To John A. Dix1Jump to section
Major General Dix It is very important for Hooker to know exactly what damage is done to the Railroads, at all points between Fredericksburg and Richmond. As yet we have no word as to whether the crossings of the North and South Ana, or any of them, have been touched. There are four of these crossings, that is, one on each road on each stream. You readily perceive why this information is desired. I suppose Kilpatrick or Davis2Jump to section can tell. Please ascertain fully what was done, & what is the present condition, as near as you can, and advise me at once. A. LINCOLN
Annotation
[1] ALS, RPB. Colonel Judson Kilpatrick of the First Brigade, Third Cavalry Division, reported to Dix at 6:50 P.M., ``General [David M.] Gregg was ordered to destroy the bridges referred to. I only burned those over the Chickahominy. I do not know that he succeeded, but was told by prisoners that he did.'' (OR, I, XXV, II, 456).
Dix replied to Lincoln's query on May 11, ``Mr. Ould [Robert Ould, Confederate agent for exchange of prisoners] says neither of the two bridges over the South Anna nor the bridge over the North Anna was destroyed. The railroad communication is uninterrupted. . . .'' (Ibid., p. 465).
[2] Colonel Hasbrouck Davis of the Twelfth Illinois Cavalry.