Confederate military officer and politician (1818–1902) who replaced J. E. B. Stuart as Lee’s Chief of Cavalry following Stuart’s death on the battlefield. ALS, four pages on two adjoining sheets, 5 x 8, May 17, 1887. Letter to General F. A. Walker thanking him for sending his History of the Second Army Corps in the Army of the Potomac, and pointing out a couple of errors. In part: “I have read with great interest the History of the 2nd Army Corp which you were kind enough to send to me, & as I know that you desire to have your work accurate, I write to call your attention to one or two minor mistakes in it. On your map of the Battlefield of Ream's Sta—a rough copy of which is enclosed—you place two Regt's of McGowan on the right of the R.R. facing Petersburg. No part of his command was on that side of the R.R. nor were any confederate inf'try there during the fight. McGowan was on extreme right of the assaulting line.
The two cav. Divisions present were mine under command of Gen. M.C. Butler, & W.H.F. Lee's under command of Col. J. Lucas Davis of the 10th Va. cav. Lee was sick & Absent. My Div'n crossed at Malone's Bridge. When we first struck the enemy, & the other Div'n crossed the Rowanty by the Bridge on the Halifax Road, both concentrating at Malone's Station. Here we were sharply engaged for some hours before Hill made his attack & my men were deployed, dismounted, on both sides of the R.R. Hill's first assault was repulsed, & when I saw him forming for a second one, I moved my whole force to the right, or east of the R.R., my left resting on it, & as the inf'try attacked your front line, I struck that portion where you have, in your map, placed Gibbon.
The cav. unaided took this line & when it intersected the R.R. my men joined McGowan's who were on the west of the Road. I spoke to McGowan at that point, for he was our old friend. So much as to the operations of my command, & now are you not mistaken in saying that your works were in advance of & to the west of, the R.R. My recollection is distinct that your front line was behind the Road. The embankment serving well for defensive purposes. I remained on the ground the day after the fight & I visited it several times afterwards, & I saw no works…on the west of the road.
I have spoken to some of my officers, who were present, & to Gen. McGowan, who is now here, & they all concur in my opinion on this point. There were a few rifle-pits covering your front, but they were at quite a distance from the R.R. On page 575, you say that ‘Hampton's & W.H.F. Lee's cav. Div'ns were sent across the James’ &c. At that time my Div'n, or Butler's 2 others, was on its way to the Valley, & we were camped on the night of 14th Aug. at Frederickshall Stn. about 50 miles from Richmond. That night…Gen Lee recalled me, & I reached White's Tavern, early on the 15th just after Gen Chambliss—who commanded a Brig. in W.H.F. Lee's Div'n—was killed. I at once ordered the 1st & 2nd N.C. cav. of Lee's other Brig. to dismount & attack. This they did with spirit driving the enemy across White Oak creek, & taking prisoners from four Inf'try Regts.” In fine condition, with faint edge toning to all pages. Reliving heated moments of battle, Hampton pens a vividly detailed recollection of his major victory during the Second Battle of Ream’s Station in 1864. Pre-certified PSA/DNA.
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