J20 



ARMY OPERATIONS. 



for the force at his command to attempt, and 

 accordingly withdrew about noon and returned 

 to camp in the evening. Meanwhile Gen. Kautz 

 had forced the enemy's intrenchments and 

 reached the streets of the city, sharply engaged 

 in fighting. But the force of the enemy con- 

 centrating against him, he was forced to retire. 

 Some prisoners were taken, and the loss waa 

 about twenty men. Two gunboats and a bat- 

 tery engaged Fort Clifton during the morning 

 with a brisk fire. 



Petersburg, a city of eighteen thousand in- 

 habitants, is situated on the south bank of the 

 Appomattox River, twenty-two miles south of 

 Richmond, and ten miles from the James River 

 at City Point. The Appomattox empties into 

 the James at City Point. It is navigable to 

 Petersburg for vessels of one hundred tons, and 

 to Waltham, six miles below, by larger vessels. 

 The city is connected with City Point by a 

 railroad. The road from Richmond to North 

 and South Carolina also passes through it. The 

 river at this point runs nearly northeast to the 

 James. The city was defended by several series 

 of strong earthworks, consisting not only of 

 square redoubts, but also of well-established and 

 commanding rifle-trenches. 



On Wednesday, June 15th, a reconnoissance 

 was made by the cavalry, by which it was dis- 

 covered that the corps of Gen. Hill occupied 

 the region southeast of Richmond in strong 

 force. At 1 o'clock on the morning of the 

 same day the 18th corps, which had arrived on 

 the previous evening from the White House, 

 started for Petersburg. The Appomattox was 

 crossed by a pontoon-bridge near Point of 

 Rocks. The route was nearly the same as that 

 taken by the advance of Gen. Gilmore on a 

 previous day. Skirmishing of the advance 

 with the enemy commenced at daylight. A 

 row of rifle-trenches with two twelve-pounders 

 was carried by a body of colored troops under 

 Gen. Hinks' command later in the day. In the 

 afternoon the movement resulted in forming a 

 line of battle in front of the outer intrench- 

 ments of the enemy, about two miles from Pe- 

 tersburg. Just before sunset the order was 

 given to carry the works by assault. The 

 whole line rapidly advanced under a hot artil- 

 lery fire from the enemy, and swept the entire 

 range of rifle-pits with great gallantry. The 

 enemy broke and deserted their intrenchments, 

 losing sixteen guns, a battle flag, and three hun- 

 dred prisoners. The Union loss was about five 

 hundred. The position was held, but no fur- 

 ther advance was made. It was supposed that, 

 if a supporting force had been at hand, the sec- 

 ond line of works might have been carried 

 with comparative ease. The force of the enemy 

 in the city was small, but reinforcements were 

 received by them previous to the arrival of the 

 other corps of Gen. Grant's army. The troops 

 wliich held Petersburg composed the command 

 of Gen. Beauregard. A portion of them had 

 confronted Gen. Butler, and some had been in 

 Richmond. 



The cavalry under Gen. Kautz, which pre- 

 ceded the 18th corps, had moved out to the ex- 

 treme left against the works near the Norfolk 

 Railroad and on the Baxter road. The posi- 

 tion of the enemy was, however, too strong to 

 be carried, and Gen. Kautz retired. 



Meanwhile the other corps of the army were 

 approaching as rapidly as possible. Gen. Bir- 

 ney's division of the 2d corps arrived at even- 

 ing and occupied the captured intrenchments. 

 During the night the remainder of the corps 

 came up. 



On Thursday morning a part of the 10th 

 corps, under Gen. Terry, was sent out to recon- 

 noitre in front of Gen. Butler's position. The 

 skirmishers soon drove the enemy, and his line 

 was penetrated and carried, and the railroad 

 subsequently reached near Port Walthall Junc- 

 tion. About two miles of the track were torn 

 up, when the enemy came down in such force 

 that Gen. Terry was obliged to retire. 



Early in the morning Gen. Bimey sent out a 

 force under Gen. Egan and carried a redoubt on 

 his left, with a loss of about a hundred. Mean- 

 time the troops of the enemy were crowded 

 forward so rapidly that it became necessary to 

 wait for Gen. Burnside's corps to come up. 

 The intrenchments of the enemy ran semicircu- 

 larly from the river on the north of the city to 

 the river on the south. Their northern extrem- 

 ity was also strengthened by batteries on the 

 opposite side of the Appomattox. In the after- 

 noon the corps of Gen. Burnside arrived and a 

 line of battle was formed, with the 18th corps 

 under Gen. Smith on the right, the 2d corps 

 under Gen. Birney during this assault, which 

 was commanded by Gen. Hancock, and the 9th. 

 under Gen. Burnside on the left. At 6 o'clock 

 an attack was made, and continued for three 

 hours. Gen. Birney's division, on the right of 

 the centre corps, carried the crest in his front 

 and held it firmly. On the left of Gen. Birney's 

 division the advance of Gen. Barlow found 

 more difficulty, from the concentration of the 

 enemy in front. A charge was made by the 

 brigades of Gens. Miles and Griffin, which suc- 

 ceeded in gaining a foothold of the rifle-pits 

 outside of the stronger works. But the troops 

 were so annoyed by the enemy that Gen. Bar- 

 low determined to make an assault. But the 

 enemy cut off his skirmish line in front, amount- 

 ing to three hundred men, with their officers. 

 Gen. Burnside also prepared to make an assault, 

 but the enemy opened so severely as to frus- 

 trate it. The right took no important part in 

 the contest. After three hours the assault was 

 suspended. The loss was between fifteen hun- 

 dred and two thousand. That of the enemy, 

 as they held an advantageous position, was 

 much less. 



Early on Friday morning, June 17th, the as- 

 sault was renewed by an order of Gen. Burn- 

 side to Gen. Patten's division to take the works 

 in their front. The brigade of Gen. Griffin, 

 supported by that of Gen. Curtin, dashed for- 

 ward, carrying the position and capturing six 



