Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1864-06-09
to the abandonment Of the Mechanicsville
route TO Richmond On Thursday the FEEDER


route TO Richmond On Thursday the FEEDER
being seven miles from Richmond, and resting
on the road to Mechanicsville; the centre at
Cold Harbor and the southern flank thirteen
miles from Richmond near the railroad from
White House to the Chicha1om;ny During
Thursday night and Friday morning Grant re.
volved his southern flank back heary five miles
to Bethesda Church It rested a little north
Of that place. and was about four miles west Of
New Castle, On the Pamankey. The Confed-
crates followed it closely, and there was much
skirmishing On Saturday the Confederates
withdrew, short distance, and the flank ad-
vanced about halt mile and there rested. On
Sunday night there was no fighting, and DO
movements are reported. On that day the
Federal line was north and south one, facing
west Smith was IN the centre, at Cold Har
Dor, twelve miles east. northeast of Richmond.
Warren was north of Smith, at Bethesda
Church. Burnside was north of Warren, on
the extreme flank, and was four and half
miles west of New Castle, on the Pamunkey,
and fourteen northeast of Richmond. Wright
was south of Smith, and Hancock south Of
Wright, on the extreme southern flank. He
was near Dispatch Station, on the White
House Railroad, and thirteen miles from Rich
mond The length Of the line was SIX miles:
and it was in all parts closely confronted by
strong Confederate works. Grants headquar-
ters were at Old Tavern, three miles south OF
Bethesda Church.
OF the reason of this retreat, the greater
part of which was made on Friday morning,
we have no official explanation. 1t appears to
ments that heavy guns were brought forward
by the enemy, which threw shells over the
Federal lines into the wagon trains beyond
Even when the line, in its retrograde move
ment, reached Bethesda Church, these guns
we're able TO she'll the headquarter camps and
the trains in the rear The distance OF the
Federal line from Richmond, on Sunday, and
the strength of the Confederate position, show
a determination on Lees part not to allow
Grant to cross the Chickahominy No portion
of the Federal force is now within three miles
of that stream.
The correspondent of the n Y. Times writes:
'Our lines have moved forward very little
since Friday costly struggle. Indeed the ad-
vance might be counted by inches. The enc
my, snugIy covered inside his high breastWorks
makes a vigorous defence to all our assaults
and shows no signs of yielding By dint and
sheer power of endurance our lines have been
pushed ahead inch by inch, almost solely by the
use of the spade, the musket being simply an
auxiliary, uutil at some points IN front OF
Martindales division of the eighteenth corps
thev are not more than one hunnred yards
apart. This digging is done solely at night;
On both sides harpshooters-falrly. entitled
to the name-perched III trees or hidden IN
pi+s take grim delight in sending q bullet into
any any luckless individual whom incaution or duty
exnoses. w This morning I was speaking TO
Captain P. Reed five minutes afterward a
Confederate riAepau, stationed nearly a mile
distant to the right, succeeded in planting
mimic ball il. the Captains leg, as he walked
across the field in front of Gen. Smiths mead,
quarters. These sharpshooters have disabled
at low estimate, one hundred men per day
= L oh