Gordon’s Assault Wayside

Roughly 9,000 Confederate soldiers assembled along this farm lane which cut across the Stage Road

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On the night of April 8, Lee held a council of war at his headquarters approximately a mile to the northeast of this location. Lee and his generals determined to launch an attack the following morning to brush aside the Federal cavalry blocking the road to allow the army to continue its march. Lee hoped he could eventually outmarch Grant’s forces to the west so that he could take his army to the south into North Carolina, where another Confederate army under Gen. Joseph Johnston awaited. While Federal cavalry waited along the ridge west of the village, roughly 9,000 Confederate soldiers assembled along this farm lane which cut across the Stage Road. At dawn, Confederate cavalry surged forward from the right and captured a battery of artillery posted atop the ridge. Dismounted Federal cavalry contested the Confederate advance in a fighting withdrawal, slowly yielding ground to buy time for reinforcements to arrive. For a moment, the road appeared open, and Maj. Gen. Bryan Grimes notified Maj. Gen. Gordon that the army’s artillery and supply wagons could resume the westward march. After the withdrawal of the Federal cavalry, Gordon deployed most of his infantry in a line facing south to defend the road from Federal reinforcements approaching from that direction. The Confederates did not anticipate the arrival of Federal infantry to the west, but by mid-morning, a line of about 13,000 Federal infantry of the Army of the James launched an attack on Gordon’s right flank after assembling about a mile west of this position. Sheridan’s cavalry bought just enough time for Ord’s men to cut off Lee’s escape. As the Army of the James attacked from the west, the Fifth Corps under Maj. Gen. Charles Griffin approached the village from the south, further constricting Lee’s options.Upon the arrival of the Federal infantry, Gordon sent another message back to Lee, saying “I have fought my corps to a frazzle, and I fear I can do nothing unless I am heavily supported by Longstreet’s corps.” Longstreet could spare no help, however, as he braced for an impending attack from the Second and Sixth Corps of the Army of the Potomac three miles to the northeast. With Federal forces closing in on three sides and the James River to the north, Lee recognized that his army was trapped, stating, “there is nothing left for me to do but to go and see General Grant, and I would rather die a thousand deaths.” At approximately 10:00 A.M., Lee sent out flags of truce, requesting a ceasefire until he could meet with Grant.