June 1,1864.
At 1.30 last night, General Wright with the 6th Corps passed
round our left flank and marched on Cool Arbor, which already was occupied by
our cavalry last night. They would have fallen back, in view of the advance of
the enemy's infantry, but General Meade sent an order to hold it, which they
did; and had a very heavy fight early this morning, remarkable from the fact
that our cavalry threw up breastworks and fought behind them, repulsing the
enemy till Wright could arrive. Baldy Smith too was marching from Whitehouse
and came up during the day, forming on the right of the 6th Corps. Meantime, of
course, the enemy was marching to his own right, in all haste, and formed so as
to cover the roads leading to Mechanicsville and also to continue his line on
his right. . . . There was a desperate charge on Smith and Wright at Cool Arbor
and the sound of musketry was extremely heavy long after dark, but the Rebels
could not do it and had to go back again. Nor did the right of the line escape
where they attacked Birney, and were driven back just the same way. . . . Smith
had orders to report to General Meade and so became part of the Army of the
Potomac. General Meade was in one of his irascible fits to-night, which are
always founded in good reason though they spread themselves over a good deal of
ground that is not always in the limits of the question. First he blamed Warren
for pushing out without orders; then he said each corps ought to act for itself
and not always be leaning on him. Then he called Wright slow (a very true
proposition as a general one). In the midst of these night-thoughts, comes here
from General Smith bright, active, self-sufficient Engineer-Lieutenant
Farquhar, who reports that his superior had arrived, fought, etc., etc., but
that he had brought little ammunition, no transportation and that “he considered
his position precarious.” “Then, why in Hell did he come at all for?” roared
the exasperated Meade, with an oath that was rare with him.
SOURCE: George R. Agassiz, Editor, Meade’s
Headquarters, 1863-1865: Letters of Colonel Theodore Lyman from the Wilderness
to Appomattox, p. 137-8
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