterattacked along the Union west front, but Rosser received a serious leg wound and the attack faltered. The first day's fighting sputtered out as Hampton's division withdrew toward Gordonsville and Gen. Fitzhugh Lee's division retired east, leaving Sheridan's weary but victorious troopers in control of the battlefield. Hampton's men were still full of fight, however, and still sat astride Sheridan's route to Gordonsville.

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Date Logged Log User Rating   06/29/2023 Don.Morfe visited it