The Barnwell people. (Barnwell, S.C.) 1884-1925, October 13, 1887, Image 1
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B3ftgtirt^TTST pOUSHT SOtTfl CAROUJfA, 0€T0BEH 13, 1837.
■**#*■=•* iiv^% i
X BU FF 1\B bliRrhC u^Wleid an expedition In North Car-] stationed In and
bin H IbiB'DLliUi 0 |ina. But theforoeN under General actlntr. at that ti
|*AY AlfOJftn
the earl}* spring j
w* jtppnl
of all tha.F
M t,r
North
the atten
were
•v»H>r
tion i
aa bell^ed to be (
eral wbo could
wishing the
tary leaders,
intrusted
him
“rebell.c
&
ad faf
rOu-.iry/Mm
weight bf thla let .
Vrom that t netoi
♦be State of V -gloia
♦he main the* e of i
" hlch had laa d upt.
betw'een the t Oseoti
The cry of “C to Kiel
echoed throu hunt
eanaed almos xupei
be made, hot|i In Wj
tl>«* held, to a< omplfi
of the “rebel' mpitalj
on<*e for all, t i back
federacy.
The outllm of tit
campaign wa that
Khould make num
f«>r an ad ram- aga
ston*M artny, i one
thaniene^ai ^ade,
command of i » Am
should at the tn»e til
ba*« north *tf e Hi
the resolute. 1 t ha
jrcted against [ieli
<#enera| Hull* wi
under CtonerJ Udl
inoiied from t
le.toa, stMmh opei
ontheaoutb* Ua
t
»e Me
I Gen-
in
#r miM-
been
evolving
^though
for the
less the
Pllty.
Jf the war,
i once more
It struggle
f three years
icountry,
again re-
^orth, and
efforts to
and in
General
Botler., with the addition t»f the corps
commanded by General GUlmore and
by GeiMMal Smith, amounted to about
men, and were evidently being
prepared for a determined advance upon
Petersburg. Thus was the projected
co-operation of Meade’s and Butler’s ar
mies to be inaugurated. This cave the
cine of the stiuittioh to the immediate
the Capital, and
acting, at that time, as a separate com
mand. 1 was thus made conversant
with numyit fact which greatly.assisted
me in forming a jpore correct opinion
of the situation before ns. Colonel Ste
vens had likewise furnished me with a
topograpUtflaJ^ijtvp of that portion of
Virginia covered by the.. Confederate
forces. Upon carefully examtug it I
saw that, as General Lees’s army and
advisers of President Davis. They real-i tuy .forces were “on ufiarly” a right
line (la.-sing through Kicluuond, w ith
General Grant’s ariny on the left, and
Butler s on the right, wt still held the
ioturiur lines.; and that it were possible,
by prompt and decis’ve action, and a
eouibined movement on our part, first,
to attack and defeat Butler, and next,
to turn our entire forces against Gen-
erai Grant. I hurriedly formed a plan
to that effect, and scut Colonel Stevens
to Kiehmond for the purpose of sub
mitting it to Mr. Davis, and of asking
his consent to carry it out.
Mr. Davis could not be*een; but Col
onel Htevens saw General Bragg, who
ited, at last, the uselessness of the Ply
mouth and Newbern expedition; and
orders came, one hurriedly following
the other, instructing me to withdraw
General Hoke and hu forces from the
outworks of Newberh, which they bad
already taken, and to rush them on to.
protect Richmond. “There is not an
hour to lose,” said Mr. Davis in one uf
hie telegrams to vnc. “Had the expedi
tion not started, I would say it should
not go.”
Other troop* were also being ordered
from other directiona, and notably from
Mouth Carolina, to assist lu the defense
<>f the Confederate Capital. First, Jla
President and Comtnander-ta-Chkff
our armies and, at his request, changed
General Whlttng’r'hrder of inarch
front Petersburg. But, when real
ising that Kaiinom’s fofctNj "would
only join mo on the evening of thd
15th, ai.d tLaf the enemy was already
“erecting batteries and rifie-plv’
around Drury’s Bluff, 1 saw how im
portant it was to attack Butler tbs
very next morning; and, In pursuance
•f my original plan, after informing
the President of the fact, on tin) 15th,
at 10:46 a. M., 1 sent the follow ls£ ttk-
gram to General Wbiting:
“1 shall attack enemy to-morrow at
daylight by river road, to cut him off
from uis Bermuda base. You will take
up your position to-night on ' bwift
Creek, with Wise’s, Martin’s, Diarlng’s,
and two regimepta of Colquitt’* bri
gades, with about twenty pieces under
Colonel Jones. At daybri*k you will
march to Port Walthal Junction; and
when you hear an engagement in
anoe V>
^■hW.U'1L* ■■■SgJ.UJ'J.'iil JBlUiBSSga
of the energy bad beer allowed tomoi* hi* era the day previous of
forces by the inaction of the left.” Ban- to G#.eraL Whitlng. i
som wa* ordered to change the front of
his right brigade aud support, it by an*
other, to bo drawn in *c.u:«a ; then to
push forward a third brigade lawards
Pruotor's Creek and to keep u founb
ObC in reserve. This was to bo tempo
rary only, snd the plan, as originally
adopted, was to be executed as soon as
we bad taken possession of the river
snd of Proctnr’i) Creek crossing. But
the reserve brigade was already engag
ed with the enemy, aed Ransom*! own
forces were adrapung towards the fir
ing of tlm centre. Uc could not, there
fore, carry out the ordor given to him.
tny4
who had
to C^.orab Wh
with fttt. uauom
great danger, to
not rely on any
that Try by Gtoeral
him 1 also learned tB
licit it bis eommander'a
fcbuy jay orders, and desirous-
rstl&i Geaegal Logau’H
had et-^ jntorel the
near Cheater, ood had
them lu. lorciag thew
the Ualf-wayNtatioa”
large number of srraggtcni
ik.aturajiseuun
S.Pifl
• day; for, upon i
lestrucffotr goi.d’s brigade; next. Wise’s;
inis break, afterwards, C“1<iuitt**. Mo g
preparation*
General John-
liallon, Georgia;
nominally in
if the Pottunar,
I from bis
start upon
>ns, march pro-
l.e»-; and that
Tenth
mood: the tw latie
bine their rea ethre
cm of need, l tm
J smas."
W hm Gek U U
field in perl 4 w
'ulpsper, miii
Inna U«e ILafiaii
^ith i,rn. ral lead.-
* iinmlred
great was
• M the Con- the anxiety of the administration at I
i tincture that Haguod's brigade, ,
w General Pickett, then in coin- |
al'’Mbernian niaud of Petersburg, desired to halt on
it* pasaage through that city, was or- j
dared to be pu-he«l on to lliclimond
w'Uhont an ie-taal 1 * delay. 1 *ucce#.<T; '
ed. however, in havime that ord-'f re
scinded, and lieoeral Hagtsid was thus
enabled to baffle General tiutkjr** forces.
May U and 7, lu ibelr asaatfii upon the
Richmond Ksiln-ad above Petersburg.
General Hushrod Johnson, who had
Corps ‘ burrled-from Drury’s Bluff to take part
% lately iniiii- I In this action, was' of man-rial assist- i
'■hood of Char- anoe, although, from the position heuc-
timultanooosty copied with his troops, bis service- were ]
~ less ^'‘'-^riU -is i- I t 1^ wonht |
have 1u#\7uoly 'falVa tnio the hand* ot ■
the enemy had not General iiag<-od
been baited there at that most op|ior- I
tune hour. The.Federal lues was roni-4
puted at about one thousand men. Our* j
was quite lii-lgniileant. General Ha- I
good and hl« command N-rame the he.
ru*-s of the day. and were justIr looked
upon as the »a»tor« of IViteraMtrg on
that occasion. They had nobly Inau
gurated their first apiwarance on the
soil of \ irgtnta.
The eueioy, after this repulse, ap
peared to have relinquished all Idea of
•f North- * striking soother immediate blow at IV-
j nearly ; lersburg, and swemed now tu be aiming
m. Tfirt more duertiy at Kiehueind. I wa-
iais-r on i pressinglv urged to leave W eldon eftal
over ( repair U,i*etrr* burg, where all nry avail-
»i*T»wei;iitg I able ft-roes v«rt U.-iaj cu*.. -t -r^'s-d
uaaad ' w Ith a v lew to eo^|
mo.
waa -fill to be, at that time, near
noa Station, should at once move
back i
Gie J a me*, and
amf
e» to nun-
mvements, as, in
•a uail on the
yow
front you will advance boldly and ra
pidly, by the ahorteat road. In direction j lug and unexpected re]
**«- | thought the plan a goovUme, aiiid camo ] of heavieat firing, to attack euemy In sltuatlou In his frynt, * UW svr. u «.>>.
and soon : si once to Drury’s Bluff to conier with rear fisnk. You will protect > oyr ad- 1 to halt where hu then wa* “until fur-
" ^ I vance and ffatlks with Doarlng’igcaval-
pioposcd that Goneral liun, wipo rv, taking neoea^ry precautions todb-
vAu to be, at that time, near GuM ilnguirh friends from foes.”
“P. 8. 1 hare just received a tele
gram from General Bragg, Informing
me tiiat be feaa sent you •rdars to join
me at this place; you need not do no,
but/ollow to the letter the above tn-
■troctlbfia.”
ThU was nuffiflentiy (dear. But, to
avoid all postibl* mlsconstnievton cf
the rial import of the telegram. I in
trusted it to General (then Colom-I) Lo
gan, of the “Hampton legion,” n-mpo-
rarUy on duty with me a* one of in/
I also gave him, for General
ng. a rough copy of niv order. of
to tic defensive Un -s of theChicka-
lioinioy, or even to the intcrmodlate
lines of Ricbmoud;” that a forua^r ten
Ibousaml men be detached from hi*
army aud sent to me w Ithout the loss
of an l-oiir, ii pftneltllei that the live
thousand men kept near Richmond, un
der Major-General Ran-oni, he also or
dered to report promptly to ms. I
stated that these force*, added to mine,
would give me an effective of some
tatuty-five thousand nien with whom, . staff,
on the vary next day, or a* soon there- | M hi
w a* great t
AV/4 i , v«*t * J V.'V* w vwvv.w •«-«-. *v ; Foduhl that wxhiugQ
and scut back Barton's iustihd of Col- , harre prevunwfi
qulw’s brigade; reporting, OiCatwhUv, {ing “tkojiotireTi^rca
tbs noccssuy of straightening tba liom | lor.” haUfia folhswed ay
ho had swrujod, and oxoress.rg the oc-! for ho would have met with but
lief that tlie safety of hla command res.vtauce, if any, whJe etidaav
would be cdtnpreftised by a further ad- do so.
vauoe. Here ended theservieea of Gen-i 1 siresdy knsw «hAt sll hepeof Wkitisg * hi
eraMUnsoai and his Infantry on that junuieit with-»<• Hut day waste beabau lu
■ ileurd. But ike sawMranoe ef Qen. Logs* m ; (~
iu ibs facility sitk. » fjich mj orjsni eoekl 1
ku»* naeseseluMy .arntd uel. hid they I
hrrn partisiijr ukeysti. caused we ike k«
r-1 Trjrsi. .tod cuaptilrd B.e IS give ep
n.uch uf cy j! m a* jotternyUied more tl
- Tig. 1 r.u. puisuii *f Built r sud driving hi*
to si* fornned base.”
1 urtlrn.) tivbitgtBal lonssliea of
ih.e.iu la resewed.aed Ges«ral Mehe'H
Oir-oUd lo »r«-l i io r-nusri.U »l«>*g
I * osrt Mouse Moed ’ to
if poeoib 1 *.
try oi
ing tbe dlsapjvl
eportofthe ail -.1
:, I had order**! 1
ill
ah!., 1 would attack Bus-
as a* iiem '.ivah!., 1 would at
v rlgut IlSfP.vnUl ills al
Mpy of my
■wyrTitr
W.V took lit*
headquarVre at
f.'.ir n nr [I,kmmm
s frelerwl f*-rr»s
riw his u< irnay. 11^ d-iivn
uoe; cer-1 thwsn papers UorlMg the niglit of the 15th,
’.ainty of sr|iaratiug liirn Jrom bis bs--- | as be tsetifie* to In a Intter lu me bmtr-
al llenuuda Hundred, and of thus ob-| ing on tiiiapolnl, where be add* that
r»:t*iiig an an-y virlory over kiui. I ' “Gwnerei W hi ting rend the dlepnlohea,
^»rv>fs>*ed clao. a- an eese.ntlnl fenuirnti> expreneed hlmwif as nudwretanding
\lte entire sneccss of my plan. Hum. j^hero entirely, nod gave order* for tbr
while thi* movement would he In pro- advance of M« entire forte by daylight
trade MilWlUlril UsAftmilt
'd t* rely tinV**nd men
ihsrred not lent after- i
I’^lhnjljntji Corps,!
1 more.
rah* with
te of p|| j Monnom for the dvleaee of the Capitol,
l-f $eo* fie-' But, rapid os were the a*ov»menu of
\ our trvaqs, ««11 Mr aw u frem Xorthl'ar-
lo the I «dkna and u*rrr p-.iuU, u*>-ir c*rier..t/
|p! hosts it ! Isile-I to MtkiSff nr ren** ire •.he v ar
It Iheamir iHparfiareil, »hes« trep :a 'm. <•
• it waa ' ho.tyf v Sooiw hiuue*. and wtwar order*,
to the : teifigipMih nnd Migg«»|tfiBe.lr#n^a as
•d un- #.vs«:wg#« the* were nnomreus.
ale snd { The incur sc mi uf She «uew*> s cavfilry
hrAforot iol4Jarrny sbOdtl.. bwruu.g •
rleqfull at- ] G’reekhd'ljn, | i> n a** nu rer
gress. (General Hkiting, with all bt> i
aval table forre* at Pstereburg. smounl-
ing u» ahoul four lixHi.aml men. -Itould '
march freui Port w althal Jwivtiow and
fall upon B»t1er‘* right rear, forrlng
him t“ tlte very bank-of Jnior* River,
w.mewhatahreosvuf Drury'* Hliiff.nml.
by this mau-uv re, tirnire hU ui «-uodl*
ti-.nsl surrender. And I proposed, lur-
thcrtiiore, fUat, witit wiv own forre*.
s-hh d u> thuev temp •rnrtiy r.vkrn fnuo
tbs Arwvv of Kor«heru Virginia nad
the er.vuwr.s el KUtuuond, I sliowiJ
, | cruse the Jan«»e. efvtc disposing of Bug
Oenerni j |er. and. “ky a V»MKelUd IBwVt UMM.
•eft II ok.
lock him lo
-(•u
lie
oUi
ruu^Ll >
ium lug
to oh-
srtwi • of
threat-
Butkr »
ecotk »nrk
ifig i*ep*r»hwnr hKorr the imh uf M*) .
, Gkrteewl Moke also arrived mi that ds>.
Mk wnffplhqed by me ot the head uf our
i adihofingt nitimii. cuniimbtg of six
j bn^ii** qf loisnfrr aud eight bittern*
ef artMirfT, aid h<q:so ai> igfmediate
laon-h angprdaDfMry '* Bufif; with or-
•trike Geu* rel t-racf on bis
w 1,1b- tieoeral Lee kbeuld at
Irent.”
Geooral Bragg, who certainly keew
1 w here and ot w aatdlrtaan* from Drwry’a
Bluff was General lAe’a army at that
imwacwt, gave his uureserved .vj pi '-si
• to the plwn thus euboiltant to him. lie
mpf said, uor dhl U# iutiotate in any
, way, that the rcinlvrT-*n.mu I desired
| from the Army «<f Northern Virginia
l w«,iai Hot he Obir VO reach Druf v *
' Ultaif bo >'n»r % lie simply stated that,
whii«*v WMurTvitg with we as id the
is- movement, tie would
> ex-c«tl<’U without It rel
the next morning."
My object wa« to separate Butler
from hi* base and capture hi* whole
army. If neaelble. The active co ope
ration of W hi ting wety 1 thought, te-
di«peOseiilO to s'bain -uch an rod.
* I organised mv force* Into three <U-
vistao*. u„d« r llohe. K a none, and t’oi-
•|uiu sod railed these «»gloer» to il>v
hesdunarters to explain Us U« m th*
port I ea|w* uul eorh and all to piny lu
kite imp>udlhg aKenft. ism * al Boh-
*uoi was ordered to sltpsk the f ederal
right flank at dav break, to drire oees
the •k'f*el*her- ink!* fixiot, aod t> fol
lowing ninowt snnult*aw»us;y with his
noure force, to pivot at the proper time,
and sitlha too enemy’* flask w>4 rear.
HU forafl^tthin wan *> b-* In two distt:.rt
liars, soppwrtod by artl’.bwy and by
C’wloorS Dccm-r ji.* * reglotroi of oav-
ther arrangemenU. should be made” to
relieve hint. Hi* cavalry, however, and
hi* artillery, alan, ewntinued to tlo their
full share uf the work before them. The i
cavalry, under Dumiovant, being dls- j
mounted, was deployed as skirmisher*
against a fore* occupying the ridge of I
Gregory's woods, the only bo-nil* force j
—as afterward, asoertaiond—which
threetriMsd the leftof our ling at Ihnf
time. The tight was srrton«ly engag
ed; at.d Uierr, early In the morning,
Huke had pto-hed on hU skiruilsher-
end freely usnd-bis artillery. Tim fog •
was an Impediment for him, as It had i
been tor Kawcom. hut he bad nghn jhc (;
teas bandied hhr eommand w-fth xunTre-
solution st.d jurisutent for which h«
wa* in ounti'iriflfius.
I now quote irom nvx oflt-U) report '
of tie- bwute j
“Hsgooil and JoKhsnn wsfw thrown '
fore ard w ith a seeftow «f hscbclOMh’* I
Bnshingu-n Artillery, and found V-
heavy force of the enemy, with six nr .
eight ph-rss <4 artilb-ry. occupying tit*
mltent of tire outer line of works ou the
lurnpise and his own defensive line*.
**Owr sruib-rr engaged at very short i
range, disaMIng some ef the rnamt 's'
gnn* end blewlug np two limber*. An- |
other section ef the same tummand
Opened fff>m the right of the tiirupthe.
They both held their poaiuon*. thowgti
with beevy Inss, until their ammunition
«a* spent' when they ewre relieved by ,
an equal number el (steel's feme the re- ]
serve rrviltevf under Major Or on.
‘Tlagoud. With greet vtjp.r and ds.*», |
dreve Jv# veesB) irem the onv-r titw*;
»u bte Irens, rapturing % number a* art.
t -tiers. aud. la dcujui-ciUm with Jenn-
•ww. fire (Maces cf arflitery—three ID;
kssurdstr 1‘srreCs. and twe fine hspo-
i * -»*. He then to*>k peslttou to the:
tsyoafify aey ad- KB
mgrerv I tkaretev* kshcfl mat
i>* stBhf, sod i
lUst 1 •arssie
**• "ire.
feawb
not <*•
iters to font) tltiifii. us -dfllresbouts, a*
rarly a junction a* pra ticabte. with
Major-General Ransom'* force*.
As other truops were still wining in
cuusnlung ti*e I’rsstucut. xod
rted bock to Kichiaond n r the
of seeing him aud of urging a I
decision of the measure.
Mr. Iiav is arrived in per-tut
right and blur o'clock
Hr found me in the Drury
General Hoke. Jhvn crrttpted (he
trenches on lli«» right of Kau—,.i, wa*
alsu to m-gage Uw roemy at day break
a lib a strung (tflc Of vkinfiishei*, anti,
upon |Mu*ing liim fs fall back or wavwr.
wa* t«> ptrrh on the whote of hi* r-m-
nuud. and clear bU entire front with
rapidity and vigor. His order* were
lihewme, to form In twolliw-*v at an
b« her- j interval of four huadred v artl*. and
purpose . shrswst of the tmichM, but in «'irh a
i...orable | way as not ta impede anv of hi* a.(er
to. Tbe ns« to b* aiadc ol the
b--tween
uioruiog.
House, nut
works, big Irft rrguuect
tuf" »rd by Hoke tu renweet with Kan*
•rea * rigat. la aivaarlag, hi- rut*'
nwut eweount ted tbe ewrasy behlr.d a
srrond line of wood*, with shatfe, fa-
terlarert with wir». Attack at that point
act belt,grout -mpi vied. It a a* ordered
hark to the line ul battle, hut not t* fore
tta intrepid advance had brought on It
cousitterafite U»s*. The circuautance
has hee«t referred to beiore. a* th* orra-
*U»-i of a anstake.hy Ksasoia.
fit wa* afterward* claimed snd
General Hoke eoafirw-ed the rlalm—
that Hagood « brfgadfi aloof—with the
aMleum a of no *-T*er command—c. -p
from ti eldon and elsewhere, whoa* or- i at my “headquarter* In the field,” a* | GencrnJ wutqulU’s mmmand eonstl
gantsation and a-siguiacnt u» dnty I | be ua« pbw»ed.u> say in his book; for | luted the reserve. It wa* compased ef
thaught best to pereeiially eupervlsr, I 1 bad not as vet csuL/llshcd any haad- theonlv truoprw hlrh I pvr*oually knew,
i«ncluded wot to fdMow on with tltr | qu A riers in the field v*r els< where. A* and which had already servwt underlie-
force- under General Hoke and tn aw ait » uiatter of lael, I had t-ot ereu a-fittu- . toe. 1'Uey were ordered to form rear- * hi
the arrival of Getteral t\ fining, Umr i ^d ixiintnand uf ibo furves, nor bad I j ward uf General Hoke's forces, “with’’-"
on Ids way fr.-tu Wl.gtiugb n. He had | mm-u General Hoke, who, expectlu g
been I'tdered tu Petersburg to
af-*ml
jtnuGmflr
Gencreb
and
loues. He |
luth. i gi
tieemed
'tew, and
1el(l«iu on tj
>
pww**uw*^rep« mi iii.i .'cy-y *h»! its ’ u ;l . jn-t then busily engaged aluug hi* I be *ome five hundred yards distant fnun
vicinity, and to relieve Get;enil Pickett, j Hue-. The President was ail besj'at-j Iloke’# recond line. The artillery au
tached to that divl«ire< wu< “uv fellow
artillery a tta shed to hla dirissou and u
Itov lum’* regiment of enrnlry, wa* lott (virad Um«* ffv* p.«vrs ot a. tillery; to*
to JtD #wa judgment. . ,»• * | only oum toheu by out- troop* frum
th- enemy on that day.—G. T. B. 1
1 Joht < u>, meanwhile, bad been heav
ily engaged. The line of tos- enemy
oint around hi* right dank, subjecting
brigade, lerattme, to file In flank
fwnti
^ Sanuilta of
^ rorupike. ’ Tlscir first liue was to ■ jnurtitg In c'as-c* agaiuw bl* right aud
Ifi
am!
at tl
»*en ordsf
exhaustivt
lurids
rrlvetl w bu had re{)urted blmself Ul, and was | n-rt-d witit mud, w lik-.lt Indicated liuw
e him | unable for the time taring, to jwrforin rapidly he had ridden frum Richmond
any dstfv hi the field. • • i to Drury'’* Bluff. Iw asinh’opea that
ft tits I Drury’* Bluff was In Imminent peril; #u<jj great haste ou hi* part would
* JXd, I SO W ere the avenue* leading from it toj prove of good omen for my plan, but 1
was not long before realiring ujy error.
Ricbmutid. General Butler, a* already
time, t stoted, had some thirty thousand men
_ to ' with him, and, with him, also, were
ami two efficient and highly esteemed offl-
••luce 1C general! cent—General GUlmore and General
•e* were almut to < Mmitlt—superior jjt every resi»ect, save,
perhaps, in dates of commisaion, to
their couuuAudiug general. The main,
He listened to me w ith grave atten
tion, aud 1 did all in my power to eon- , Colonel Joucs, wa* tu move JTrout
vince lihu.jiot only of the advisability i ter-burg, along the l'‘-tiir«i5urK
of my plan, but of itsabwdute nece*«itv Utchtooitd turnpike, and to strike
rear, la-ader*. officer* and men alike,
di-piayed their ff ure-«7 tor the trial to
which they were subj-cied. I cannot
1 along tbe uirupikeabout three hundred I forbear to mention that I,;«mteuaut
yards in roar of the la*t brigade.” ] Waggoner, of the 17th Tennessee Kcgt-
Geu«r.d W hlting, witit Wise-, Mar-’ utetn. wen: wlone through n atorm of
i uu s aud 'Dealing'* command*, w ith ! fire and pulled down a w bite flag which
j two regiment* of Colquitt'* bVlgade, > a -mall, holated body of our men had
and twnily piece* of artillery under i ralst-d. receiving a wound tn the act.
, Colonel Juuca, was tu move /roar P>--
i tcr-burg, along the petorsliurg and
X
\
j t'
n etrongth of Gen-
fe selected for his.
nes. In fact, the
« country, North
riveted upon the
of tbe Potomac,
io guide it, against
n Virginia, led by
vtruettons. proui-
tl wefo received
day I assumed
ruled the De-
|ina and South-
•Vlrgitiia,
Appomattox,
(ortu Carolina
closely en-
in opera-
vewborn,
rare expected
^icb the ene-
ned. as the.
_ toOttid, in
seriously dis-
im. 1 did not
licioua on the part
locausa, Irrespec-
itjons, it occ&sion-
>n of some of the
In i»y hew cimt-
r immediate oon-
•atened point very
saible. The des-
Buniside’s corps
dl defined. The
edby many that
Bicbmond via
thought Its aim
sr hypoMtesis we
aredlu ctaef
ere were
me, on the
ragg, then
Ithe Coufed-
\re we pre
side? Cau
be con-
are quei,
atten timi “
atthat jtmctnre. The sulstauce of his
reply was, that he could not he recuu-
c1I«-d to the idea uf ordering the Army
if not the only chain*- in our favor, at j of Virginia to fall back before the Army
that critical juncture, lay in the proba
bility—almost an accomplished fact al
ready—that General Butler would not
seek the advice of hi* subordinates, and
would lose sight of and neglect the op
portunities that stared him in the face
and weighed so heavily agaiust us.
That be did eviuee hesitancy, timidity,
and inefficiency ou that occasion U uu-
rteniahle, and is testitied to by General
llalleck, who, in one of hi* dispatches
to General Grant, with regard Jo But- ( ground before it,
ler’s operations at that time, expressed# was gradunUy and surt*ly approaching
himself a* follows: “Butler is falling., its objective'point—Richmond. That
i of tite Potomac. That suolt a mauauvre
would destroy the prestige of those he
roic troops, and create a feeUng of dis
trust among tbe people which no after-
event could mitigate or redeem. I re-
marked to him that, however painful
the fact might he, It was evident that.
i the'Army of Virginia,
barrier to the Army of
enemy's Hank nod rear, as already
plained, -f— —r
The substance of the above, thus oral
ly given to tne three Division Comman
der* tlyn w ith me at Drury's Bluff, was
also contained in a written circular de
livered to each of them—ns It bad been
previously outlined to (•etieral Whiting
—so that none could be taken by sur
prise, no matter w hat niovemeut might
be executed the next d*v on tbe
•mIisi m ss*i -f ■*• railreeg. A
Mine of tain saw (sms »*, «M*b «**/
i»< .rdrJ ti e <e*««*>*si. Ike •eeeij
upeued s ulling Wre wp»* u* jest
rnumrsl, h»t It i sot ** fry .iit:*«to*
•«*oa ki. Parkaass pee* sal*
**s« tkat esMteg Bati«r'«
csaip ••<*«• moo* aa-l tu
uuflit ka«* t«i«i is*, witk t*
(U.nJel mumf «m
tk* ir- op* fur ike bifiki. sa4 seat
U*s*r*i W kiting
r*tu>b, f»rt; ike seat s-retag
i-aii -a ika ngkt-f-ar has.
W- ksJ iaf-eiui Better Sa
• •kareti«e eukia ki* (srtitei
cuete-uet-ett-a* a.a.a «a
•••wad • *r- r*M*r*l. ti*
u>*>M "*1*m Wr aauA e*
*1**1 «r*J ts-rn-f-; #**. tkeifk
.or tk* MteeeaS, le 4e as -*7 >*r*k(
ke«»eU t* VWW*4 ep.’’ aktifis
ki«t at tket imm*. k* ess sea* Ik* -*■
•eerealy l-eyead •es-.M akeS mi
eeshn
■flfl
l^irteee kkefirefi rt»»••#**, k»«
>( siul'ery as4 S»# **sa4 ot ssteiw
• >a>4 ea4 -kukl ksee 4me ear*.
&** 4 -a-i *beklfi kart. «ey*e>
ratir* »r-a;. * *’*■*■
la ikstr-' Hsgse I * mbs# «■
*«amat *f tk* ketste ef tiro*| •
isia*4 la «rW ( taka le be kts
»e**e a# tkat parted ef tk# ««e. aespe sf : ttef*
afclrk I *-*•• ketit* (a*. » feaaJ Ik* tel «•» | 9SH
tqgMSMgfi:
’'>-Afi«r ike wet, tbe fedtekitisarrei %kM| A
i.- 1 i Or-rral Hefei, ikat 4<ro>f -*eta» I dk.ka
*”-» -.Taifbtwbea Ba*tet6 fei«e4 m4 tdgk I
Mi >ef>sefi # ■» > *•« 4rfimg eukte % . *«|, a
Mils ef fib Ik g* bee tb»n*an# wee n* si. .p r r
*nae bat s ikm skiiaLk fftotei*#**•»! *>re I
tvterea ibrss as > 4to*ni**»*k. ... 1'
l**a*npia*a bewstrt, a* aw tbs rereh *f [ mifi. 1
ike * eaii-isret* r.rtety at pv**i's ffikff. i* : t-n/sai
l.eJ tkasri-4 a»4 saaalteq^tk* walk «M*4t | 4Sf UB
al baitet •prreakee at fl*#■««* ttaafirsfi*.
-1.
,ti< isra. ti sat. llW.fi Ilk*
ttaaa.aal kte eksle
iteieau «arrest.y
tliatucy ef 0. A Grant. ’ h k«4 akswimety
l y*i sa saJ te Balter’s
' »« »•
! k*«* takes pi-**
Iro*. tirartei Lee’s
ry s U as. sad k .4 tnep saArn 7**1 la
awte «f tbe ICtb.
tt«a ef eaTfir.;**. >k« malt
oeea «UuwUal. fiat »y ealy
»to« k*r- Iks I S«iuafiy kappt
W blua* yetacd tu* *a is* l?tk
Jay. t.s a as taeseagkty d*wa«a*t
Muid was tpekra by kin. sad a* alt
tsaie 1* ikroe iff tk* rc*pe«i*lbility *1
fsiinr* to uoi'r ku f»re«* le »ta* Ik* day
prxvlnh*. lie sdteii'rd th* WT*r«f «kus
U* kad betn fl ty «n4 rspr****d west k«Mt-
bh isgm. At Tils eWk regarat fis «** re-
li**rd fr-ite duty la ike f*ifi sad rtiaraad
The brigade, tedding Us ground nobly, ta lk « c^p^tasd ef Ma dravtamat Ub»l
Jlost more thati a tourtii of it* ctitlre 1 k,. condavt during tb* c'uaiag e***taof tka
the] nutulter.'’ [ ttll j kt* berate deatb « F«rt Fi«h*r
Ma-. I hurriedtworegiteetitrof ti.e rearers j lre,*ly .0 retraut* h,«i i. it;
Mto It* supjMirt, but they were not prop- j 8;) „a epi.io* of U* ranr*dw-ia *iiiis at.4
erly p*'** 1 *.! Ifj tiic oftii-vr* loading them, : 0 r,h. ca -tr* guuthT
and offered but hrtte assinance. ..Two ru- tore*-last nvtiTtd fr*« ?«er*kurs
regitactita of CUMginan’s brigad-* w^re hadsciretiy te.n put in yoshtes. trbes, by
MiliswiKo rent by Gsneral Hoke U> rdn- ordtr „ f , kc p, nr fi^.^Lrat, snd again**
ight
dif-
ami rcsolutejy facini
ih 10.V opinion, it were better tor Ueu- ! F
! eral Lee to take a voluntary step rcir- ! ed
! ward through motives of itratogy, snd
, witii a new to foil the designs'of his t the cnytny’s breastworks in his front, | far back »s ha. was when first ordered
■ adversary, as I proposed he should do, - taking. It was claimed—but ibis was to move forward. These two cotmuand*
back. Don’t rely on him.
General Whiting reached Petersburg
on the 13th. After briefly explaining to
him wlujt my intentions were, aud what
I expected hiin.toTlo, should I assume
command at Drury’s Bluff, and give
the enemy battle there I left for the
front, taking with me some twelve hun
dred men of Colquitt’s brlgadfc' and
Baker’s regiment of cavalry.
The rond’w as beset with difficulties
‘ and )t was by mere chance that I suc
ceeded in passing safely between the j enhanced by it, as it* plain result would
enemy’* extreme left and tlm river, | be concentration, not retreat; and that
Our exterior lines had already been at- 1 concentration was, for u* at this crisis,
tacked and partially carried by oomeof the surest—if_not the only—assurance
Butler’s forces. It was Three o’clock
in the morning w ben 1 arrived at Dru-
of Virginia, though still a > ferent parts of the field.
the Potomac, General Hansom began his advance
it wherever it at a quarter to five o’clock a. m., but
moved, w as uoue thetSss forcibly losing was much retarded by a dense fog of
and that the latter 1 several hours’ duration, lie had
hint Grade’s brigade,
; Colonel Ferry, Burton
force Johnson's left. They, also, failed
to accomplish th«u»bject for which they
were pn-ssed forwaid. Seeing w hich,
1 now ordered Hoke to relieve his right
centre with the right; and, Cliiigmau , s
remaining regiments and Corse’s whole
brigade being iwed'bv him for that pur
pose. the euemy was soon forced to give
wav before them. A gap intervening
with ' betwrem the troops on site left of Chug- ^ |MMti ty ^ , 0 ttwk , -
Kemper s, under j mirn and his own command, led him to li „ |li Md r roaa u ft,rfl«r por-
’*, under Colonel fall ifitek tn preyeut n flank roovetnent, [ , ulu g, m ,«ees*fbi i» tkat, ff hTno
*0. Genersi Groat,
Iter'* aemsl posit tea
n-y protest, the whale ef l.snsuB's ibvutioB
wu» withdrawn from Usury's Bhrif, anfi
msreked bsek to RicLsioufi. 1 w'u tkea
pusfaibg the et-eiay. nnd still driting Aim i
nearer Mtid nearer to ate b**e. Pertunately 1
6»r us, k.sj-out of ifae Ifith hm! been luck a; tte WOfifl
i* preeiede. on hi# part, »lf thonght of sej etwy *
determined rutistabce He was detrfy de- hi* profl
moia^itrd, if not destrejeJ, and kts team meitts «
ry, and Hoke's old brigade, command* | thus isolating Corse, who, believing Ids I 0,1,,?, feature of bis pi*
1 by Colonel Lewis. ^ ' right flank seriously menaced, retreat- ' * bo fully understood Bu
At six o’clock a he had carried ed almost simultaneously, but not as’ ,,4,^ rt 4peci to u»ioe 1
than to maintain the passive defensive,
and tomierely follow" the movements of
the enemy, without making any possi
ble headway against him. Padded that
the confidence of the people, far from
being impaired by tlte carrying out of
such
afterwards seriously contested—several ! participated but little Ui the succeeding
stands of coldrs and koine five hundred
prisoners. His troops had behaved with
acknowledged gallantry; Grade’s and
Kemper’s commands being mostly en-
WJuat
whkh l
. (ttAfis tfi
respect to tuiue, took itamedtat* ad-I <
vantsgc ot (he tact, Std caused Bmitk’s en- 1 fjjjf j
tir* cot ps. uumberittgsome aixirea thou-iuoi 1 nheh-^Ti
men, to be tr»uslerred from tbe Army of thq , ^
James to the Army of the F.ioiaac. “
ry’s Bluff. Without a moment’s delay,
1 held h consultation with Colonel Har
ris and Colonel Stevens. The
was my Chief Engineer, a tried and
most etfleient oflicer, who served on my
/rout M** JHilManatMia up to the
time bfhU defitii, Which took place on
the MHbof October, T9M. The second
was also an able engineer on duty in
and around KiehiuomL They acquaint
ed rrte with the exact state of affair* in
our immediate front, and described the
encounter of tit* previous evening be
tween part of Butler’s force* and our*.
The outlook was not encouraging, al-
gaged, and the former turning the ene-
« plan, would, on the contrary, be my’* right flank. Hut, tor the'purpose,
It U alleged, of re-establishing his line
aud procuring a,fresh supply of ammo- {to retire, but
nilion, Ransom now came to a halt, and, less, wHh much
and
event* of the dav, though both were af- __
terward* marched again to the front, '^nc^l'under*t'l7/tedu-T'burX-7«J-
and gave evidence 01 tlmir readiness to [ reUuc ^j f , irce w (Grwuda MuudrcJ t*
ore h
perform any duly thnl might be requif-l rtbyot ltkir(c(u lhouwn d. To sppo*
: ed of them.x 1 he enemy,lowever did w connM)d fl0l ,. lfc4l t*?lu
; not reoccupy the ground from which j rkediffereare ww.usljai*
>4ti
Corse and Clingmau had compeUed him 1 bu , j,
n reporting “bis loss heavy aud hi* troop* 1 good’s
of victory. But I argued In vain. Mr. scattered by the called for imute- though giving way to Johnson's
held hU own, uone the
stubbtinmess iu 11a-
*“ front; and,
It was not! Ihougli the damage la
the He- liave been mer* serkuis,
Davis adhered to hi* former determina
tion, and would only agree lo send me
tlie five thousand men under Ransom,
former of whom mention has already bean
made. They joined my forces on the
evening of the Ifiib,
In the meantime, thy command had
been extended “so as to"
Bluff and its defenses,”
not before my conference with
▼1*.. I wa* also expected to protect ’sent forward the right regiment
Richmond, and “to meet any suddew, Lewis’s brigade, which effectually
move against the city on the north ' checked the Federal advance uotil the
side.” J reserve brigade came up aud drova it
But Mr. Davis had also objected to bark from our left centre to the inrtt-
Whltii
diqte assistance. At fi :30, Colquitt's bri
gade, or such portion of it as was then
present, (two regimeuts of that com-
Htand were still at or near Petersburg
with General' Whiting) went to rein
force Ransom, with order* to resume iu
former position' as soon as no longer
lude Drury’s { needed. Just at that time General Ran-
wbh-li it did sotfi, upon being informed,asbealleged,
Da- that the enemy w a* driving Hoke’s left.
succeeded In semiring a good r
abreast of Proctor’s Creek, near the
fke difl'ertn'’* was iiisigaificaat; ;
am«t kc rm«uibered that Ike Federal
coimn*n4er D.say#* advantage
which 1 bad ml, anfititaD*MtwitkT "
kls defeat and ike drain made
to 1 •*«!*■* Jiy del e«ii 1 to
posittoti j en GtnariU Lee'* t\ n we* test tom with kte
mat* toilrces of m.pply taraagh Rtcketevd)
tly
“Then*
■ra. together.
|pfMinfi tei w
one aiaw]
force
turupike, aud also at the “Charles
Ffiend’’ House,
with the timely areistanoe
htgtou Artillery, finally drove bfick the j K(oU l0 (iM a^j of Norta.ni Tirgbu*.
ojiposlng force* from his right flank. ik« “ ~
ami was thus enabled tu clear his entire |
front. Chid of tbe piece* captured was
now used agalnat the enemy, w ho gave
way beyond th? Proctor Creek ridge,
leaving but a skirmish line to keep
™ •* W'’ . \narms ^d p^ntarg. thereby •abstaatly re
Bat General Johnson, | g* r i,g Guh *r tka-a citia*. ^Jfer Mteit r*
tststanci; of the Wash- f con l 4 ^ R uaetee to sead^l
v drove bfick the J l0 ia* Army of Bortkera Tirginu, M M
his right flank, ,l. w«r L'epsrtaieut was already erviwne
to do io. Ror cuald 1 l»t«r oe ncevft »k#
j ropeskioo ef Ucacral to tesv* » •urt». , Noa. JA
•aBkT jaMiirl
tite co-“ pc ration of General Whiting^, plkn, over aud beymul u*ir works. Gen-
incurred might which fomed a salient feature of
tire (to- f have been mere aerkuis, and even Oeu-! plan, hecanse, as alleged tn his book
ohdthat ‘*ersl Metier, I thought, .ou Id, under the , “ef the hetani during a battle of at-
I aha £MnQMat*i|agM,Jhfiv4 dno# better. Gel- . tempting to make a junction of troops
are* r«**el Rterew* nafi ntoo given era, that moving from opposite (Mas of th* a*ra-
tMQfuiag. a enwtwojaeimnT eff the last; my.” Mow efum do timae wbuae <41-
Ninti) engagement* betwaw General Lee and rial position permlto the reject too of
caw* (•«n«ral Gifintt Mffjb tfc* »*lh. wad ef j aagaciwtu. If periiots*. tartVca, lowslght
^Bbi t» the relative pogjOen attbeirtwe armian «f the fact that “war le earaaiiaU^ a
any ri-4 wldora
eral Ransom waa,
In
th# appearance of a continuous <
I took advantage of JtU some* '
expected lull In tb# mavemi
•netay. 1, To inquire Into
1
jBlfi- ■*!
w roue in relieving ' abouM of General Whiting,
Hohe’s Udt in dancer. Hie error lev in 1 pf whoe# fans p as said so
the fact that one of Hageud’s advanced heard at All r. Is., '
vegimenta, haGLg unexpeetedljr come unjorthef sign of
w.-rora the efteosy. had keen ordered wHb owr U
ba. k so ae to give Ran-ota time (ohri.vg nmt line*, ia order ID |
around hla own left, in oBwfwrwtty • kL united front, were the *
the nnhrr ef battle already exbUlited. a derive ta resume the
The relative oetef uaian and Ml white
future ed the«e Ui-cUreri eiUwriows nr
in ri*e crigL wkh me aw
(nwy ’ — “
elratgesrd !*r the purpura of wasehiag Bkt yand tb* \
tee s iB*vrsi*ats. sad. »uk the mi of a*y nut. ^
id, ■»«« to th* Jtortk atek of th* t
trad th# right wi*f ef hi* array, t
War Department, ta il*great ras- •
of;
readily;
Virginia
■ ef it. 41
. Ms
fV