Uncle Sam, we know you're strong, Both on land and water,

Why then with these Rebels play? Meet them as you ought'er!

The Twenty-Second New York stayed at Cold Harbor until June 12 when finding the bridge destroyed, they crossed the Chickahomony River on a log above the bridge swimming their horses across. Once on the other side they commenced skirmishing with the rebels all night in a running fight. Monday the 13^th found the regiment engaging the enemy at Riddle's Shop and White Oak Swamp where they supported a battery of artillery. Losses for the day amounted to 1 man killed and approximately 20 men wounded. On the fifteenth, the First Vermont, Eigth & Twenty-Second New York and a section of Fitzhugh's battery engaged the enemy at Malvern Hill. Here the regimental loss included 2 enlisted men killed with 2 officers and 24 enlisted men wounded. The "Two-Twos" continued their advance reaching and crossing the James River on the 17^th going into camp near Prince George Court House. Proceeding on the 18^th to Mt. Sinai, they camped there for three days in preparation for a large-scale cavalry operation known to historians as Wilson's - Kautz Raid.

For the next ten days, Wilson led his and General Kautz's Cavalry Division, a force of 5,500 men on a raid south of Richmond. Their goal was to destroy lines of communications and supply on the South Side Railroad and Richmond and Danville Railroad which junctioned at Burkeville. Wednesday 2:00 a.m. June 22^nd, "Boots and Saddles" was played by the bugler and by early dawn the column of cavalry was in motion. Crossing the Petersburg Railroad and upon reaching Weldon Railroad at Ream's Station, while the rest of the brigade and division were engaged in tearing up the train tracks and burning down the station, the Twenty-Second was ordered to join the First Vermont as rear guard. Leaving Ream's Station for Dinwiddie Court House, the destruction continued. At 3:00 p.m. the enemy cavalry formed in woods to the front less than 300 yards away and attacked. With the Vermont cavalry dashing by with the enemy in hot pursuit, the New Yorkers formed a battle line on both sides of the road in an open field and checked their advance

On Thursday June 23^rd, At 2 a.m., Kautz and his division were ordered to advance to Burkeville to secure the railroad junction there and commence with its destruction. The regiment with Wilson's Division marched to and arrived at Black and White's Station around noon where they busied themselves tearing up railroad track, burning military stores, tobacco and torching 150 bales of cotton. Two hours after arriving and destruction completed, Wilson's men left for Nottoway Court House. Here Chapman's Second Brigade (including Nelson's regiment) and two regiments of the First Brigade dismounted and engaged General W.H.F. Lee's Cavalry Division which had managed to get between Kautz's and Wilson's Divisions. A furious fight erupted that lasted until night fell with both sides claiming victory. In the early hours of Friday the 24^th after hearing from General Kautz that the destruction of the railroad junction and military stores at Burkeville were completed, Wilson ordered his men at 2 a.m. to march on the Hungarytown Road to side step the rebels and link up with Kautz's Division at Meherrin Station. During this march, Lt. Col. Brown commanding the Twenty-Second reported burning a large amount of tobacco. Meeting Kautz at 2 p.m., Wilson's men commenced burning enemy supplies and track above Meherrin Station and continued the destruction below Meherrin southwest to Keysville, reaching that place at 11.p.m. where they bedded down for the night after burning a smokehouse and Masonic Lodge located there.

Saturday June 25^th both divisions marched towards Roanoke Station arriving at 2 p.m. where Wilson's men went to work destroying the place. Meanwhile Kautz's Division was ordered to the Staunton River Bridge which was just down the road a few hundred yards. Here he was to burn the bridge which was used by the Richmond and Danville Railroad. Kautz was unable to destroy the bridge because of a determined defense which consisted of nearly 1000 Home Guard, Reserves, convalescents, regular soldiers on leave or in transit, old men and young boys from the surrounding communities and eight cannon. While Kautz'z men fought and Mcintosh's First Brigade destroyed, Chapman's Brigade formed the rear guard keeping Lee's Rebel Cavalry Division back from the field. Here they remained skirmishing with Lee until they withdrew at 2 a.m. on Sunday June 26^th joining the whole command in retreat.

With Mcintosh's First Brigade leading followed by Chapman and the trains, Kautz brought up the rear. They marched through Christianville and encamped on Buckhorn Creek, burning supplies and pressing horses to replace those that were played out. Monday June 27^th found Chapman's Brigade leading Wilson's Division crossing the Meherrin River at Saffold's Bridge. Exhausted men without horses were sleep walking, plodding one foot after another in the oppressive heat and choking dust. Troopers were sleeping in the saddle and still the horses trudged on heading for their lines just a litte more than fifty miles away. All the while Rooney Lee's rebel cavalry keep harassing the union rear and flanks. At sundown a heavy rain shower brought relief for the heat and choking dust. With the help of guides, the command marched by crossroads to the Boydton Plank Road bivouacking for the night on Great Creek. With an early dawn start the next day Tuesday the 28^th, skirmishing with rebels all the way, the men advanced to Sapppony Church-Stoney Creek. With Rebel General Wade Hampton's Cavalry Division blocking the road to Ream's Station where Wilson was to find the Union lines, the men formed lines of battle about noon. With General William Mahone's infantry division now joining Hampton's and Lee's divisions, they pressed on three sides trying to surround the union cavalrymen, battling until midnight. Wilson ordered all artillery to be spiked and their carriages destroyed. Supplying the men with all the ammunition they could carry, they began to burn their plunder and trains. Wednesday the 29^th with Chapman's Brigade as rear guard, Kautz'z men broke through clearing the road to Ream's, Wilson and men followed. At 4:00 a.m. with rebels in front, side and to the rear Chapman's Brigade was routed with many horses and men lost, all retreating pretty much as each man for themselves not stopping until midnight at Ream's Station when the survivors were formed up and joined the main column in retreat. Later in the war and at post war reunions, the men who were lucky to survive this raid referred to the Stoney Creek fight as the "Great Skedaddle". Here Kautz and Wilson split their commands taking different routes towards the federal lines.

On the 30^th, the Twenty-Second once again formed rear guard, this time at Peter's Bridge where the men covered the crossing of the division. Lt. Col. J. B. Brown, Commanding Officer of the "Rochester Cavalry" writes in his official report that those men with carbines did good execution at Peter's Ford Bridge. Wilson's men stopped two miles short of Jarratt's Station at 2 a.m. where they stayed until a guide could be found to lead them to safety. Friday the 1^st of July arrived with Wilson's men reaching the Union Sixth Corps position safe, secure and played out. Wilson submitted his losses in men as 81 killed, 261 wounded and 1,103 missing. Losses also include 14 cannon, 30 wagons and ambulances and nearly 5,000 horses. Unfortunately for the historian, Lt. Col. J. B. Brown in his Official Report of Wilson's Raid does not list his losses other than reporting the loss of many men. Covering 500 miles in 10 days with several days above 100 degrees in temperature, Wilson and Kautz destroyed 2 locomotives, 60 railroad cars and 60 miles of railroad track, numerous railroad stations and depots, warehouses and military stores. Also 1,000 slaves were liberated but due to the action at Ream's Station, between 500-700 were recaptured by rebel soldiers. Although wounded on the first day of the raid, Private Nelson stayed with his command and returned with his regiment.

To fully understand the hardships experienced by Pvt. Nelson and his fellow soldiers or gain insight into the valient ad hoc defense offered by the rebel populace, the student may wish to read Destroy the Junction: Wilson-Kautz Raid Battle for the Staunton River Bridge by Captain Greg Eanes.

Meet them with the sword and gun; Nor for a moment falter,

Meet them man to man, at least, Meet them with the halter!

Shortly after reaching the safety of their own lines, those men in the Cavalry Corps (3,000 men) with played out horses or sans horses (numbering close to one hundred men for the Twenty-Second ) were loaded onto transports and sailed to Baltimore where they boarded railroad cars for Washington. Confederate General Jubal Early and his II Corps left the Shenandoah Valley on June 27 invading Maryland and defeated Union forces near Frederick Md., before advancing to the outskirts of Washington. General Grant ordered General Meade to send the entire Union Sixth Corps to follow the dismounted cavalry and when the Nineteenth Corps arrived at Fortress Monroe from New Orleans, they too were ordered to Washington to protect the Capitol. The dismounted men were thrown into a Provisional Brigade and issued horses where they marched into Northern Virginia and Maryland in pursuit of Early. The remainder of the Cavalry Corps remained in camp near the Army of the Potomac, licking their wounds while replenishing their supplies. Duty consisted of guarding supply trains and protecting the flanks of the infantry from surprise attack.