136 



ARMY OPERATIONS. 



ing to Richmond ; thence to advance as rapidly 

 as practicable toward Richmond, assaulting any 

 works occupied by the enemy which he might 

 meet, and establish communication or a con- 

 nection with Gen. Ord at the Mill road, distant 

 about seven miles from Richmond. Gen. Bir- 

 ney had captured the enemy's works at 8 J- A. M., 

 and by nine o'clock his second division was on 

 the advance toward Richmond on the New 

 Market road. Communication was established 

 with Gen. Ord, as directed, by 10 o'clock, and 

 Gen. Grant, being on the field, expressed his 

 gratification with the progress. The strong 

 inner defences of Chapin's Bluff were soon 

 encountered, and preparations were made to 

 assault them. Gen. Ord had carried the first 

 line of the enemy's works in his immediate 

 front, capturing some fifteen pieces of artillery, 

 and was then preparing to act in conjunction 

 with Gen. Birney upon the enemy's line of 

 fortifications. As the works were evidently 

 very formidable, it became necessary to organ- 

 ize a regular assaulting column. This delayed 

 the assault until 2 p. M. Meantime reenforce- 

 ments were sent to the enemy, and as the as- 

 saulting column advanced they could be seen 

 entering the works. From this cause and the 

 strength of the works, the assault was un- 

 successful, although the troops behaved with 

 great gallantry. Two regiments only of the 

 colored division reached one of the rebel forts, 

 where they found a ditch ten feet wide and 

 eight feet deep between them and the parapet. 

 More than a hundred of these brave fellows 

 jumped into the ditch and assisted some of 

 their comrades to mount the parapet by allow- 

 ing them to climb up on their shoulders. About 

 a dozen succeeded in mounting the parapet by 

 these means. But this force which had bravely 

 pushed on was far too small to capture the 

 fort, and was therefore compelled to retire, 

 leaving their comrades in the ditch of the fort. 

 But these were unable to make good their 

 escape, as it would have been certain death 

 to leave the ditch and return to the troops, 

 and were afterwards compelled to surrender. 

 About eight hundred men were lost in this as- 

 sault in killed, wounded, and prisoners. On 

 the 30th the enemy attempted to recapture the 

 works which had been taken, but without suc- 

 cess. On the same day Gen. "Warren attacked 

 and carried the enemy's lines on their extreme 

 right, and captured a number of prisoners. At 

 the same time Gen. Meade attacked and carried 

 the enemy's line near Poplar Grove Church. 



On Oct. 7th the enemy made a vigorous and 

 partially successful effort to turn the right flank 

 of the army of the James. Gen. Anderson, with 

 one brigade of cavalry and two of infantry, 

 surprised the Federal cavalry and routed the 

 force on the right and captured many of them. 

 Upon encountering the main body near New 

 Market the enemy were repulsed and abandoned 

 the Central road. The loss was about five 

 hundred, that of the enemy was some larger, 

 including one hundred and fifty prisoners. 



On the 27th a movement was made by a 

 portion of the 2d and 5th corps against the 

 enemy's position at Hatcher's Run. A severe 

 engagement ensued, in which the troops of 

 both corps were driven back with severe loss. 

 They, however, held their original position. The 

 following is Gen. 'Grant's despatch respecting 

 this movement : 



Cmr Ponrr, Oct 279 r JL 

 To Hon. Edwin M. Stanton, Setfy of War : 



I have iust returned from the crossing of the Boyl- 

 ston plank road with Hatcher's Creek. Our line now 

 extends from its former left to Armstrong's mijl, 

 thence by the south bank of Hatcher's Creek to the 

 point above named. At every point the enemy was 

 found intrenched and his works manned. No attack 

 was made during the day further than to drive pickets 

 and cavalry inside of the main work. Our casualties 

 have been light, probably less than two hundred 

 killed, wounded, and missing. The same is probably 

 true with the enemy. We captured, however, seven 

 loaded teams on their way to Stony Creek to the 

 enemy, about a dozen beef cattle, a travelling forge, 

 and from seventy-five to one hundred prisoners. 

 Butler extended around well toward the Yorktown 

 road without finding a point unguarded. I shall 

 keep our troops out where they are until toward 

 noon to-morrow, in hopes of inviting an attack. 

 (Signed) U. S. GRANT, Lieut. -General. 



The following is Gen. Lee's despatch : 



HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, ) 

 October 28th, 1864. J 

 Hon. James A. Seddon, Secretary of War : 



Gen. A. P. Hill reports that the attack of Gen. 

 Heth upon the enemy upon the Boylston plank road, 

 mentioned in my despatch last evening, was made by 

 three brigades under Gen. Mahone in front and Geo. 

 Hampton in the rear. Mahone captured four hun- 

 dred prisoners, three stands of colors, and six pieces 

 of artillery. The latter could not be brought off, the 

 enemy having possession of the bridge. 



In the attack subsequently made by the enemy j 

 Gen. Mahone broke three lines of battle, and during 

 the night the enemy retired from the Boylston plank 

 road, leaving his wounded and more than two hun- 

 dred and fifty dead on the field. 



About 9 o clock p. M. a small force assaulted and 

 took possession of our works on the Baxter road, in 

 front of Petersburg, but was soon driven out. 



On the Williamsburg road yesterday, Gen. Field 

 captured upward of four hundred prisoners and seven 

 stands of colors. The enemy left a number of dead 

 in front of our works and returned to his former 

 position to-day. R. E. LEE. 



The subsequent movements during the year 

 were comparatively unimportant. Both armies 

 prepared such quarters as to enable them to 

 retain their positions during the whiter. 



During the month of September, the Federal 

 army in and about Atlanta were allowed to 

 rest from the fatigues of active military duty, 

 and many sick or deserving officers and men 

 were sent home on furlough. The railroad 

 was employed to its utmost capacity to bring 

 forward supplies and recruits, and much im- 

 portant work was done in the construction of 

 barracks, and in strengthening the defences 

 of Atlanta. All this seemed to indicate Gen. 

 Sherman's intention to make the city a base 

 for further operations southward, and to hold 

 it with a powerful garrison. From his recent 

 experience of the facility with which a cavalry 

 force could temporarily interrupt his long lin 



