History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, by Samuel P. Bates.

572 SIXTY-FIFTH REGIMENT-FIFTH CAVALRY. 1864
were obliged to return. About the same time a battalion, consisting of companies A, B, L and M, under Major Kleinz, were ordered to Curituck Court
House, and upon their arrival were employed in clearing the surrounding
country of bands of the enemy who were engaged in irregular warfare. Much
hard marching and severe fighting was done by this command, and it succeeded in ridding the district of these troublesome parties. Companies E, G
and K remained with Lieutenant Colonel Lewis, at Great Bridge, engaged in
scouting and picketing in the advance of General Getty's command.
On the 20th of October, the detachments were ordered to assemble at Great
Bridge, where the regiment went into winter quarters. While here about onehalf of the regiment re-enlisted, to the number of two hundred and fifty, and
were given a veteran furlough. On the 11th of November ten companies were
ordered to report to General Getty, at Getty's Station, two miles south of Portsmouth, where they were assigned to a brigade of cavalry commanded by Colonel S. P. Spear, of the Eleventh Pennsylvania, companies D and K remaining
at Great Bridge. In pursuance of an order issued by General Butler, in command of the Department, received on the 1st of Jan uary, 1864, Lieutenant
Cummings was appointed to enroll all citizens between the ages of eighteen
and forty-five, subject to military duty, in North Carolina, but was obliged to
confine his operations to the counties bordering on Virginia.
Companies D and K having re-joined the regiment, it proceeded by transport
to Yorktown, where it joined the command of General Wister, consisting of
five regiments of infantry, two white and three colored, Colonel Spear's Cavalry, and two batteries of artillery, charged with making a sudden dash upon
Richmond with the design of entering it by surprise and releasing the Union
prisoners confined there. Marching to Bottom's Bridge, the enemy was discovered in position upon the opposite side of the Chickahominy, prepared to dispute the passage. The Fifth was ordered forward to charge the bridge, but
was repulsed, the enemy having artillery planted to command the crossing.
The artillery and infantry not having come up, further progress was stopped
until they should arrive. In the meantime the enemy was able, under cover
of his artillery, to take up the bridge. A soldier under sentence of death at
Fort M'Gruder, having escaped the night previous, had deserted to the enemy
and given information of the proposed movement, thus enabling him to prepare
to meet it. The enemy soon concentrated a heavy force in front, rendering
further efforts futile, and the command returned. On the 1st of March a force
of the enemy appearing at Ballahack, on the Dismal Swamp Canal, a detail of
one hundred men under Captain Faith, was ordered out upon a reconnoissance
to ascertain the probable number. The night was dark and many difficulties
were encountered, but it finally came up with the foe, and a skirmish ensued
in which the loss was three killed and four wounded. During the months of
February and March two hundred and thirty-one recruits were sent to the regiment. Upon the expiration of his term, Lieutenant Colonel Lewis was mustered out of service, and Major Christopher Kleinz was promoted to succeed
him.
Early in May the spring campaign opened, and General Kautz, who had
been assigned to the command of a division of cavalry in the Army of the
James, was ordered upon a raid for the destruction of the Petersburg and
Weldon Railroad. His column was composed of the Eleventh and Fifth Pennsylvania, the Third New York, and First District of Columbia,. The enemy