's army at 150,000,
but does not state how many men Lee had. Perhaps 75,000 would be a fair
estimate. The same authority gives Grant's losses at the battle of the
Wilderness as 18,000; Lee's at 11,000.[5]

The losses in the battle of Spottsylvania Courthouse, fought two days
afterward, were as great, if not greater, than those of the Wilderness.

When the cavalry retired from the front they mounted their horses, and
almost Lee's entire cavalry force, headed by their chief, Gen. J.E.B.
Stuart, started in a bee line for Richmond, without halting a moment.

Gen. Sheridan, commanding Grant's cavalry, had passed around our right
wing with his whole command, and was heading toward the Confederate
Capital.

I think it was about 4 o'clock in the afternoon when we started.
Sheridan was several miles ahead of us. We marched all night. We
overtook Sheridan at Hanover Junction, on the railroad leading to
Richmond; not, however, until he had destroyed a large quantity of
provisions stored there for Lee's army, a great loss to the Confederates
at that time.

Sheridan had prepared for this expedition, and all of his men had
well-filled haversacks, while ours were empty.

I cannot remember just when and where we got in front of Sheridan, but I
know from Hanover Junction on we were in constant touch with his forces,
and harassed them all we could.

At a place called "Yellow Tavern" several regiments of our cavalry (mine
among them) were dismounted, formed across the fields, and moved forward
in real line of battle style until we came upon the enemy, also
dismounted. After a brisk encounter we fell back to a road that was
somewhat sunken.

There we halted for the purpose of stopping the enemy's advance, for the
sunken road furnished us some protection, but they did not stop. They
marched on, firing as they came.

Their line was longer and thicker than ours, and it was evident that we
were about to be surrounded. Some of our men mounted the fence in the
rear and fled across the fields. Others stood their ground and were
captured, I among them.

I was near Colonel Pate, the colonel commanding a regiment in my
brigade. He was killed by a bullet striking him in the center of the
forehead. Also near me was our captain, Bruce Gibson.

There was a little culvert across a ditch in the road that the farmers
used in going from the road into the field. Some of our men crept under
this culvert and escaped. Probably 200 of us were captu