CHAP. XXVIII.] AMERICAN CIVIL WAR, 1861 18G5. 467 



any loss. This raid of Grierson was greatly aided by 

 the expeditions under Dodge and Streight, whicn 

 employed the Southern cavalry under Forrest, and pre- 

 vent^id them from being detached to interrupt the 

 march through Mississippi. 



A few days after Grierson's raid the campaign of 1863 

 opened in Northern Virginia with another cavalry expe- 

 dition by the Federal horsemen under General Stoneman, 

 in the rear of General Lee's army. This was intended 

 to have a co-operating eflfect upon the attack which 

 General Hooker was about making at Chancellorsville 

 against the Confederate left rear. Averill set out first 

 to draw the Southern cavalry to their left, in order to 

 leave the way open for Stoneman with the main force to 

 make a dash into the rear of General Lee's position. 

 Averill had a sharp action with General W. H. F. Lee's 

 brigade of cavalry at Rapidan station on the 1st May, 

 and during that day Stoneman with the main force, 

 consisting of about 10,000 men, marched by Racoon ford 

 to Louisa Court House, which he reached early on Satur- 

 day morning, the 2nd May, Averill the same day falling 

 back to the right rear of Hooker's army. W. H. F. Lee, 

 with only 900 men, had a skirmish with a portion of 

 Stoneman's command on the 2nd between Gordonsville 

 and Louisa Court House, but was obliged in the end to 

 fall back before the superior forces of the enemy. On 

 the evening of the 2nd Stoneman was at Thompson's 

 Cross Roads, in the rear of the Confederate army, and 

 directly between it and its base. At this point he 

 decided to spread his command and strike out in every 

 direction. Consequently one portion, consisting of on.e 

 regiment under Colonel Wyndham, pushed south to 

 Columbia, on the James river, and there destroyed all 

 the public property, captured a number of horses and 

 mules, and rejoined Stoneman the same night at 

 Thompson's Cross Roads. W. H.. F. Lee followed and 

 harassed him, but being greatly overmatched could effect 

 nothing important.' 



Another detachment under Colonel Kilpatrick moved 

 ^ Hotchkiss and Allen, 105. 



H H 2 



