[May 8th] Warren did not get out of the way till early next morning, when our corps fell in, abandoned its position and stepped out in a very lively fashion, arriving at Todd’s tavern about nine o’clock. We immediately went into position, relieving Gregg’s division of cavalry, and commenced at once, as is usual now-a-days, to throw up a breastwork of logs and rails, and dug a ditch behind them. As soon as the connections were established, Miles’s brigade and a brigade of Greggs’s cavalry, with a battery of artillery were sent to Corbin’s Bridge, across the Po river, almost due south, where the enemy was discovered entrenched on the opposite shore and opened fire as soon as our party showed themselves, which was just what we desired to have them do. Line of battle was formed and our batteries replied, but made no further demonstration. I rode so much and so fast, traveling between Miles’s brigade and the rest of the division, that I ruptured my beautiful gray and was obliged to send him to the rear. The reconnoissance was very enjoyable, however. Derrickson and I rode out together in front of the skirmish line and cavalry videttes, and while exploring a narrow road running over a considerable hill caught sight of a rebel column hurrying along a wood road in front under cover of the wood. We dismounted, left our horses in rear of some bushes, and crept forward on the road until within a couple of hundred yards of them, then lay down and watched them passing for over half an hour. While we lay here a rebel battery suddenly pushed up on a hill to the right of the road, and getting sight of our horses fired several shots at them, so we quickly withdrew, galloped back, and reported what we had seen to Hancock.
This was the ride that broke the poor gray down. About 5 P. M. Miles was withdrawn, but was attacked while doing so, and had to do quite a little fighting before he reached the main body. Learned towards evening that the enemy had discovered our intentions and had got ahead of us and was in position near the court house. Nothing else of importance occurred during the day, and the night passed without disturbance.
