Union accounts of the events of April 5, 1865
Brig. General H. E. Davies:
"I moved out from camp under instructions to make a reconnaissance on the enemy's rear and ascertain the position of his trains. Passing through Amelia Springs I moved to Paineville and there learned that General Lee's wagon train was passing a point about four miles from that town. I immediately moved down at the trot, sending the First Pennsylvania Cavalry, my advance, ahead at the gallop, and they succeeded in striking the train just as a piece of artillery had been placed in position to repel my advance. Before the piece could be loaded my men, charging through a deep swamp, were upon them and at once captured the artillery and men belonging to the battery and scattered the train guard at that point, of about 400 men, in all directions. I sent two regiments (First Pennsylvania and Twenty-fourth New York) at once to the right, along the length of the train, directing them to capture all animals and prisoners and destroy all wagons, as owing to the condition of the road and the exhausted state of the teams I did not deem it practicable to bring off the wagons....The commanding officers of these regiments each executed the orders given them with fidelity and zeal, and in a short time I was on my return to Jetersville with 5 guns, 11 flags, 320 white prisoners, and equal number of colored teamsters, and over 400 animals, captured from the enemy, leaving behind me 200 blazing ammunition had headquarters wagons, caissons, and ambulances. Shortly after leaving Paineville, on my return, Gary's brigade of rebel cavalry, acting as esort to the train, attacked my rear guard and kept up a running fight with my command as far as Amelia Springs, where I formed my brigade and held the enemy in check until relieved by the Second Brigade of the division."
War of the Rebellion, Series 1, Volume 46, part 1, p.1145
Col. Hampton S. Thomas, 1st Pennsylvania Cavalry:
"About one o'clock that night, as we lay to horse, the First Pennsylvania Cavalry was ordered to mount and report to General Sheridan at once. Under Sheridan's fly I found General Crook (who was now in command of Gregg's old division) and General Davies looking over a map. I was shown the position where the enemy were supposed to be, near Amelia Court-House, and was instructed to proceed with my regiment about two or three miles in advance of our brigade, press through all small detachments, and attack the enemy's wagon-train at daylight. We reached some high ground just as the sun was rising, and below at our feet lay the whole rebel army in line of battle, apparently sound asleep.
It was a beautiful sight to look upon. Here instructions were given to the men that when the charge was sounded by the bugles they should yell like demons and tell all the rebels they met, particularly the officers, that Sheridan and all his cavalry corps were upon them. This regiment with its three hundred veterans charged through a number of outlying commands, destroying about three hundred wagons, cutting out twelve hundred head of horses and mules, capturing eight hundred prisoners, eleven rebel battle-flags, and a bright, new spick-and-span battery of Armstrong field-guns, which shortly before had been presented by the ladies of Liverpool to the corporation of the city of Richmond. We held our ground and captures until General Davies came to our relief, which he did very promptly....
The First Pennsylvania Cavalry joined the brigade and resumed the fighting, for the rebels were very sore over the captures and were trying hard to retake their guns, but we succeeded in getting back to Jetersville safely."
"Some Personal Reminiscences of Service in the Cavalry of the Army of the Potomac," The United Service: A Monthly Review of Military and Naval Affairs, Volume 1 (Jan. 1889), pp.24-25
New York Times, April 14, 1865:
"Jetersville, Amelia County, Va., Wednesday Evening, April 5.
This morning, Davies' brigade, of the Second, moved out to Painesville, and two miles from that place, on the Amelia Court-house road, ran into the head of a rebel wagon train, ten miles long. A dash was at once made, and without much difficulty the following captures were made:
Five Whitworth field guns and caissons complete.
320 prisoners, besides three Colonels and ten other officers. Col. Hare, formerly Chief of Artillery on Van Dorn's Staff, and more recently on Bragg's, was one of the Colonels.
Robert E. Lee's headquarter wagon:
Longstreet's headquarter wagon and flag.
150 horses.
500 mules.
9 flags of different kinds.
250 wagons destroyed, and several hundred negroes were brought in. The rebel infantry coming up, Davies was forced to retire, leaving the balance of the train."