1862 May 4 near Yorktown, Va.

[from the diary of Daniel D. Logan, younger brother of General Thomas M. Logan and a Sgt., Co. B, 1st Special Battalion (Rightor's), Louisiana Infantry]

                        Sunday – May 4^th 1862

less trouble though  in a more dangerous

way – About 3 ½ o’c the alarm came that

the Enemies advance guard of Cavalry

Artilery & Infantry were close in Fort

Magruder abt 1 ½ miles below Wmsbg.  It

seemed that their Cavalry came up behind

the fort why [where] they were charged by some

of our Cavalry – Hamptons Cavalry under

Maj Butler taking the lead in a most     

gallant Charge on the Enemy routing them

Completely Killing abt 5 & took ten prisoners

before the rest of the Cavalry came up at all!

The gallant Palmettoes deserve great credit

for this bold dash, which they made so

successfully with only 90 men – In another

part of the field some of our Cavalry took

two Cannon – As soon as I heard the news I

got a gun & went down with deLongle [?], we

went to the spot from which the charge was

 [Major Mathew Calbraith Butler]

[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 6154