This account is taken from Military and Civil History of Connecticut During the War of 1861-1865, pages 792-793.

Bryce

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Before Lee could pass AmeHa Court House, Sheridan was
before it at Jetersville. Lee declined battle ; abandoned the
hope of reaching Danville, except by detour, and moved
rapidly westward towards Detonsville. Sheridan flung ' his
cavalry forward : and early on the 6th, Custer attacked th"e
wagon-train of the Confederate army at Sailor's Creek.

The First Connecticut was in the advance of the division,
and was the first to charge. The guard of the train was
routed, and many prisoners taken. The regiment then be-
came divided. Col. Ives led the right battalion into a piece
of woods near the rear of the train, where the rebels had a
number of guns supported by infantry. The dash of Col.
Ives resulted in a capture by him of five pieces of artillery
with their caissons, besides a hundred and forty prisoners and
two battle-flags. These were the first captures of the day.
One of the flags was taken from the color-bearer of the 1st
Florida by Lieut. A. S. Lanfare of Branford. Major John
B. Morehouse, with the left battalion, charged upon the
head of the train, took possession, and burned wagons, and
captured men and horses.

The rebel infantry soon came up, and after a spirited
engagement forced the cavahy to retire; after which they
threw up intrenchments, and awaited a renewal of the
attack. About three, p.m., Pennington's cavalry brigade
was directed to charge the enemy's works.

Col. Ives says, " It was a rash order. Not more than a third of the brigade
was present ; men and horses had been on the move since
daylight ;' the enemy was strongly intrenched ; and we could
reach the works only by advancing over an open field. I
had but a handful of my regiment with me ; the balance
being in charge of captured guns, prisoners, &c., and other-
wise detached. However, at the sound of the bugles, our
men galloped forward bravely. When we got within easy
range of the intrenchments, we received such terrible vol-
leys, that both men and horses were cut down in squads.
It was impossible to withstand the storm of lead ; and we
were driven back. In less than three minutes after the
' charge ' was sounded, one-fifth of the men and horses I led
in were killed outright (my own horse among them), — all
lying in one spot that could be covered by a radius of a rod.
It is but just to say, that, when we subsequently went over
the field to bury the dead, none were- found lying so near
the hostile works as those who belonged ^o the First Con-
necticut."