March 30, 1865 White Oak Road

Stagg’s Brigade (1st Michigan commanded by Lt. Col. Maxwell, the 5th Michigan commanded by Lt. Col. Hastings, the 6th Michigan Cavalry commanded by Lt. Col> Vinton and 7th Michigan Cavalry under Lt. Col. Briggs) rode to the White Oak Road, arriving after Pickett’s infantry and Pegram’s artillery had passed that point. The 7th Michigan was in the van.

It encountered the 4th NC Cavalry and 7th NC Cavalry of Roberts’ Brigade on the White Oak Road at J. Boiseau’s and a skirmish quickly developed. As the two battle lines traded shots, Lt. Col. Thomas Boyd Endelin commanding the 7th North Carolina Cavalry charged the federal rear guard singlehandedly and was captured. Briggs captured other prisoners as well. Roberts himself was almost captured when his horse was shot under him and the enemy charged his line at that moment. He escaped capture by leaping onto the horse of one of his couriers. The brigade fell back eastwards up the white oak road.

Roberts decided to lay a trap for the federals. Earlier in the day as matt Ransom’s brigade passed by, he had borrowed one of Ransom’s regiments. Now he placed them in ambush and fell back towards them, seemingly routed. On came Stagg’s brigade in a column of fours, Maxwell’s 1st Michigan was in the lead Behind Maxt, and of course Maxwell’s 1st Michigan. . Just as the column of federals appeared over a hill the infantry let loose a premature volley that passed high over the heads of the charging enemy. Only one man was hit, Major Andrew W. Duggan of the 1st Michigan Cavalry.

Stagg immediately reformed his brigade and fell back one mile. The federals reported that they had encountered Pickett’s entire division. (“The Michigan cavalry brigade” Detroit “Free Press” april 22, 1865 in p. 1 col. 4) (Theodore Garnett, in New Annals of the War p. 534-535)