While Grant was busy attempting to get the better of Lee's Confederates at Spotsylvania he sent Phil Sheridan's cavalry round deep into their rear to attack communications and spread chaos. He took 10,000 troopers with him and set about railroads and supply dumps. J.E.B. Stuart and 4,500 southern cavalrymen followed and harried but made little difference. On the 11th, at Yellow Tavern 6 miles north of Richmond itself, Sheridan and Stuart met head on. With a numerical advantage of 2:1 and much better, rapid-fire carbines the Union cavalry drove their long-time foes from the field. Worse than that for the southern cause, Gen. Stuart himself was mortally wounded.