ARMY OPERATIONS. 



113 



added to the army of Gen. Lee, and Richmond 

 was held by the troops of Gen. Beauregard, 

 which had opposed Gen. Butler. Gen. Grant, 

 on the other hand, proceeded to organize new 

 expeditions against Lynchburg, putting Gen. 

 Hunter in the place of Gen. Sigel, and pressed 

 forward himself to capture Petersburg. 



The army of Gen. Grant had remained in- 

 active during the 16th, 17th, and 18th, before 

 Spottsylvania. On the afternoon of the 18th 

 the enemy in force made an effort to turn the 

 right of Gen. Grant's line. It was held by 

 some regiments of heavy artillery, acting as in- 

 fantry, comprising the 1st Massachusetts, 15th, 

 2d, 6th, and a battalion of the 4th New York, 

 all under Col. Etchings, who fell back across 

 an open field under cover of some woods. Re- 

 peated attempts were made by the enemy to 

 drive them further, but without success. Sub- 

 sequently a charge was made, driving the ene- 

 my back across the open field, which was held. 

 Night put an end to the conflict. The loss of 

 Col. Etchings was about eleven hundred men. 

 About four hundred of the enemy were made 

 prisoners. On the next day Gen. Meade issued 

 the following special order : 



HEADQTTAETEBS, ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, May 20. 



The _Major-General Commanding desires to express 

 his satisfaction with the good conduct of Tyler s di- 

 vision and Kitchings' brigade of heavy artillery in 

 the affair of yesterday evening. The gallant manner 

 in which these commands, the greater portion being 

 for the first time under fire, met and checked the 

 persistent attack of a corps of the enemy, led by one 

 of his ablest generals, justifies the Commanding 

 General in this special commendation of troops 

 who henceforward will be relied upon, as were the 

 tried veterans of the Second and Fifth corps, at the 

 same time engaged. 



By command of Major-General MEADE. 



8. WILLIAMS, A. A. G. 



The following is the despatch of the War 

 Department : 



WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, ) 

 May 206:30 P. M. f 

 Major- General Dix : 



This afternoon we have despatches dated at half- 

 past eight this morning, from General Grant. 



Last evening an effort was made by Ewell's corps 

 to turn our right. They were promptly repulsed by 

 Birney's and Tyler's divisions, and some of War- 

 ren's troops that were on the extreme right. About 

 three hundred prisoners fell into our hands, besides 

 many killed and wounded. Our loss foots up a little 

 over six hundred wounded and one hundred and fifty 

 killed and missing. 



General Grant says that probably our killed and 

 ziissing are over estimated. 



Over twenty-five thousand veteran refinforcements 

 nave been forwarded to General Grant. The condi- 

 tion of the army and his contemplated operations 

 are entirely satisfactory. The army is abundantly 

 supplied. 



Major-General Hunter has been placed in com- 

 mand of the Department of West Virginia, including 

 the Shenandoah valley. 



On the night of the 20th the troops were 

 moving all night to new positions ; and on the 

 next morning the general headquarters were 

 broken up, and nearly the whole army was in 

 motion. At 12 o'clock p. M. of the 20th the 

 cavalry left their camp in the woods near 

 VOL. iv. 8 A 



Massaponax Church, and advanced toward 

 Guineas' station, on the Richmond and Fred- 

 ericksburg Railroad. The pickets of the ene- 

 my, firing only a few shots, withdrew before 

 the advance until they reached Guineas' bridge- 

 on the river Xy, a short distance from the sta- 

 tion. Here an inclination to make a stand and 

 oppose the advance was shown. They were, 

 however, soon driven from the bridge. At 

 Downer's bridge another stand was made, and 

 the position held for some time. At Bowling 

 Green the enemy made no stand, but assem- 

 bled at Milford station in considerable force. 

 On an eminence a little to the left of the sta- 

 tion the enemy had mounted a battery, and 

 thrown up some rifle-pits. A battery accom- 

 panying the cavalry was put into position, and 

 occupied the enemy whilst a flank movement 

 to the left was made. This was executed with 

 success, and the enemy made a hasty retreat 

 across the Mattapony. Six officers and sixty- 

 six soldiers were surprised and captured. Mil- 

 ford station had been, until the previous day, 

 the base for supplies to the army under Gen. 

 Lee. But obtaining information of the con- 

 templated movement, the enemy had removed 

 their stores before the arrival of the cavalry. 



Soon after midnight on the night of the 

 20th the 2d corps moved from its position on 

 the Ny, near Spottsylvania Court House, and 

 followed the road thus opened by the cavalry. 

 Nothing unusual occurred during the march to 

 Bowling Green. The corps then crossed the 

 Mattapony at Milford bridge, and about a mile 

 from the river Gen. Hancock halted his column 

 and formed a line of battle in a commanding 

 position on the crest of a range of hills. The 

 enemy's cavalry followed close in the rear 

 during the march and picked up the strag- 

 glers. 



At six o'clock on the morning of the 21st 

 the 5th corps, under Gen. Warren, left the 

 position occupied by them and pushed on in 

 the rear of Gen. Hancock. As the column ap- 

 proached the bridge across the Mattapony at 

 4 P. M., it was delayed by a detachment of the 

 enemy's cavalry posted in the woods that skirt 

 the river on both sides of the road. They 

 were soon driven out with a slight loss. Dar- 

 ing the day the whole army was in motion. 

 The weather had become fine and the roads 

 well settled. On Sunday, the 22d, the follow- 

 ing despatch was sent from the War Depart- 

 ment : 



WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, May 23 10 p. M. 

 To Major-General I>ix : 



On Friday evening General Grant commenced a 

 movement for the purpose of compelling Lee to 

 abandon his position at Spottsylvania. It has thus 

 far progressed successfully. 



Longstreet's corps started south at one o'clock 

 Friday night, an hour and a half after Hancock 

 moved. Ewell's corps followed Longstreet's last 

 night. 



The indications are that the rebel army has fallen 

 back bevond the North Auna. Hoke's brigade has 

 joined Lee. 



The movement of General Grant has thus far beea 



