Battle of Haw's Shop, Studley, Hanover County, Virginia

Significance: 1) On the morning of May 28, Union Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan ordered a cavalry division of 3,500 troopers led by Maj. Gen. David McMurtrie Gregg to proceed to Haw's Shop (modern Studley) along Summer Hill Road from its bivouac at Dr. Brockenbrough's plantation (Westwood). Gregg's mission was to screen the advance of the Federal Army of the Potomac.

2) About the same time, Confederate Maj. Gen. Wade Hampton led 4,500 troopers in four cavalry brigades across Totopotomoy Creek and continued along Studley Road toward Enon Church. Hampton had been directed by Gen. Robert E. Lee to discover if the Union army had crossed the Pamunkey River and, if so, to delay its advance.

3) Mid-morning, the vanguard of both columns collided in the open fields between Enon Church and the Haw House (Oak Grove) and skirmished on horseback. Hampton hurried his brigades to the field, dismounted his troopers, and deployed them astride the road. The troopers began erecting barricades of logs and fence rails inside the tree line to fight behind.

4) Gregg dismounted Brig. Gen. Davies brigade north of the road and Brig. Gen. Irwin Gregg's brigade south and attempted to dislodge the Confederates by a series of frontal assaults. The troopers made little headway and suffered heavy casualties.

5) Three batteries of Confederate horse artillery deployed on the high ground of the Jones farm (Buckeye) and opened fire on the attacking Federals, driving them to cover. Federal batteries came into line near the Haw house and replied to the Confederate guns.

6) Meanwhile, Federal infantrymen were crossing the Pamunkey River on pontoon bridges. Maj. Gen. G. K. Warren's Fifth Army Corps crossed the river at Hanovertown, marched beyond Dr. Brockenbrough's, and began entrenching along a high ridge. Maj. Gen. Hancock's Second Army Corps, followed by Maj. Gen. Wright's Sixth Army Corps, came over the river at Nelson's Crossing, and started digging in along the Williamsville Road.

7) About the same time, Confederate infantrymen of the Army of Northern Virginia approached from the south and west and started entrenching a line along the bluff overlooking Totopotomoy Creek. Maj. Gen. John C. Breckinridge's division was deployed astride the Studley Road, while Maj. Gen. Jubal A. Early's forces covered the Rural Point Road at Pole Green Church.

8) As the artillery duel continued, Hampton sent a brigade of South Carolinians under Col. B. H. Rutledge dismounted in the dense woods south of the church to find and turn the Federals' left flank. Federal troopers, firing from behind trees, could not be budged and the attack sputtered out.

9) Mid-afternoon, Brig. Gen. John R. Chambliss' brigade attempted to extend the Confederate left flank into the thick woods east of the Jones house, but Union reinforcements were reaching the field. Brig. Wesley Merritt's brigade pushed into the woods, pressed Chambliss back, and forced the Confederate batteries on the Jones farm to withdraw. Hampton's line then unraveled from left to right.

10) Brig. Gen. George A. Custer's fresh Union brigade, mostly armed with repeating rifles, reached the field. Custer dismounted his troopers and sent them in astride the road, piercing the Confederate line at the church and taking many prisoners. Hampton ordered a general retreat to the safety of his own lines at Totopotomoy Creek; he had accomplished his mission of finding the Union army and had delayed its advance for seven hours. Combined casualties were about 750 killed, wounded, captured, and missing.
Survey number: HALS VA-41
Building/structure dates: ca. 1862 Initial Construction