ket road, but in getting this position were attacked by the enemy in heavy force. The fight ing lasted for several hours, resulting in considerable loss on both sides. The first object of this move having failed, by reason of the very large force thrown there by the enemy, I determined to take advantage of the diversion made by assaulting Petersburg before he could get his force back there. One division of the Second corps was withdrawn on the night of the twentyeighth, and moved during the night to the rear of the Eighteenth corps, to relieve that corps in the line, that it might be foot-loose in the assault to be made. The other two divisions of the Second corps and Sheridan's cavalry were crossed over on the night of the twenty-ninth and moved in front of Petersburg. On the morning of the thirtieth, between four and five o'clock, the mine was sprung, blowing up a battery and most of a regiment, and the advance of the assaulting column, formed of the Ninth corps, immediately took possession of the crater made by the explosion, and the line for some distance to the right and left of it, and a detached line in front of it, but for some caused failed to advance promptly to the ridge beyond. Had they done this, I have every reason to believe that Petersburg would have fallen. Other troops were immediately pushed forward, but the time consumed in getting them up enabled the enemy to rally from his surprise (which had been complete), and get forces to this point for its defence. The captured line thus held being untenable, and of no advantage to us, the troops were withdrawn, but not without heavy loss. Thus terminated in disaster what promised to be the most successful assault of the campaign. Immediately upon the enemy's ascertaining that General Hunter was retreating from Lynchburg by way of the Kanawha river, thus laying the Shenandoah Valley open for raids into Maryland and Pennsylvania, he returned northward and moved down that valley. As soon as this movement of the enemy was ascertained, General Hunter, who had reached the Kanawha river, was directed to move his troops without delay, by river and railroad, to Harper's Ferry; but owing to the difficulty of navigation, by reason of low water and breaks in the railroad, great delay was experienced in getting there. It became necessary, therefore, to find other troops to check this movement of the enemy. For this purpose the Sixth corps was taken from the armies operating against Richmond, to which was added the Nineteenth corps, then fortunately beginning to arrive in Hampton Roads from the Gulf Department, under orders issued immediately after the ascertainment of the result of the Red river expedition. The garrisons of Baltimore and Washington were at this time made up of heavy artillery regiments, hundred-days' men, and detachments from the Invalid Corps. One division under command of General Ricketts, of the Sixth corps, was sent to Baltimore, and the remaining two divisions of the Sixth corps, under General Wright, were subsequently sent to Washington. On the third of July the enemy approached Martinsburg; General Sigel, who was in command of our forces there, retreated across the Potomac at Sheppardstown;_ and General Weber, commanding at Harper's Ferry, crossed the river, and occupied Maryland Heights. On the sixth the enemy occupied Hagerstown, moving a strong column toward Frederick City. General Wallace with Ricketts' division and his own command, the latter mostly new and undisciplined troops, pushed out from Baltimore with great promptness, and met the enemy in force on the Monocacy, near the crossing of the railroad bridge. His force was not sufficient to ensure success, but he fought the enemy nevertheless, and although it resulted in a defeat to our arms, yet it detained the enemy and thereby served to enable General Wright to reach Washington with two divisions of the Sixth corps and the advance of the Nineteenth corps, before him. From Monocacy the enemy moved on Washington, his cavalry advance reaching Rockville on the evening of the tenth. On the twelfth a reconnoissance was thrown out in front of Fort Stevens, to ascertain the enemy's position and force. A severe skirmish ensued, in which we lost about two hundred and eighty in killed and wounded. The enemy's loss was probably greater, He commenced retreating during the night. Learning the exact condition of affairs at Washington, I requested by telegraph at 11:45 P. M. on the twelfth, the assignment of Major-General H. G. Wright to the command of all the troops that could be made available to operate in the field against the enemy, and directed that he should get outside of the trenches with all the force he could, and push Early to the last moment. General Wright commenced the pursuit on the thirteenth; on the eighteenth the enemy was overtaken at Snicker's ferry, on the Shenandoah, when a sharp skirmish occurred; and on the twentieth General Averell encountered and defeated a portion of the rebel army at Winchester, capturing four pieces of artillery and several hundred prisoners. Learning that Early was retreating south toward Lynchburg or Richmond, I directed that the Sixth and Nineteenth corps be got back to the armies operating against Richmond, so that they might be used in a movement against Lee before the return of the troops sent by him into the valley; and that Hunter should remain in the Shenandoah Valley, keeping between any force of the enemy and Washington, acting on the defensive as much as possible. I felt that if the enemy had any notion of returning, the fact would be developed before the Sixth and Nineteenth corps could leave Washington. Subsequently the Nineteenth corps was excepted from the order to return to the James. About the twenty-fifth it became evident that the enemy was again advancing upon Maryland and Pennsylvania, and the Sixth corps then at Washington, was ordered back to the vicinity of Harper's Ferry. The rebel force moved down DOCUMENTS. the valley, and sent a raiding party into Penn-route from Washington via Rockville may be "There are now on their way to join you three sylvania, which, on the thirtieth, burned Cham- taken into account. bersburg, and then retreated, pursued by our cavalry toward Cumberland. They were met other brigades of the best cavalry, numbering and defeated by General Kelly, and with dimin- at least five thousand men and horses. These ished numbers escaped into the mountains of will be instructed, in the absence of further West Virginia. From the time of the first raid orders, to join you on the south side of the In pushing up the Shenandoah Valley, the telegraph wires were frequently down be- Potomac. One brigade will probably start totween Washington and City Point, making it morrow. necessary to transmit messages a part of the where it is expected you will have to go first or It took from twenty-four to last, it is desirable that nothing should be left way by boat. thirty-six hours to get despatches through and to invite the enemy to return. Take all provireturn answers back; so that often orders would sions, forage, and stock wanted for the use of be given, and then information would be re- your commard; such as cannot be consumed, ceived showing a different state of facts from destroy. It is not desirable that the buildings those on which they were based, causing a con- should be destroyed-they should, rather be fusion and apparent contradiction of orders that protected; but the people should be informed must have considerably embarrassed those who that, so long as an army can subsist among had to execute them, and rendered operations them, recurrences of these raids must be exagainst the enemy less effective than they other-pected, and we are determined to stop them at wise would have been. To remedy this evil, it all hazards. was evident to my mind that some person should have the supreme command of all the forces in the departments of West Virginia, Washington, Susquehana, and the Middle Department, and I so recommended. On the second of August, I ordered General Sheridan to report in person to Major-General Halleck, Chief of Staff, at Washington, with a view to his assignment to the command of all the forces against Early. At this time the enemy was concentrated in the neighborhood of Winchester, while our forces, under General Hunter, were concentrated on the Monocacy, at the crossing of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, leaving open to the enemy Western Maryland and Southern Pennsylvania. From where I was, I hesitated to give positive orders for the movement of our forces at Monocacy, lest by so doing I should expose Washington. Therefore, on the fourth, I left City Point to visit Hunter's command, and determine for myself what was On arrival there, and after best to be done. consultation with General Hunter, I issued to him the following instructions: "MONOCACY BRIDGE, MD., "Bear in mind, the object is to drive the enemy "Make your own arrangements for supplies of " Major-General D. HUNTER.” "Lieutenant General. The troops were immediately put in motion, General Hunter having, in our conversation, and the advance reached Hallton that night. expressed a willingness to be relieved from command, I telegraphed to have General Sheridan, then at Washington, sent to Harper's Ferry by the morning train, with orders to take general command of all the troops in the field, and to call on General Hunter at Monocacy, who would turn over to him my letter of General Sheridan arrived, on the morning of instructions. I remained at Monocacy, until the sixth, and, after a conference with him in relation to military affairs in that vicinity, I returned to City Point by way of Washington. On the seventh of August the Middle Department and the Departments of West Virginia, Washington and Susquehanna were constituted into the "Middle Military Division," and MajorGeneral Sheridan was assigned to temporary command of the same. Two divisions of cavalry, commanded by Generals Torbert and Wilson, were sent to Sheridan from the Army of the Potomac. The eleventh of August. first reached him at Harper's Ferry about the August 5, 1864-8 P. M. "GENERAL: Concentrate all your available force without delay in the vicinity of Harper's Ferry, leaving only such railroad guards and garrisons for public property as may be necessary. Use, in this concentrating, the railroads, if by so doing time can be saved. From Harper's Ferry, if it is found that the enemy has moved north of the Potomac in large force, push north, following him and attacking him whereIf it is ever found; follow him, if driven south of the His operations during the month of August Potomac, as long as it is safe to do so. ascertained that the enemy has but a small force north of the Potomac, then push south with the and the fore part of September were both of main force, detaching under a competent com- an offensive and defensive character, resulting mander a sufficient force to look after the raid-in many severe skirmishes, principally by the ers, and drive them to their homes. In detach- cavalry, in which we were generally successful, ing such a force, the brigade of cavalry now en but no general engagement took place. The VOL. XI.-Doc. 22 two armies lay in such a position-the enemy on the west bank of the Opequan creek covering Winchester, and our forces in front of Berryville-that either could bring on a battle at any time. Defeat to us would lay open to the enemy the States of Maryland and Pennsylvania for long distances before another army could be interposed to check him. Under these circumstances I hesitated about allowing the initiative to be taken. Finally, the use of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad and the Chesapeake and Ohio canal, which were both obstructed by the enemy, became so indispensably necessary to us, and the importance of relieving Pennsylvania and Maryland from continuously threatened invasion was so great, that I determined the risk should be taken. But fearing to telegraph the order for an attack without knowing more than I did of General Sheridan's feelings as to what would be the probable result, I left City Point on the fifteenth of September to visit him at his headquarters, to decide, after conference with him, what should be done. I met him at Charleston, and he pointed out so distinctly how each army lay; what he could do the moment he was authorized, and expressed such confidence of success, that I saw there were but two words of instructions necessary-Go in! For the convenience of forage, the teams for supplying the army were kept at Harper's Ferry. I asked him if he could get out his teams and supplies in time to make an attack on the ensuing Tuesday morning. His reply was, that he could before daylight on Monday. He was off promptly to time, and I may here add that the result was such that I have never since deemed it necessary to visit General Sheridan before giving him orders. Early on the morning of the nineteenth General Sheridan attacked General Early at the crossing of the Opequan creek, and after a most sanguinary and bloody battle, lasting until five o'clock in the evening, defeated him with heavy loss, carrying his entire position from Opequan creek to Winchester, capturing several thousand prisoners and five pieces of artillery. The enemy rallied and made a stand in a strong position at Fisher's Hill, where he was attacked and again defeated with heavy loss on the twentieth. Sheridan pursued him with great energy through Harrisonburg, Staunton, and the gaps of the Blue Ridge. After stripping the Upper Valley of most of the sup plies and provisions for the rebel army, he returned to Strasburg, and took position on the north side of Cedar creek. Having received considerable reinforcements, General Early again returned to the valley, and, on the ninth of October, his cavalry encountered ours near Strasburg, where the rebels were defeated, with the loss of eleven pieces of artillery and three hundred and fifty prisoners. On the night of the eighteenth the enemy crossed the mountains which separated the branches of the Shenandoah, forded the north fork, and early on the morn ing of the nineteenth, under cover of the darkness and the fog, surprised and turned our left flank, and captured the batteries, which enfiladed our whole line. Our troops fell back with heavy loss and in much confusion, but were finally rallied between Middletown and Newtown. At this juncture General Sheridan, who was at Winchester when the battle commenced, arrived on the field, arranged his lines just in time to repulse a heavy attack of the enemy, and immediately assuming the offensive, he attacked in turn with great vigor. The enemy was defeated with great slaughter, and the loss of most of his artillery and trains and the trophies he had captured in the morning. The wreck of his army escaped during the night, and fled in the direction of Staunton and Lynchburg. Pursuit was made to Mount Jackson. Thus ended this, the enemy's last attempt to invade the North via the Shenandoah Valley. I was now enabled to return the Sixth corps to the Army of the Potomac, and to send one division from Sheridan's army to the Army of the James, and another to Savannah, Georgia, to hold Sherman's new acquisitions on the sea-coast, and thus enable him to move without detaching from his force for that purpose. Reports from various sources led me to believe that the enemy had detached three divisions from Petersburg to reinforce Early in the Shenandoah Valley. I therefore sent the Second corps and Gregg's division of cavalry, of the Army of the Potomac, and a force of General Butler's army, on the night of the thirteenth of August, to threaten Richmond from the north side of the James, to prevent him from sending troops away, and, if possible, to draw back those sent. In this move we captured six pieces of artillery and several hundred prisoners, detained troops that were under marching orders, and ascertained that but one division (Kershaw's) of the three reputed detached, had gone. The enemy having withdrawn heavily from Petersburg to resist this movement, the Fifth corps, General Warren commanding, was moved out on the eighteenth and took possession of the Weldon railroad. During the day he had considerable fighting. To regain possession of the road, the enemy made repeated and desperate assaults, but was each time repulsed with great loss. On the night of the twentieth the troops on the north side of the James were withdrawn, and Hancock and Gregg returned to the front at Petersburg. On the twenty-fifth the Second corps and Gregg's division of cavalry, while at Reams' station destroying the railroad, were attacked, and after desperate fighting, a part of our line gave way, and five pieces of artillery fell into the hands of the enemy. By the twelfth of September a branch railroad was completed from the City Point and Petersburg railroad to the Weldon railroad, enabling us to supply, without difficulty, in all weather, the army in front of Petersburg. The extension of our lines across the Weldon DOCUMENTS. railroad compelled the enerny to so extend his that it seemed he could have but few troops north of the James for the defence of Richmond. On the night of the twenty-eighth the Tenth corps, Major-General Birney, and the Eighteenth corps, Major-General Ord commanding, of General Butler's army, were crossed to the north side of the James, and advanced on the morning of the twenty-ninth, carrying the very strong fortifications and intrenchments below Chapin's farm, known as Fort Harrison, capturing fifteen pieces of artillery, and the New Market road and intrenchments. This success was followed up by a gallant assault upon Fort Gillmore, immediately in front of the Chapin farm fortifications, in which we were repulsed with heavy loss. Kautz's cavalry was pushed forward on the road to the right of this, supported by infantry, and reached the enemy's inner line, but was unable to get further. The position captured from the enemy was so threatening to Richmond that I determined to hold it. The enemy made several desperate attempts to dislodge us, all of which were unsuccessful, and for which he paid dearly. On the morning of the thirtieth General Meade sent out a reconnoissance, with a view to attacking the enemy's line if it was found sufficiently weakened by withdrawal of troops to the north side. In this reconnoissance we captured and held the enemy's works near Poplar Spring Church. In the afternoon troops moving to get to the left of the point gained were attacked by the enemy in heavy force, and compelled to fall back until supported by the forces holding the captured works. Our cavalry under Gregg was also attacked, but repulsed the enemy with great loss. mined to withdraw to within our fortified line. In support of this movement General Butler From this time forward the operations in front of Petersburg and Richmond, until the spring campaign of 1865, were confined to the defence and extension of our lines, and to offensive movements for crippling the enemy's lines of communication, and to prevent his detaching any considerable force to send south. By the seventh of February our lines were extended to Hatcher's run, and the Weldon railroad had been destroyed to Hicks' ford. General Sherman moved from Chattanooga on the sixth of May, with the armies of the Cumberland, Tennessee, and Ohio, commanded respectively by Generals Thomas, McPherson and Schofield, upon Johnston's army at Dalton; but covering Dalton, too strong to be assaulted, finding the enemy's positions at Buzzard Roost, General McPherson was sent through Snake Gap to turn it, while Generals Thomas and Schofield On the seventh of October the enemy attacked Kautz's cavalry north of the James, and drove it back with heavy loss in killed, wound-threatened it in front and on the north. This ed, and prisoners, and the loss of all the artillery-eight or nine pieces. This he followed up by an attack on our intrenched infantry line, but was repulsed with severe slaughter. On the thirteenth a reconnoissance was sent out by General Butler, with a view to drive the enemy from some new works he was constructing, which resulted in very heavy loss to us. movement was successful. Johnston, finding his retreat likely to be cut off, fell back to his During the night the fortified position at Resaca, where he was atLate on the seventacked on the afternoon of May fifteenth. A heavy battle ensued. enemy retreated south. Adairsville, and heavy skirmishing followed. teenth his rear guard was overtaken near On the twenty-seventh the Army of the Po- The next morning, however, he had again distomac, leaving only sufficient men to hold its appeared. He was vigorously pursued, and While these operations were fortified line, moved by the enemy's right flank. was overtaken at Cassville on the nineteenth, The Second corps, followed by two divisions of but during the ensuing night retreated across the Fifth corps, with the cavalry in advance the Etowah. and covering our left flank, forced a passage of going on, General Jefferson C. Davis' division Hatcher's run, and moved up the south side of of Thomas' army was sent to Rome, capturing it toward the Southside railroad, until the it with its forts and artillery, and its valuable Second corps and part of the cavalry reached mills and foundries. General Sherman, having the Boydton plank-road where it crosses Hatch- given his army a few days' rest at this point, At this point we were six miles dis- again put it in motion, on the twenty-third, for tant from the Southside railroad, which I had Dallas, with a view of turning the difficult pass hoped by this movement to reach and hold. at Allatoona. On the afternoon of the twentyBut finding that we had not reached the end of fifth the advance, under General Hooker, had a the enemy's fortifications, and no place present- severe battle with the enemy, driving him back ing itself for a successful assault, by which he to New Hope Church, near Dallas. Several sharp might be doubled up and shortened, I deter-encounters occurred at this point. The most er's run. important was on the twenty-eighth, when the enemy assaulted General McPherson at Dallas, but received a terrible and bloody repulse. On the fourth of June Johnston abandoned his intrenched position at New Hope Church, | and retreated to the strong positions of Kenesaw, Pine and Lost mountains. He was forced to yield the two last-named places, and concentrate his army on Kenesaw, where, on the twenty-seventh, Generals Thomas and McPherson made a determined but unsuccessful assault. On the night of the second of July Sherman commenced moving his army by the right flank, and on the morning of the third found that the enemy, in consequence of this movement, had abandoned Kenesaw and retreated across the Chattahoochee. General Sherman remained on the Chattahoochee, to give his men rest and get up stores, until the seventeenth of July, when he resumed his operations, crossed the Chattahoochee, destroyed a large portion of the railroad to Augusta, and drove the enemy back to Atlanta. At this place General Hood succeeded General Johnston in command of the rebel army, and, assuming the offensive-defensive policy, made several severe attacks upon Sherman in the vicinity of Atlanta, the most desperate and determined of which was on the twenty-second of July. About one P. M. of this day the brave, ❘ accomplished and noble-hearted McPherson was killed. General Logan succeeded him, and commanded the Army of the Tennessee through this desperate battle, and until he was superseded by Major-General Howard, on the twentysixth, with the same success and ability that had characterized him in the command of a corps or division. maining railroad communication with Atlanta. The first two were successful-the latter disas trous. General Sherman's movement from Chattanooga to Atlanta was prompt, skilful, and brilliant. The history of his flank movements and battles during that memorable campaign will ever be read with an interest unsurpassed by anything in history. His own report, and those of his subordinate commanders accompanying it, give the details of that most successful campaign. He was dependent for the supply of his armies upon a single-track railroad from Nashville to the point where he was operating. This passed the entire distance through a hostile country, and every foot of it had to be protected by troops. The cavalry force of the enemy under Forrest, in Northern Mississippi, was evidently waiting for Sherman to advance far enough into the mountains of Georgia to make a retreat disastrous, to get upon his line and destroy it beyond the possibility of further use. To guard against this danger, Sherman left what he supposed to be a sufficient force to operate against Forrest in West Tennessee. He directed General Washburn, who commanded there, to send Brigadier-General S. D. Sturgis in command of this force to attack him. On the morning of the tenth of June, General Sturgis met the enemy near Guntown, Mississippi, was badly beaten, and driven back in utter rout and confusion to Memphis, a distance of about one hundred miles, hotly pursued by the enemy. By this, however, the enemy was defeated in his designs upon Sherman's line of communications. The persistency with which he followed up this success exhausted him, and made a season for rest and In all these attacks the enemy was repulsed repairs necessary. In the mean time Majorwith great loss. Finding it impossible to en- General A. J. Smith, with the troops of the tirely invest the place, General Sherman, after Army of the Tennessee that had been sent by securing his line of communications across the General Sherman to General Banks, arrived at Chattahoochee, moved his main force round by Memphis on their return from Red river, where the enemy's left flank upon the Montgomery and they had done most excellent service. He was Macon roads, to draw the enemy from his forti- directed by General Sherman to immediately fications. In this he succeeded, and after de- take the offensive against Forrest. This he did feating the enemy near Rough and Ready, with the promptness and effect which has charJonesboro', and Lovejoy's, forcing him to re-acterized his whole military career. On the treat to the south, on the second of September occupied Atlanta, the objective point of his campaign. About the time of this move, the rebel cavalry under Wheeler attempted to cut his communications in the rear, but was repulsed at Dalton, and driven into East Tennessee, whence it proceeded west to McMinnville, Murfreesboro' and Franklin, and was finally driven south of the Tennessee. The damage done by this raid was repaired in a few days. fourteenth of July he met the enemy at Tupelo, Mississippi, and whipped him badly. The fighting continued through three days. Our loss was small compared with that of the enemy. Having accomplished the object of his expedition, General Smith returned to Memphis. During the months of March and April, this same force under Forrest annoyed us considerably. On the twenty-fourth of March it captured Union City, Kentucky, and its garrison, and on the twenty-fourth attacked Paducah, commanded During the partial investment of Atlanta, Gen- by Colonel S. G. Hicks, Fortieth Illinois voluneral Rousseau joined General Sherman with a teers. Colonel H., having but a small force, withforce of cavalry from Decatur, having made a drew to the forts near the river, from where he successful raid upon the Atlanta and Montgom-repulsed the enemy, and drove him from the ery railroad, and its branches near Opelika. place. Cavalry raids were also made by Generals On the thirteenth of April part of this force, McCook, Garrard, and Stoneman to cut the re-under the rebel General Buford, summoned. the |