EVENTS BETWEEN PETERSBURG AND RICHMOND. May, 1864. 321 to keep re-enforcements from reaching Lee from the south; and his first effort for that purpose was to destroy the railway between Richmond and Petersburg, lying at an average of about three miles from his line of intrenchments. So early as the 6th," he sent out General Heckman to reconnoiter that road, and on the 7th five brigades, under General Brooks, advanced upon the Port Walthall branch of the railway, not far from the junction,' and began its destruction. They soon found a strong Confederate force, under D. H. Hill, on their front, for, on the previous night, nearly all of Beauregard's troops had reached Petersburg. Heavy skirmishing ensued, and the Nationals, after gaining some advantages, were compelled to withdraw, with a loss of about two hundred and fifty men. Another advance upon the railway was made early on the morning of the 9th, by a force composed of the divisions of Generals Terry, Ames, and Turner, of the Tenth Corps, and of Weitzel and Wistar, of the Eighteenth. General Gillmore commanded the right of the column, and General Smith the left. They struck the railway at different points, and destroyed it without molestation, and then, with Weitzel in the advance, they moved on Petersburg. They were confronted by a heavy Confederate force at Swift Creek, within three miles of that city, where a sharp action ensued. The Confederates were driven across the stream; and that evening Butler sent a dispatch to the Secretary of War, saying, "Lieutenant-General Grant will not be troubled with any further re-enforcements to Lee from Beauregard's forces.” And, encouraged by the success that day, Butler determined to improve the advantages gained by driving the Confederates across the Appomattox into Petersburg, and, if possible, capture that place. But that evening news came from Washington that Lee, vanquished by Meade, was in full retreat on Richmond. If so, he might quickly and heavily fall, with crushing force, on the Army of the James, so Butler recalled his troops from Swift Creek, strengthened his lines, and prepared for active co-operation in an attack on Richmond. The story was not true. On the 12th, Butler pushed a heavy column northward, the right, under General Smith, moving up the turnpike in the direction of Fort Darling, on Drewry's Bluff, and the left, under General Gillmore (who left General Ames to watch the Confederates at Petersburg), following the line of the railway further westward. The Confederates fell back to, and across Proctor's Creek, and took position upon a fortified line (outworks of Fort Darling) behind it on the following morning. Gillmore turned the May 13. right of that line and held it. The other column had pressed well up toward the Confederate left, and Generals Butler and Smith made their quarters at the fine mansion of Dr. Friend, less than nine miles from Richmond.3 Orders were given for a general attack the next morning, but the National line was then so thin that the movement was thought too hazardous, and it was postponed until the morning of the 16th. The Confederates, meanwhile, had prepared for a similar * May 14, 1 Port Walthall is on the left bank of the Appomattox River, between Petersburg and City Point, and at the head of navigation for the large steamers on the James River. A branch of the Richmond and Petersburg railway extends to that point. * See page 402, volume II. 3 This was a fine brick mansion at the head of a shaded lane leading from the turnpike. The house and its surroundings were in a dilapidated state when the writer visited it at the close of May, 1866. See the next page. VOL. III.-21 322 EVENTS BETWEEN PETERSBURG AND RICHMOND. movement at the same time. son. Beauregard was in command of them in per The evening of the 15th was still and clear, but after midnight, a heavy fog arose from the bosom of Roll the James River, and enveloped both armies. Under cover of this and the darkness, before the dawn, Beauregard advanced and aroused the slumbering Nationals by a sudden and heavy fire of musketry and artillery. The assailed were illy prepared for the unexpected attack, and presented on their right a weak point, which Beauregard had discovered the evening be fore, and now quickly took advantage of. Between that right and the river was a space of open country, for a mile, picketed by only about one hundred and fifty negro cavalry. To turn that flank was Beauregard's first care. At the same time a division under General Whiting was to move from the Richmond road, strike Gillmore heavily, and cut off the Union line of retreat. The plan, if fully carried out, would, it seemed, insure the capture or dispersion of Butler's army. DR. FRIEND'S HOUSE, General Heckman's brigade, of Weitzel's division, held Smith's right. After a gallant fight it was overwhelmed by the sudden and heavy blow, and the general was captured. The Confederates gained the rear of that flank, and were pressing on to seize the road leading to Bermuda Hundred, when the One Hundred and Twelfth New York, of Ames's division, of Gillmore's corps, which had been sent to Smith, came up. Being at that instant joined by the Ninth Maine, the two regiments checked the assailants by such stubborn resistance, that the astonished Confederates, ignorant of the numbers on their front (for the fog was yet dense), first halted and then withdrew. Meanwhile the front of Smith's column and the right of Gillmore's (the former held by the divisions of Brooks and Weitzel) were fiercely attacked, but a repetition of the performance in front of Fort Sanders, at Knoxville,' made their repulse an easy task. General Smith had caused the stretching of telegraph wire from stump to stump, a short distance above the ground, in front of his line, which tripped the assailants when they charged, in the dense fog, and they were shot or bayoneted before they could rise. They recoiled; and Whiting, failing to obey Beauregard's orders to seize the Union way of retreat on the left, the plans of the Confederate general entirely miscarried. Seeing this, Beauregard renewed his effort to turn Smith's right, and so far succeeded, with a heavier force, as to cause that commander to fall back and form a new line, extending from the Half-Way House,' on the turnpike, nine miles from Richmond, almost to the river. Gillmore was compelled by this movement to fall back, and Beauregard pressed the whole National line closely and heavily, with increas ing numbers. Perceiving the danger to his communications, Butler withdrew his whole force within his lines at Bermuda Hundred, when his antag 1 See page 173. 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