Nash Farms

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Robert W.Wilson's, 4th US Cavalry Report

(The following report below describes the distance, terrain & position from the Macon & Western RR along the McDonough Road toward Nash Farm).
Robert M. Wilson of Illinois (4th U.S. Cavalry) wrote this account, originally published in 1908 in S.B. Barron's The Lone Star Defenders: a Chronicle of the Third Texas Cavalry, Ross' Brigade. It is a good description of the terrain and positions of the Kilpatrick's cavalry.
Our brigade was formed in columns of fours (four men abreast); the Fourth Regulars on the left; Fourth Michigan center; Seventh Pennsylvania on the right, Long's brigade formed in close columns with regimental front, that is, each regiment formed in line, the men side by side, boot to boot . . .We were formed just below the brow of the hill, skirmishers on the crest of it, the enemy's artillery to our left and front playing over us, and bullets and shells flying thick over our heads. We drew saber, trotted until we came to the crest of the hill and then started at a gallop. Down the hill we went, the enemy turning canister upon us, while the bullets whistled fiercely, and the battery away on our right threw shells. We leaped fences, ditches, barricades, and were among them, the artillery being very hot at this time. You could almost feel the balls as they passed by (Barron 1964:223).
Wilson explained why the 4th U.S. Cavalry deviated from plans then criticized Colonel Murray (3rd Cavalry Brigade) for deviating:
The Fourth Michigan and Seventh Pennsylvania went straight forward to the woods, the field over which they passed being at least a half a mile wide, with three fences, one partially built barricade, and a number of ditches and gullies, some very wide and deep.
Of course many of the men were dismounted, and upon reaching the woods they (our men) could not move fast, and they turned to the right and joined the main column in the road about one and a half miles from the start. The Fourth Regulars (my regiment, as I joined it when the charge was ordered) could not keep parallel with the rest of the brigade on account of high fences in our front, and seeing an opening in the fence we turned to the left, and struck our on the main road, coming upon the enemy in the road near their battery, and sending them flying. We were soon among the led horses of the dismounted men in their rear and among the ambulances, and a perfect stampede took place, riderless horses and ambulances being scattered in all directions, we in the midst of them, shooting and cutting madly. A part of our regiment, with some of the Fourth Michigan and Seventh Pennsylvania, dashed at the battery, drove the men from the pieces, and captured three of the guns . . . Colonel Long's brigade did not charge in line as it was intended, for, finding that the ground was impracticable, it formed in column and followed the Fourth Regulars. Colonel Murray's command, instead of sweeping all to the left, as we supposed they would do, turned to the right and followed Long. Had Murray done what was expected, both sides of the road would have been cleaned out (Barron 1964:223-224).

Please take note of the terrain, position & distant was reported by Robert M. Wilson of the (4th Illinois U.S. cavalry):

This report above describes the terrain and approach to Nash Farm as they formed just below "the brow of a hill" (located just before you get to modern day Hunters Creek sub-division, heading east on McDonough Road), with the enemy's artillery to our "left and front playing (over) us," and bullets and shells flying thick (over) our heads. (This evidence proves the bullets and shells were coming from the knoll, (across from Nash Farm) to the front and left of them), The same report even mentions charging"down" the hill."  Line 3, page 42 describes: "and they joined the main column in the road about one and a half mile from the start."  (Meaning Macon & Western RR)  Please take note that this is the exact distance from the RR to the point on the hill where the charge actually took place!  It is exactly a mile and a half!  I measured the distance twice just to be sure. This report details the charge as starting (on top of the hill) and (charging downwards)! Take note:  Once you pass Hunter's Creek sub-division, (heading to the east), you are looking downwards towards Nash Farm.
 
The distance between the RR to the Dorsey house traveling east on the McDonough road is a 6th of a mile, (just a little over a half mile).  The distance to the crest of the hill is: (1.1 miles) and the distance from the RR to the (top of the crest of the hill where the charge began) is: 1.5 miles!  This perfectly matches the description of the distance from the RR, (beginning) to the top of the hill where the charge started.  The exact distance from the RR to the Nash Farm at knoll, is 1.8 miles.  This reports description is true its details that the charge was nearly a half mile long from the beginning, (at the top of the hill) to the point where they meet the Texans at the bottom of the hill, (Nash Farm property). 

Another report makes the same statement: 

We were formed in a large corn-field, under a hill, in a column of fours, the Fourth U. S. Cavalry on my left and the Seventh Pennsylvania on my right, in the same formation as my own command, for it was to be a charge of the entire brigade. We moved forward at a walk until we reached the top of the hill, from  which point we could see the fields we were to charge over, and the enemy's lines, which were in a piece of woods some half a mile distant, and from which they were sending their balls and shells in a very unpleasant manner. Colonel Minty gave the command and led off the charge in person, and the whole command dashed across the field, over ditches and fences, sabering the skirmishers of the enemy, who were trying to get out of our way, never once halting or faltering, although the enemy were plowing the field and thinning our ranks with their artillery.