Division orders were to march at five o'clock in the morning, and preparations for the departure were well underway. Three days of cooked rations, 80 rounds of ammunition and double feed for the horses were to be taken. Sick men and unserviceable horses were to remain in camp. Rumors were a plenty, but with tents to remain standing, it appeared that a raid or reconnoissance was to begin At sunrise, 5 May 1864, 2500 veteran cavalrymen of Brigadier August Kautz's small cavalry, division moved from their camps at Portsmouth, Virginia. Regimental bands played as the column of fours, with multitudinous hoofs pounding, move post the defensive fortifications and headed due west. In the advance was Colonel Samuel Spear's Second Brigade consisting of the 5th and 11th Pennsylvania Cavalry. Following Spear was Colonel Simon Mix's First Brigade consisting! of the 3rd New York Cavalry and six companies of the 1st District of Columbia Cavalry. Although small in size, the latter unit was an especially potent fighting force, because it was armed with the Henry repeating rifle. Completing Kautz's command was a section of 3" Rifles from the 8th New York Battery. Command of the column rested with 36 year old August Kautz; a Mexican War veteran, West Point graduate and experienced Indian fighter. This German immigrant had commanded cavalry since the beginning of the war with steady performances. To the High Command his lack of candor and boastfulness was offset by his professional training.  As the column rode deeper into the Confederate rear, it turned north at Suffolk, Virginia and travelled parallel to the Norfolk and Petersburg railroad. This change of direction strengthened the impression that Kautz's objective was a crossing of the lower Blackwater and Petersburg. The weary column continued its march through the moonlit night. Troopers slept in their saddles or, when the column halted, they would dismount, tie the bridle rein to an arm and fall into a deep slumber on the road. The horses too would stand with drooping heads, noses almost touching ,heir riders faces, eyes closed, but careful not to step on or injure the motionless figures at their feet. As dawn was breaking on 6 May, the column again turned west, eventually crossing the Blackwater River at Birch Island Bridge. Now the column turned southwest and headed for its objective, the Petersburg Railroad. Since Spring Major General Benjamin Butler's Army of the James was attempting a strategy for taking Richmond from the southeast. The base of operations for this strategy was the Bermuda Hundred, located to the east and between both Richmond and Petersburg. Rebel reinforcements were being sent through Petersburg via the Petersburg Railroad. It was Kautz's mission to strike and cut the railroad below Petersburg so as to slow or stop these reinforcements and allow Butler time to conduct his offensive operations. At 6:30 P.M. Spear's men arrived at Wakefield, a station on the Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad. Quickly the Southerners burned the station, rolling stock and government supplies. Others tore down the telegraph line to Petersburg and uprooted a small section of track. Exhausted from the fifty mile march, Kautz's men rested before departing Wakefield at 2:00 A.M. on 7 May. As Kautz rode deeper into the Confederate rear, Beauregard watched Kautz's progress with dismay. When it became apparent that the Petersburg Railroad was the objective of the raid, Beauregard used his limited resources to counter Kautz's cavalry. Realizing that the railroad could be broken at three major bridges (the Meherrin River Bridge, the Stoney Creek Bridge and the Nottoway River Bridge at Nottoway Station) Beauregard shifted troops to protect these key locations. All were guarded by small detachments of Holcombe's Legion. The only units close at hand were regiments of Wise's Virginia Brigade that were in transit from South Carolina to Richmond. Colonel william Tabb was ordered to move his 59th Virginia Infantry to Nottoway bridge along with 200 men of the 26th Virginia Infantry. By 3:00 P.M. the Union raiders had reached Stony Creek. Brushing aside than Rebel defenders they went about the work of destroying the 100 foot trestle and railroad station. Meanwhile, Kautz contemplated his next move while his regiments bivouacked amid the ruins for the night. Kautz had learned from prisoners that four hours earlier a trainload of troops had passed Stony Creek on the way to Petersburg and more trainloads were due at anytime. With the railroad clogged with moving troops, Kautz knew he would have to hurry in order to accomplish any more damage. Reports came in that there was a strong garrison guarding the 210 foot Nottoway Bridge located several, miles south. Kautz reasoned that the destruction of this critical bridge was still within his grasp. By using his entire force and acting quickly, he might still achieve success at that location. His plan was to have Spear's Second Brigade approach the bridge from the south, while elements of Mix's First Brigade worked their way around Stony Creek and attacked the bridge from the north. Kautz soon found the approach from the north was blocked by enemy forces. He decided to retrace his steps and follow the route that Spear was to take. Arriving at the bridge around 3:00 P.M. Kautz was surprised! to find no attack in progress. Spear and his command was nowhere to be found! Unknown to him was the fact that Spear, for unexplained reasons, had bypassed the bridge and was currently engaged in destroying Jarratt's Station, which was located several miles to the south. Kautz found the Rebels on both sides of the Nottoway River, with the troops on the north side occupying an old earthworks 300 yards north of the river. What action should be taken? Should an immediate attack be made? Enemy reinforcements might be arriving any time. Should you wait for Spear to return? How well will your fatigued troopers fight after four days in the saddle? What is your plan of action for the destruction of Nottoway Bridge?  OOB Confederate COMMANDER: COLONEL WILLIAM TABB 59th VIRGINIA INFANTRY (600 men) (V) 26th VIRGINIA INFANTRY (200 men) (V) HOLCOMBES LEGION (100 men) (A) * ALL ARMED WITH MUSKET RIFLES Union COMMANDER: BRIGADIER GENERAL AUGUST KAUE 1st BRIGADE: COLONEL SIMON MIX 3rd NEW YORK CAVALRY (400 men) (V) 1st D.C. CAVALRY (250 men) (A) 2nd BRIGADE: COLONEL SAMUEL SPEAR 11th PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY (420 men) (V) 5th PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY (350 men) (V) 8th NEW YORK HORSE ARTILLERY ( ONE SECTION 3" RIFLE ) (V) CAVALRY ARMED WITH SHARPS CARBINES EXCEPT D.C. CAVALRY WHICH HAS HENRY REPEATERS Confederate Reinforcements LEWIS'S NORTH CAROLINA BRIGADE 6th N.C. INFANTRY (600 men) (V) 21st N.C. INFANTRY (600 men) (V) 54th N.C. INFANTRY (600 men) (V) * ALL ARMED WITH MUSKET RIFLES 1-5% chance they will arrive per turn from Jarratt's Station. Units will arrive on the turn after roll made. Spear's Brigade will arrive automatically on turn before with Rebs hot on his heels! HISTORICAL OUTCOME Within an hour of arriving at Nottoway Bridge Kautz was able to locate Spear's and get him back for an attack in overwhelming numbers. Some of the raiders made it across the bridge but were soon captured. Unable to force the bridge the Union cavalry was able to start the south side on fire. Within 20 minutes the flaming bridge came crashing down. The entire fight lasted hardly more than an hour with both sides suffering around 50 casualties. Back to MWAN # 38 Table of Contents Back to MWAN List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1989 Hal Thinglum This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com