While Gens. Robert E. Lee and U.S. Grant Squared off st Cold Harbor, Northern cavalry under Union Gen.Philip Sheridan rode west to disrupt communication and supply lines into Richmond. Confederate cavalry rode to cut them off. The two large forces clashed June 11-12,1864, near Trevilian Station on the Virginia Central Railroad near Lousiana Court House.
The Southern horseman succeeded in halting the Union raid, but drew much-needed cavalry away from Lee's army at Cold Harbor while Grant's army slipped across the James River to Petersburg. A multi-stop civil war trails driving tour of the Trevilian Station battlefield begins at the Lousiana courthouse. This Trails driving tour is work in progress.

Lousiana Courthouse :

Cavalrymen passed though this historic county passed through this historic county seat in June 1864 to the battlefield just north and west.

First Contact :

Confederate cavalry ran into Union pickets here in the early morning hours in June 11. The main Union Camp at Clayton;s State was alerted, resulting in a 24 minute fight, the first shorts fired in the battle.

Clayton's Store :

Sheridan's 9,300 cavarymen camped here June 10 intending to continue the raid west.

Netherland Tavern :

This was the site of Confederate Gen.Wade Hampton's headquarters June 10. He learned of Sheridan's cavalry nearby and decided to stand and fight.

Custer's First Land Stand and Custer Rescued :

Trevilian Station stood near here. The famous Gen. George A. Custer got into quite a fix here after he attacked Confederate Wagons, then became nearly surrounded by Southerners mid-morning June 11. Custer was saved when reenforcements attacked along the railroad at tracks. The Confederates withdraw to the west, but continued to block Sheridan's intended route.

Decisive Confederate Victory And Oakland Cemetry :

Furious Union Attacks june 12 west of Trevilian Station failed to dislodge Confederates posted near the Ogg Farm. Sheridan turned back without accomplising his mission. Nearly, 2,000 of the almost 16,000 cavalrymen and horse artillerists engaged were casualties during the battle. Sign at cemetry wrap up the battle and note the dozens of confederate dead burried in Oakland.