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On the day of the battle of Spottsylvania Court House, May 8, 1864, Grant ordered Sheridan to ride with his cavalry entirely around the Confederate army, destroying bridges and depots, tearing up railroads and capturing trains. Sheridan followed his commands to the letter. He destroyed ten miles of railroad, captured several trains, cut all the telegraph wires and recaptured 400 prisoners, who had been taken by the Confederates in the Wilderness. The Confederate cavalry under J.E.B. Stuart was immediately dispatched to intercept him. They met at Yellow Tavern, and a hot engagement took place. The Confederates were finally defeated, and Stuart himself, the most famous cavalryman of the Southern army, was mortally wounded. Sheridan then rode on toward Richmond. The outer defences were at that time quite weak, and the Union leader found little difficulty in dashing through the Confederate lines and capturing a large number of prisoners. The inner works were too strong for him, so he retreated and rejoined Grant May 25.