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THE CONFEDERATE CAVALRY IN VIRGINIA.

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in excess of those of the enemy, but not, it is true, to the degree of the enemy's superiority in the other field of operations. If, however, the proportion had been to some extent reversed, and something like an equal match been made with the enemy's cavalry in the Valley, the result might have been different, or at least there have been one error and its consequences less in that campaign.

CHAPTER XXXVII.

GEN. GRANT'S OPINION OF MANOEUVRING.-LEE HIS MASTER IN EVERY BRANCH OF GENERALSHIP. THE FEDERALS GET POSSESSION OF THE WELDON RAILROAD.--ACTION AT REAMS' STATION.-OPERATIONS NORTH OF JAMES RIVER.-SURPRISE AND CAPTURE OF FORT HARRISON. ATTEMPT OF THE CONFEDERATES TO RETAKE IT DISCONCERTED AND DEFEATED. GRANT PLANS A GENERAL ADVANCE IN OCTOBER.-THREE CORPS OF THE ENEMY IN MOTION. ATTEMPT TO TURN THE CONFEDERATE POSITION ON HATCHER'S RUN, AND SEIZE THE SOUTHSIDE RAILROAD.-DEFEAT OF THE ENEMY AND FRUSTRATION OF HIS PLANS.PUBLIC ATTENTION DRAWN TO GEORGIA.-SHERMAN'S MARCH TO THE SEA.-HE RETURNS FROM GAYLESVILLE TO ATLANTA.-THE WORK OF DESTRUCTION COMMENCED AT ROME.BURNING OF ATLANTA.-MORE THAN FOUR THOUSAND HOUSES CONSUMED.-OUTLINE OF SHERMAN'S MARCH FROM ATLANTA.—THE COUNTRY IT TRAVERSES FULL OF SUPPLIES.PILLAGE OF MADISON.-CONCENTRATION OF THE ENEMY'S FORCES AT MILLEDGEVILLE.— AN AFFAIR OF MILITIA AT GRISWOLDSVILLE.-KILPATRICK'S DEMONSTRATION ON AUGUSTA. STATEMENT OF CONFEDERATE FORCES THERE.-SHERMAN'S MARCH TO MILLEN.-HE MEETS WITH NO RESISTANCE.-HIS DEVASTATION OF THE COUNTRY.-PROWESS OF HIS TROOPS IN PILLAGE AND VILLANY.-NOTHING BUT MILITIA AND HASTY LEVIES TO OPPOSE HIM. SHERMAN'S APPROACH TO SAVANNAH.-FORT M'ALLISTER TAKEN BY ASSAULT.GALLANTRY OF THE CONFEDERATE GARRISON.-GEN. HARDEE EVACUATES SAVANNAH.66 EXTENT OF SHERMAN'S CAPTURES.-HOW MUCH OF HIS ACHIEVEMENTS WAS SIMPLE WASTE AND DESTRUCTION."-REVIEW OF 66 THE GREAT MARCH. ."-ABSURD HISTORICAL COMPARISONS IN THE NORTH.-CHARACTER OF GEN. SHERMAN.-HIS CHARLATANISM.-HIS PROPER PLACE IN HISTORY.

Ir is said that at the opening of the campaign on the Rapidan, Gen. Meade, in conversation with Gen. Grant, was telling him that he proposed to manœuvre thus and so; whereupon Gen. Grant stopped him at the word "manœuvre," and said, "Oh! I never manœuvre." We have seen that the famous Federal commander, who thus despised manoeuvring, had failed to destroy Lee's army by "hammering continuously" at it; had failed to take either Richmond or Petersburg by a coup de main. We shall now see that he was no longer unwilling to avail himself of the resource of manoeuvring; and we shall observe that in this resource also, he was overmatched by Lee, who showed himself his master in every art of war,

CAPTURE OF FORT HARRISON.

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and indeed left Grant not a single branch of generalship in which he might assert his reputation.

For some time after the mine explosion, but little was done by the Federals in front of Petersburg. In the remaining months of summer and autumn, some manoeuvres were executed with more or less breadth of design, which may be briefly stated here in the order of their occurrence.

On the 18th and 19th August, Grant's left under Warren, after a defeat on the first day, succeeded in holding the Weldon Railroad. This line of communication with the South was not of any great importance to Gen. Lee, as long as he held the road to Danville, the main avenue to the fertile grain districts of the South. A series of severe actions, however, ensued to break Warren's hold upon the road; and he maintained his position only after a loss which he himself officially reports as 4,455 killed, wounded, and missing. Meanwhile Hancock's corps was brought in rear of the position held by Warren, and ordered to destroy a southward section of the road. On the 25th August, this force was encountered at Reams' station by A. P. Hill's corps under Wilcox, Heth, and Mahone. A vigorous attack of Heth broke the enemy's line, and drove a division which was in reserve, while one line of breastworks was carried by the Confederate cavalry under Gen. Hampton. The results of the day were, twelve stands of colours captured, and nine pieces of artillery, ten caissons, 2,150 prisoners, and 3,100 stand of small-arms. The Confederate loss was, in cavalry, artillery, and infantry, 720 men, killed, wounded, and missing. Warren, however, still continued to hold the Weldon railroad; but after a sum of disaster, as we have seen, that was a very extravagant price, compared with the little real importance of the acquisition. The road was permanently retained by the enemy; and he now proceeded to form a line of redoubts connecting the new position with the old left of the army on the Jerusalem plank road.

About the close of September, attention was again drawn to operations north of James River, and a movement on Gen. Butler's front resulted in a serious disaster to the Confederates, and, it must be confessed, accomplished one real success for this ill-stared General in the operations against Richmond. On the night of the 28th September, Butler crossed to the north side of the James, with the corps of Birney and Ord, and moved up the river with the design of attacking the very strong fortifications and entrenchments below Chapin's farm, known as Fort Harrison. A portion of Butler's force was moved on the Newmarket road, and while a severe engagement was occurring there, a column of the enemy made a flank movment on Fort Harrison, and practically succeeded in surprising this important work, which surrendered after a very feeble resistance on the part of the artillery, and while a force of Confederates was on the double-quick to reinforce it.

This fort occupied a commanding position below Drewry's Bluff, and constituted the main defence of that part of our lines. Its loss, with fifteen pieces of artillery, was a severe blow to the Confederates, attended with circumstances of mortification, and the resolution was quickly taken to attempt its recapture. Gen. Field was for attacking at once before the enemy could strengthen the position; but he was overruled, and the attack deferred until the afternoon of the next day. It was arranged that Anderson's, Bratton's, and Law's brigades of Field's division should make the assault in front, while Hoke was to attack on the other side, taking advantage of a ravine by which he was enabled to form his men within two or three hundred yards of the fort. The plan of attack miscarried by a singular circumstance. Anderson's men being put in motion merely to adjust the line, misunderstood the orders of their commander, leaped the breastworks of the enemy, rushed forward with a yell, and were soon past control. This necessitated rapid movement on the part of the other brigades. Gen. Hoke, awaiting the signal that had been agreed upon for action, did not move; and the enemy was thus enabled to concentrate his fire on the scattered assault of the brigades of Field's division. Law's brigade accomplished its object in retaking a redan to the left of the fort, thus protecting our left flank; but the main attack failed; and the general result was that the lodgment of Butler's army on the north side of the James was secured, and a position thus obtained very menacing to Richmond.

Before settling down to winter-quarters, Gen. Grant determined to make a last vigorous attempt to retrieve the campaign and to strike one more blow for the capture of Petersburg. The sequel of this enterprise was the occasion of the usual attempt to misrepresent it as a mere reconnoissance in force; but there can no longer be any doubt that Gen. Grant, in the movement of October, 1864, designed a real advance, and hoped to achieve a success which would influence the approaching Pesidential election, only a few days distant, and electrify the North with the news of a great victory.

He made every preparation to conduct the movement on the largest scale. Three days were occupied in the preparations. The hospitals were emptied of their sick and wounded, all of whom were sent to the rear. Five days rations were issued to the troops. All superfluous or unneces sary baggage was sent to the rear with the trains. The army was put in what is called light marching order. In fact, nothing was left undone to insure the success of the undertaking. During the night preceding the movement nearly all the Federal troops were withdrawn from the breastworks on both sides of the James and massed some distance in the rear, ready to march forward at daylight. Guns were mounted to cover Grant's communications with his base at City Point, in case the Confederates should take possession of the trenches he had evacuated, and every indica

GRANT'S ATTEMPT ON THE SOUTHSIDE RAILROAD.

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tion pointed to a design to abandon the line before Petersburg, and take possession of the Southside railroad.

The movement occupied three corps of the enemy, and commenced at daylight of the 27th October. The right of the Confederate entrenched line rested on the east bank of Hatcher's Run; and it was hoped to turn this, and then march upon and lay hold of the Southside railroad, which was Lee's principal communication. As the advance of the enemy moved forward to the Boydton plank road, the Confederate pickets and skirmishers were encountered, and a lively fire of musketry was kept up all the morning. When the Boydton road was reached the Confederates were found strongly entrenched at every point. It was thought that by making a wide detour these intrenchments could be taken in flank and the Confederates forced back to Petersburg; but when Hancock's corps reached a point below where the Confederate works were supposed to terminate, they were found to extend a considerable distance in the direction of Stony Creek, and their appearance was so formidable that it was deemed imprudent to attempt to carry them.

During Hancock's march towards what was supposed to be the extreme right of the Confederate line, a gap occurred between his right and the left of the Fifth corps. The Confederates were not slow to perceive the advantage. Gen. Heth had crossed Hatcher's Run to attack the enemy, and Mahone's division quickly assailed Hancock's right in its exposed situation, driving back Gibbon's division more than a mile, and inflicting upon it considerable loss. Meanwhile Hampton's cavalry fell upon the rear of Hancock, and increased the disorder. Mahone captured four hundred prisoners, three stand of colours, and six pieces of artillery. A subsequent effort of the enemy to recover his position was bravely resisted; Gen. Mahone broke three lines of battle; and night found him standing firmly on the Boydton road, and successfully resisting all efforts to drive him from it.

Finding the Confederates strongly fortified along the Boydton road, and also on both sides of Hatcher's Run, and seeing the hopelessness of attempting to break through works fully as formidable as those before Petersburg, Grant issued orders for the troops to withdraw to their original position,—that is, the entrenchments in front of Petersburg-and during the night they retraced their steps, and were settled back in their old camps. The design to turn the Confederate position and take possession of the Southside railroad, had been completely frustrated; and thus failed, almost shamefully, Grant's ambitious movement of October, 1864.

While thus the Confederate lines around Richmond and Petersburg stood successful and defiant, the shadow of a great misfortune fell on another part of the country. In the last months of 1864, public attention was drawn unanimously and almost exclusively after the march of Sher

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