HAWES' SHOP, Cavalry Engagement Near. General Grant had crossed to the south bank of the North Anna, in Virginia, and find ing General Lee too strongly posted to be at tacked, and his own army in a false and criti cal position, he withdrew, on the night of 26 May 1864, to the north bank, and moved down the north bank of the Pamunkey to turn Lee's right. Torbert's and Gregg's divisions of cav alry, under Sheridan, together with the Sixth corps led the advance. Torbert crossed the Pamunkcy at Hanover Ferry on the 27th, after considerable skirmishing in which he took about 60 prisoners, and the two cavalry divisions, supported by Russell's division of in fantry, pushed on to Hanover Town and bivouacked for the night. On the morning of the 28th Sheridan was directed to make a demonstration and discover the enemy's posi tion. Gregg's division, advancing on the Me chanicsville road, encountered the two cavalry divisions of Wade Hampton and Fitzhugh Lee and Butler's South Carolina cavalry brigade about a mile beyond Hawes' Shop. The Con
federate cavalry was dismounted and had thrown up a barricade of rails covering the road. Gregg attacked, and there ensued one of the most severe cavalry engagements of the war, which continued several hours, neither side yielding ground. Finally late in the day, Custer's brigade of Torbert's division came up, dismounted, took position in the centre of Gregg's line, formed in close column of attack, the whole line charged and, after a hard strug gle at close quarters, the Confederates were driven from the position and retreated upon their infantry at the Totopotomoy. Gregg's loss was 256 killed and wounded; the entire Union loss was 44 killed and 306 wounded. The Con federate loss is not known. Consult 'Official Records' (Vol. XXXVI) - Humphreys, 'The Virginian Campaign of 1864-65'; The Century Company's 'Battles and Leaders of the Civil War (Vol. IV).