HANOVER COURT HOUSE, Engage ment Near. On 21 May 1862 General Mc Clellan had marched the Army of the Potomac up the York Peninsula to the banks of the Chickahominy, 7 to 12 miles distant from Rich mond. On the 26th he heard that R. H. Anderson's Confederate brigade and Stuart's cavalry were near Fredericksburg, and that another body, Branch's brigade, was in the vicinity of Hanover Court House, 17 miles north of Richmond, to his right and rear. These bodies threatened his communications, and were in position to reinforce Jackson, in the Shenandoah Valley, or to oppose McDowell, whose advance was then eight miles south of Fredericksburg. Gen. Fitz-John Porter was ordered to clear the enemy from these positions and destroy the bridges over the South Anna and Pamunkey rivers. Warren's small brigade had been already detailed to destroy the bridges, had destroyed all means of communication over the Pamunkey as far as Hanover Court House, and was then posted at Old Church. On the morning of the 27th Warren moved toward the courthouse, on a road running parallel to the Pamunkey. Porter left New Bridge at 7 A.M. with Morell's division and Emory's cavalry brigade and, marching by way of Mechanics ville northward toward the courthouse, about noon his cavalry and the Twenty-fifth New York Infantry encountered a portion of Branch's brigade, supporting two pieces of artillery, attempting to hold the road leading to the courthouse. A Union battery was brought up and Butterfield's brigade deployed, which charged and drove the Confederates from the field, capturing one gun. A part of the Twenty fifth New York was captured by the Con federates. Supposing that the Confederates
had all retreated in the direction of Hanover' Court House, Porter pursued, the cavalry, under Emory, and the Seventeenth New York, overtaking and capturing a large number of the Twenty-eighth North Carolina. Upon nearing the junction of the Ashland and the court house roads, a nart of Martindale's brigade was sent toward Ashland to guard that flank against, an approach from Richmond and to destroy the railroad running to that city. Near Peake's Station Martindale ran into Branch's brigade, was immediately attacked, and was driven back some distance. When Porter, whose advance had reached Hanover Court House, heard that Martindale had been attacked, he faced about his entire column, reached Martindale, struck Branch on his left and rear, and routed him. Branch retreated to Ashland and formed a junction with Anderson's brigade, which had fallen back from McDowell's front. After destroying the railroad in several places and opening the way for McDowell's advance from Fredericksburg, Porter returned to his old camps on the night of the 29th. The Union loss in the engagement of the 27th was 62 killed, 223 wounded and 70 missing. The Con federate loss was 73 killed, 192 wounded and 730 prisoners, of whom about 150 were also wounded. Consult Records' (Vol. XI) ; Webb, 'The ; 'McClellan's Own Story); Allan, 'The Army of Northern Virginia) ; The Century Company's 'Battles and Leaders of the Civil War) (Vol. II).