RICHMOND. 



377 



orphan asylums, and church homes. Besides the public 

 schools, there are several educational institutions, 

 among them Richmond College and Virginia Medical 

 College. The falls of the James River furnish im- 

 mense water-power which is abundantly utilized. 

 There are over 600 manufacturing establishments, 

 including iron-works, flour-mills, paper-mills, fertilizer- 

 works, and tobacco-factories. The Tredegar iron-works 

 are the largest and were of historic note in the civil 

 war. The formerly extensive trade of the city was 

 interrupted and dispersed by the war, but it has since 

 revived and is facilitated by flour, tobacco, and other 

 exchanges. Besides its railroad connections with 

 North, South, and South-west, Richmond has regular 

 lines of steamers to New York, Philadelphia, and Bal- 

 timore. Richmond was founded in 1737 by Col. Wil- 

 liam Byrd. It was incorporated in 1 742, and was made 

 the capital of Virginia in 1779. It became a political 

 and commercial centre for the Southern States. When 

 Virginia passed its ordinance of secession in May, 1861, 

 the capital of the Confederate States was fixed at 

 Richmond, which thus became the objective point of 

 the principal military operations of the Union army in 

 the East. It was however strongly fortified with earth- 

 works and bravely defended, so that it resisted the 

 Tarious attacks until April, 1 805, when it was evacuated 

 and partly destroyed by the Confederates. For Gen. 

 McCIellan's expedition against it in 1862, see PENIN- 

 SULAR CAMPAIGN, and for Gen. Grant's operations, 

 1864-5. see the following article. 



RICHMOND, GRANT'S SIEGE OP. For the prejim- 

 inaries of the series of military events in the American 

 civil war comprised under this title, the reader 

 is referred to the articles WILDERNESS CAMPAIGN 

 and COLD HARBOR, which detail the preceding events 

 from the time that Gen. Grant took command of the 

 Army of the Potomac. In the spring of 1864 Gen. B. 

 F. Butler moved up the James River, at the same 

 time that Grant crossed the Rapidan. On May 6 he 

 landed at City Point and Bermuda Hundred, and sent 

 a force to capture Petersburg, but this was turned 

 back by a report that that town was strongly defended. 

 Earthworks were then thrown up at Bermuda Hun- 

 dred, extending from the James to the Appouiattox, a 

 distance of 3 miles. Some fighting took place subse- 

 quently, and Butler felt himself obliged to remain in 

 his intrenchments until called to reinforce Grant on his 

 approach to Richmond. 



After the battle of Cold Harbor, June 3, 1864, 

 Grant having failed in his effort to capture or disperse 

 Lee's army, and lost very heavily in doing so, decided 

 to replace battle by siege, and to endeavor to wear out 

 that army which he had not succeeded in vanquishing. 

 His new plan was to transfer his army to the south 

 side of the James, and to endeavor to compel the sur- 

 render of Lee's army by cutting off its communica- 

 tions, if it could not )>e vanquished by direct assault. 

 This purpose was skilfully concealed, and Grant_ was 

 already crossing the river while Lee was awaiting 

 attack within the fortifications of Richmond. On the 

 night of June 14 a pontoon bridge was thrown across 

 the James, over which the whole army had crossed by 

 noon of the 16th. White Hou8e : on the Pamunkey, 

 was abandoned as a base of supplies, and replaced by 

 City Point, on the James River, then defended by But- 

 ler's works at Bermuda Hundred. 



The capture of Petersburg was an important part of 

 Grant's design, as the possession of that city would 

 give him immediate control of two of the railroads 

 leading to Richmond. Butler endeavored to take it 

 by a combined infantry and cavalry attack on June 10, 

 but Gillmore. who was at the head of the infantry, 

 halted when in front of the works, and fell back under 

 the impression that his force was too weak to take 

 them. Kautz, with the cavalry, meanwhile dashed 

 into the town, but was driven back by its defenders, 

 whom Gillmore's retreat had left free to act against 

 him. Thus, by lack of proper co-operation, this prom- 

 VOL. IV. Y 



ising effort failed. It was renewed five days after- 

 ward. By Grant's orderGen. W. F. Smith andhiscom- 

 mand crossed the Appomattox to co-operate with Gill- 

 more and Kautz in a second attack on Petersburg. 

 There was good reason to expect success from this 

 movement, but it failed like the former, and from the 

 same lack of activity and vigor. The troops marched 

 in three columns, Kautz on the left, Brooks in the 

 centre, and Martindale on the right. A negro brigade 

 under Gen. Ilitiks captured some advanced rifle-pits, 

 and the troops moved forward wjth assurance of suc- 

 cess, until checked by a strong line of works in their 

 front, apparently well defended. 



Despite the formidable show of these works their 

 defenders were really very few, and a vigorous push 

 would probably have carried them without difficulty, 

 but Smith paused and prepared so carefully for the 

 assault that it was near sunset before he was ready. 

 Meanwhile Lee's army was rapidly crossing the James, 

 and troops were streaming down towards Petersburg. 

 The assault took place at 7 P.M. A part of the force 

 pushed the enemy from their line of rifle-pits, and 

 soon had possession of the entrenchments for a length 

 of 2} miles, having taken 1 5 guns and 300 prisoners. 

 Two divisions of Hancock's corps had now come up 

 and joined Smith's command, when the latter ordered 

 a halt. He deemed it wiser to hold what he had than 

 to lose all by attempting more. Yet as Grant after- 

 wards said, Petersburg was, at that moment, at his 

 mercy, there being no other works and no troops of 

 importance. By morning, however, the situation had 

 decidedly changed. The city was then full of Lee's 

 veterans, a new line of works had risen as if by magic, 

 and the coveted prize was lost. The important point, 

 which might have been taken that night in an hour or 

 two, was destined to defy its foes during a siege of ten 

 months' duration, in great part devotea to the capture 

 of the two railroads which ran through the city of 

 Petersburg. 



Both armies now being south of the James, and 

 once more confronting each other, a bombardment of 

 the Confederate lines oegan, which was kept up during 

 the whole night of the 16th. The Union lines made 

 a general advance, and captured some important posi- 

 tions, though at ^severe loss. The battle continued 

 throughout the 17th, the Confederates regaining some 

 points, but failing to retake others. On the 18th an 

 advance in force on the Petersburg works was ordered, 

 Grant believing that only a portion of Lee's army was 

 yet upon his front. But morning revealed the fact 

 that the Confederates had abandoned their weakened 

 line and retired to a stronger position on an inner line, 

 defended by strongly constructed works. This change 

 delayed the attack till afternoon, and then it only 

 brought disaster to the assailants, who were repulsed 

 at every point. In these three days of battle nearly 

 10,000 men had been lost, and nothing of correlative 

 importance had been gained. It was evident now that 

 Lee's army was fully before him, and Grant prepared 

 for a siege of the works which he had failed to take by 

 storm. 



The next day or two were spent by both armies in 

 intrenching, the beginning being made of those for- 

 midable works which for months defied capture from 

 either side. At the same time the Union left was 

 extended towards the Petersburg and Weldon Railroad, 

 being the preliminary step towards breaking Lee's 

 communications with the south. On the 21st the 

 Second and Sixth corps were put in motion towards 

 the left, but on the following morning a division of the 

 Confederate Gen. A. P. Hill's corps projected itself 

 between the two commands, struck Birney's divisions 

 heavily on the flank, and drove them back with heavy 

 loss. A similar attack was made on Wright's corps. 

 They soon reformed, and by order of Meade advanced 

 and retook their ground, Hill retiring with 2500 pris- 

 oners, the fruits of his impetuous assault. The advance 

 was resumed the next morning, and the Weldon road 



