Testimony of Lt. W.W. Blackmar, Provost Marshal Capehart's 3rd Brigade, Custer's Division
t was to the left and front that we moved; and we struck a small body of the enemy as we were marching to the left; a charge was ordered and we went after them. But some of our men made a detour and followed some men off to our right, and tbey struck the main body of the enemy and came back with the enemy's cavalry following them—they came back in this direction and corrected our mistake. General Capehart said tome: "Take the colors and form a line facing in this general direction." [Pointing north.] "Stand the colors there, I will turn the men back to you." He dashed iu ahead of the direction where the main body of the line was charging, and sent orderlies to turn them back to me. I formed a line there upon our colors, facing that general direction [a little northeast], and moved along up. There was a ditch—it I recollect it was not a stream, it was more of a dry ditch—across the end of a field—that looks like it across there, with woods here and woods there. [Witness pointB to a field in which is the letter V,] We dashed off to the left and, correcting ourselves, came right back and formed a line more to the north—on this dry run, this ditch. It I recollect, it was a dry ditch across the end of the field. A few of our men had gone up and found the main body of the enemy, and they were being driven back across this field towards os. The enemy were following them, striking them over the head with sabres. I recollect they followed them clear up to this ditch, took some of them prisoners, and some got away and jumped over this ditch. The enemy came clear to the ditch, right in the edge of this little brushwood.
Q. Can yon indicate on the map where that was t—A. I cannot; but there was a field with woods on both sides. It looks like this. I should say it was here where the enemy came. [Witness indicates south of letter V.]
Q. Then what direction did your brigade take I—A. I went over this ditch aud called for the colors to follow me, and the color-bearer hesitated. I supposed then I was alone on that side of the ditch. The enemy, after driving our men, had retreated when they saw us form this line. I went in here [indicating] and called for the colors to follow me. Some one laid his hand upon my shoulder—I saw it was General duster. He said, "Go and get the colors." When they heard him say that, the colors came up. The men jumped this ditch, and from that time we charged around in here, in rear of the enemy. We did not go across any works, we bad a clear field and went right across—struck them, and followed them. If I recollect correctly, we went iu a north by east direction, around the letter V (on Cotton Map No. 3), and it was a driving rout of the enemy from this point. We got right in among them, sabred them, aud captured them—did not stop to take them. Their artillery and wagons lay on both sides of the road, bottoms tip, aud every way iu confusion. We. struck the road somewhere in that direction, and followed it out until darkness overtook us. | Witness points to the road north of the letter V, and also to the Ford Church road.] I do not know which road we took. We struck a road, I know, and lollowed it; caissons and wagons were on either side of it all iu contusion.
Q. Do you recollect any guns!—A. Yes; I saw guns aud caissons that we passed. I do not know how many; it was all contusion ; just at dusk. It seemed to get dark quickly; it was black darkness before we were stopped. I thiuk it must have been nine or ten o'clock at night before we were recalled. We had an impression that we had driven the heavy infantry firing on our rightduring all this time, I am speaking rebel infantry right into the hands of our infantry. There was a very about. This retreating force went in a generally northeast direction, and scattering on this road; « good many of them we followed on this road. 1 did not know which road it was, after we got by those works.
Q. About how high was the suu at the time that you tiually drove them, aud turned their works?—A. I should say it was about two hours before sundown that we got iu our saddles, and it was very quick work from that. It might have been not two hours, because I know darkness overtook us in the midst of this charge. I should say it was t wo hours before suuset when I reported the horses, aud we were half au hour perhaps iu getting into position. Then we went off on this false scent, and by the time we got faced the other way we probably consumed au hour. So, perhaps, it was an hour before suudowu; but I think we had uot been in this rapid charge more thau au hour before it became quite dark.
Cross examination by Mr. Stickney, counsel for the applicant:
Q. [Skeleton map shown to witness.] There is Dinwiddie court-house, aud here is the road up to Five Forks—the main road f—A. Yes.
Q. Then did Custer's division substantially move up along the west side of that road f—A. I think so.
Q. Following the line of that road somewhat nearly ?—A. My impression is they boie more to the lett across the fields.
Q. You started that morning some distance out iu frout of Dinwiddie t-'-A. Yes; quite a distance iu front.
Q. So that if you bore at once off to the northwest it would take you up iu a line pretty nearly parallel with that main road from Dinwiddie to Five Forks?—A. My impression is we bore considerably more to the left,
Q. You see here [indicating on map], is this heavy stream, Chamberlain's Bed !—A. Yes.
Q. Do you recollect gettiug across there?—A. I do not recollect.
Q. You couuected your division with the division upon your right, as nearly as you could, in the movement up in the morning ?—A. I do not kuow. I think there were gaps. Our brigade seemed to be isolated a good deal of that day.
Q. Do you recollect seeiug any buildings near an orchard ?—A. I recollect seeing some buildings.
Q. Did you get any artillery tire from there?—A. They opened on us with artillery trom pretty near in frout of us.
Q. Then after the artillery opened upon you, pretty nearly in frout of you, did you move off to the right or left?—A. I think we bore to the left.
Q. About what time of day do you think that was ?—A. I should sajT it must have been before noon, because we made an early start.
Q. General Capehart stated, that after you got up in that vicinity he had to bear oft'to the right to get in connection again with the brigade upon his right and with the division upou Custer's right. Your recollection is.not clear that that is incorrect?—A. No, sir; I should not want to contradict him.
Q. Then about noon or a little after noon you went back for the horses?—A. Yes; I should say so.
Q. How far back ?—A. It was quite a long ride. That is the ouly way I can tell you. Myself and an orderly went along an old road and forded this bad place in the stream, went over a hill and found a few wacous with our horses.
Q. How near back to Dinwiddie do you think you went?—A. My impression was, as we turned arouud, it would be to our left. As you place Diuwiddie, I should say it was about in Trout of Dinwiddie CourtHouse, and perhaps a little to the right and front of Dinwiddie CourtHouse.
Q. Did you follow a road ?—A. I think they followed us up a little.
Q. Where did you find them ?—A. In a held—quite a field near the road, because I turned them right into the road and started them right back.
Q. How long did it take them before they got up to where your division had been ?—A. I should say more than an hour of steady marching before we got up where this conference was between Custer and Capehart in the edge of the woods.
Q. Did you speak of ammunition wagons or wagons of any kind?— A. I speak of wagons; I could not say ammunition wagons; they seemed to be parked with the led horses.
Q. How many of them ?—A. I could not say; not a great number of wagons.
Q. You recollect them ?—A. I recollect them distinctly.
Q. "Parked," you say ?—A. I do not know as I ought so say " parked"; tbey were hitched and ready to move.
Q. About what was the length of Custer's front as they lay, through the early part of the afternoon, before this charge ?—A. You mean how the troops were disposed!
Q. The length of space as they were disposed that afternoon—that is, from the right of your right brigade to the left of your left brigade? —A. I could not tell you that, because I do not know what the length of the brigade was.
Q. You made a final charge at the end of the afternoon ?—A. Yes.
Q. I mean just an hour or two before that?—A. I was not there; I was off after the horses. When I came up with the horses we mounted almost immediately.
Q. So you could not tell ?—A. No, sir.
By Major Asa Bird Gardner, counsel for the respondent: Q. These wagons that you speak of, have you any idea how many of them or what kind of wagons they were?—A. I should not say they were many. I should say fifty wagons, to give an idea. It was not an army supply train; but what they were, I do not know.
Q. Daring that day, in going back or returning, where were our infantry?—A. During my going back for the horses?
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Q. Yes; or returning?—A. Going back for the horses, they were on my left; returning they were on my right and front until I got back to where Custer and Gapehart were eating that lunch ; and then I should say the firing of the infantry was up to their right and rear—perhaps to their right. And there was where we were told by Custer we should hear this volley firing that would be our signal to dash in.