56 



AKMY OPERATIONS. 



persistent on the 2d corps front, were resisted and 

 repulsed with heavy losses, leaving with the 6th corps 

 over 400 prisoners, and with the 2d corps two battle- 

 flags and over 300 prisoners. 



Xhe troops of the 6th corps, reported by Major- 

 General Wright as engaged in these operations, were 

 Getty's division. Heifer's brigade of Seymour's divi- 

 sion, and Hamblin's and Edward's brigade of Whea- 

 ton's division. 



Of the 2d corps, Major-General Humphreys men- 

 tions Miles' and Mott's divisions, and Smythe's bri- 

 gade of Hays' division, supported by Griffin s division, 

 5th corps. 



The result of the day was the thorough defeat of 

 the enemy's plans, the capture of his strongly in- 

 trenched picket-fine under the artillery fire of his 

 main works, and the capture of ten battle-flaws and 

 about 2,800 prisoners a result on which the Major- 

 General Commanding heartily congratulates the 

 army. 



Two lessons can be learned from these operations : 

 One, that no fortified line, however strong, will pro- 

 tect an army from an intrepid and audacious enemy, 

 unless vigilantly guarded ; the other, that no disaster 

 or misfortune is irreparable, where energy and brav- 

 ery are displayed in the determination to recover 

 what is lost, and to promptly assume the offensive. 



The Major-General Commanding trusts these les- 

 sons will not be lost on this army. 



In conclusion, the Major-General Commanding de- 

 sires to return his thanks to those commands of the 

 army not specially mentioned in this order, for the 

 promptness displayed by all, in their movements to 

 different parts of the lines, under the exigencies of 

 the hour. In connection with this subject, the prompt- 

 itude of Major-General Warren and of Brevet Major- 

 General Hunt, Chief of Artillery, in the early part of 

 the operations, during the accidental absence of the 

 Major-General Commanding, deserve commendation 

 and thanks. GEORGE G. MEADE, 



Major-General Commanding. 



Indications were now more and more appar- 

 ent of the weakness of Gen. Lee's forces, and 

 the fall of Petersburg and Richmond. Gen. 

 Grant immediately prepared for new movements 

 of the highest importance, and considered that 

 this attack of Lee was made to cover his de- 

 signed retreat from Eichmond. 



On the 26th some sharp skirmishing broke 

 out between the pickets of the 1st division of 

 the 9th corps and their opponents, and the bat- 

 teries joined in. It soon quieted down; On 

 the 27th an attack was made by the enemy on 

 Gen. Getty's division of the 6th corps by a small 

 force of the enemy, which was repulsed after a 

 sharp skirmish. On the same day orders were 

 sent to the various field hospitals to remove the 

 sick and wounded to City Point, and to keep 

 the hospitals in readiness for any emergency 

 that might arise. At 12 o'clock at night the 

 whole army was put under marching orders, 

 and the next day, the 28th, was passed in prep- 

 arations for the movement. The plan was that 

 the cavalry, under Sheridan, should advance 

 to the left, as had been done so often before, 

 followed by the 5th corps under Gen. Warren, 

 and the 2d corps under Gen. Humphreys, while 

 the other corps held the lines around Peters- 

 burg. For this purpose, on the 27th troops 

 were selected from the 24th under Gen. Gibbon, 

 and 25th under Gen. Birney, corps which be- 

 longed to the Army of the James, under Gen. 

 Ord, and during the night marched across the 



river, leaving the remainder of the corps tc 

 garrison the position north of the James. At 

 noon on the 28th, this force reached the head 

 quarters of Gen. Meade, and early on the morn- 

 ing of the 29th marched into the lines as they 

 were evacuated by the 2d corps. 



About 6 A. M. of Wednesday the 29th, the 

 cavalry began to move down the Jerusalem 

 plank-road to Reams' station on the Weldon 

 Railroad, in two columns, of which Gen. Crook 

 commanded the right and Gen. Htrritt the left. 

 The bridge over Rowanty Creek was gone, and 

 the creek not fordable. After a delay of four 

 hours a bridge was built, and the advance under 

 Crook crossed, and moved direct to Dinwiddie. 

 The bad roads caused much delay. The town 

 was occupied, and communication opened with 

 Gen. Warren's corps on the right. It rained a 

 little during the night, and very hard all of 

 Thursday, the 30th. The roads became so 

 bad as to block up the trains, and a part of 

 the cavalry force was employed in guarding 

 them. The rest moved up to the Boydton 

 road. 



Previous to the advance of the infantry, the 

 left of the 6th corps extended to Hatcher's 

 Run. The 2d corps extended down te run 

 from the left of the 6th, at nearly a right 

 angle, until reaching the crossing of the 

 Vaughan road. The 5th corps was practically 

 in reserve, and extended back at a right angle 

 from the left of the 2d, in rear of the 6th. 

 Early on the morning of the 29th the 2d corps 

 moved along the Vaughan road, and was soon 

 thrown into position along that road from 

 Hatcher's Run to Gravelly Run, which unite at 

 Monk's Neck to form Rowanty Creek. Works 

 were thrown up to cover the corps from attack, 

 but the enemy made no opposition. The 5th 

 corps moved at the same time, and crossed 

 Hatcher's Run. The route was along the road 

 to Dinwiddie, until reaching the Quaker road, 

 when the column turned abruptly to the right. 

 About nine o'clock a connection was formed 

 between the right of the 5th corps and the 

 left of the 2d. The line of the former extend- 

 ed across the Quaker road, and within two or 

 three miles of Dinwiddie. Some opposition 

 had been made to the crossing of the 5th corps 

 at Gravelly Run by a cavalry vidette, which 

 was driven off after a short skirmish. Expect- 

 ing an attack from the enemy, preparations 

 were soon made by the troops, and about 3 J 

 p. M. a division, under Gen. B. Johnson, at- 

 tacked and drove in the skirmishers, and as- 

 sailed with great force Gen. Griffin's division. 

 Some batteries being in position opened upon 

 the enemy, who had no artillery, and a sharp 

 but short conflict ensued. Finding the force 

 against him becoming too strong Johnson with- 

 drew to his original position. The loss to the 

 5th corps was about five hundred, and that of 

 the enemy was estimated at not far from the 

 same number. 



During the night, between 9 and 12 o'clock, 

 a cannonade took place on the right of 1 the 



