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his army, and began a new flanking movement, which had nearly surprised Lee. On the night of the 26th, the Union forces recrossed to the north side of the North Anna, crossed over the Mattapony, and with that stream, and subsequently the Pamunkey, between itself and the enemy, marched rapidly southward, in nearly the reverse order of the advance from Spottsylvania, Hancock's corps bringing up the rear, and Wright's taking the van. The movement was directed toward Hanovertown, where the entire force was to cross the Pamunkey, and move forward to Richmond, which is about eighteen miles distant from the river at this point. Sheridan, with the First and Second Divisions of his cavalry, took possession of the Hanover Ferry at nine o'clock on the morning of the 27th, and the First Division of Wright's corps arrived an hour later, and held the place until the remainder of the army came up.

In throwing his vast army across the Rapidan, Grant broke altogether his communications with Washington by the Orange and Alexandria railroad. The communication was first reopened by way of Belle Plain and Fredericksburg, while the army remained in Spottsylvania county, and its base of supplies was next transferred to Port Royal, on the Rappahannock, as the advance was made to the North Anna. The new and adroit movement to the Pamunkey made a still further transfer necessary, the communication being now resumed by the York and Pamunkey rivers, with such railway helps as a further advance toward Richmond rendered practicable. The sick and wounded were all removed from the vicinities of Fredericksburg and Port Royal, and the large number of prisoners in our possession were taken to Point Lookout, Maryland, and elsewhere. Grant thus secured, whenever he moved, a secure base, with the least possible embarrassment and loss in the matter of transportation and movable property-showing a great improvement in the art of making war since the first disastrous campaign on the Peninsula, to which locality the Army of the Potomac had again arrived. Our forces were now in full strength and excellent spirit, and the immediate work in hand was again renewed, with such mortal injuries already inflicted on the opposing army as it had no means to recover from with

corresponding promptitude and perfection. It may, in fact, be said, in view of the results now known, that the crisis in the fate of the rebellion was reached, and the fatal blows given during the month of May, 1864. Grant had fought out the issue on his chosen line, and the final victory is a decisive demonstration of the mistake of those who maintained that his present position might have been equally as well gained without loss, by water transportation-involving, first, a great diminution of his strength, by leaving a defensive force of 60,000 for the protection of Washington, which he had steadily covered during every step of his course; and, secondly, the full, unimpaired, concentrated strength of Lee's army, had he chosen to rush to Richmond, foregoing an almost invited invasion of Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, or even Ohio.

Rapid as was the execution of this last movement by the left flank, Lee, having the inner line, was apprised of it in season to prevent any serious interruption of his retreat upon the lines about Richmond. He hastily abandoned his formidable works on and before the South Anna, from which he had apparently expected so much, and fell back, with little intermediate skirmishing, Grant's movement having for the moment widely separated the main portions of the two armies, toward his last defenses. At the same time, he saw his communications seriously impaired or imminently endangered. Hunter was moving on Lynchburg. Kautz had already cut the Danville road. The Gordonsville and Fredericksburg roads were now rendered entirely useless, and whether they should so continue through the season depended on events which he could hardly hope to control. He had still, however, the James river canal, extending westward, and the Richmond and Petersburg road, continued by the Weldon and other roads southward. It became of the last importance to him to maintain these lines of trans portation intact, and to reopen the Danville and other routes with the utmost possible expedition, preventing the close siege at which the Union general appeared to be aiming.

Hanovertown, on the south bank of the Pamunkey, is twelve miles distant from Meadow Bridge across the Chickahominy, as also from Mechanicsville, oast of that locality, a little dis

tant from the river, and about twenty miles from the new base of supplies, White House-places already made familiar by the campaign of 1862. In order to carry out what seems to have been part of his original purpose, it was now necessary for Grant to cross the Chickahominy at or near Meadow Bridge, or further up the stream, and to proceed across the two railroads leading northward from Richmond, to the left bank of the James, above the city. How far the details of his plan had come to be modified by the delays interposed by the enemy's obstinate resistance, and by the results of subsidiary movements elsewhere, need not be conjectured here. The first operations, however, after reaching the Pamunkey, appear to have looked toward the cutting of the Gordonsville and Fredericksburg railroads, just north of Richmond, and its close investment by the aid of the Army of the James.

On Friday, the 27th, Meade's headquarters were at Mongohick Church, ten miles north of Hanovertown. The cavalry advance which had crossed the Pamunkey in the morning, was pressing forward, and the entire force under Sheridan, which had rejoined the army on the 25th, was busily occupied in its appropriate work. Before night, on Saturday, the whole army was across the Pamunkey, elated with the prospect before them, and in good condition for immediate action. It was soon apparent, from the cavalry reconnoissances, that Lee had promptly occupied Hanover Court House, five miles south of the South Anna, and fifteen miles north-west of Hanovertown, and was swinging around to confront the forces of Grant. Breckinridge's command, fresh from its victory over Sigel, was in the van, with the support of the cavalry of Lomax and Wickham. To ascertain more definitely whether the enemy was extending his line from Hanover Court House, or abandoning that place to move on Richmond in full force, the cavalry divisions of Torbert and Gregg were sent out by the road on the north of Tolopotamoy creek. They became briskly engaged with Rebel cavalry under Hampton and Fitzhugh Lee, about noon of Saturday, near Hawes' store, six or eight miles south-west of Hanovertown. After a conflict of over two hours, the enemy was defeated, and retired, leaving the field in possession of our

forces, with part of his killed and wounded. The total casualties on each side numbered about four hundred. Wilson's division of cavalry was meanwhile continuing the destruction of the railroads west and north of Sexton's Junction.

On the 29th, the main army was in position about three miles from Hanovertown, looking south-westward. Its movements were now deliberate, a possible attack from Lee being regarded as imminent. By careful reconnoissances it was at length found that the main rebel force was lying a few miles distant beyond Tolopotamoy creek, the right resting on Mechanicsville and Shady Grove Church, the right center near Atlee's Station, on the Gordonsville Railroad, and the left still covering Hanover Court House. Tolopotamoy creek is a small sluggish stream, first running south-east, passing nearly opposite Atlee's Station, for a distance of about five miles, then turning at right angles and running north-eastwardly, falling into the Pamunkey four or five miles below Hanovertown. Atlee's Station is six miles from Mechanicsville, by a road running nearly parallel with the first named portion of the creek and with the Gordonsville Railroad, intermediate between them. Hanover Court House is eight miles further north. It it will thus be seen that the line was long, and, with Lee's force, rather attenuated-there being an apparent anxiety to protect the railroads, and to prevent a flanking movement around the Rebel left. This position was somewhat modified on the 30th, as officially stated, though the extremes were still Shady Grove Church as its right, and Hanover Court House as its left.

In the Union line, Wright's Corps held the extreme right, extending toward Hanover Court House (part of Getty's division having moved on that place on the 29th, and to Pease Station on the 30th), Hancock's corps the right center, on the Shady Grove road, Warren's the left center, on the Mechanicsville road, and Burnside's the extreme left, a little to the rear, and threatening an advance on Richmond. The right and rear were covered by the Third Cavalry Division, under Wilson, while the Divisions of Gregg and Torbert were moved out beyond the left. The latter held the cross roads at

Bethesda Church, six miles north of Cold Harbor, two squadrons doing picket duty on the road leading from the former place to the latter. About noon on the 30th, these pickets were driven in, when a spirited engagement followed, the brigades of Devins, Merritt and Custer coming into action before the enemy was finally driven back toward Cold Harbor, averting his intended raid around our left. The loss hardly reached one hundred men on the Union side.

The Fifth corps, also, while moving to the left by the Mechanicsville road, was attacked by Ewell, about five o'clock on the same day, Rhodes' division being supported in this assault by two brigades of cavalry. Crawford's division, holding the advance, was forced back, and this success of the enemy was so vigorously followed up, that the corps of Warren was in danger of being flanked. Reënforcements averted this disaster, and the enemy was compelled, after a brisk contest, to fall back in the direction of Cold Harbor, on a road nearly parallel with that down which Torbert had driven his assailants. While the engagement of Warren with Ewell was going on, General Meade ordered an attack along the entire line. Only Hancock received the order in time to execute it before dark. Dashing upon the skirmish line of his adversary, he captured the Rebel rifle pits, and kept them through the night, despite a midnight attempt to dislodge him. Warren meanwhile held his ground near Mechanicsville, seven or eight miles from Richmond, while the enemy was hurrying troops in that direction to save his right. Burnside, at the same time, moved forward to the support of Warren.

On Tuesday afternoon, the 31st, at five o'clock, Sheridan attacked a force of Rebel cavalry, under Fitzhugh Lee, near Cold Harbor, and, after a sharp battle, routed Lee, together with a brigade of infantry that had come to his support, and carried the position assailed. Sheridan was directed to hold his ground, and Wright's corps withdrawn from the extreme right, was sent to occupy the place. Wilson, the same evening, encountered and routed a brigade of Rebel cavalry near Hanover Court House.

Cold Harbor, as the place of junction of several roads, and

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