Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-12-07

soldiery, have rarely been surpassed, are
given in the report. of Major General
Meade, and the subordinate reports accom-
panying it. During the campaign of forty
three days, from the Rapidan to james
river, the army had to be supplied from an
ev~er-shifting base, by wagons over mar
row roads, through a densely wooded
country, with a lack of wharves at each
base from which to conveniently discharge
vessels.
The report then turns to the operations
in the valley. In regard to Gen. Sigel, it
saws that he was relieved at Gen. Grants
request. Concerning Gen. Hunter it says:
"Had Gen. Hunter moved by way of
Charlottesville instead of Lexington, as
his instructions contemplated, he would
have been in a position to have covered
the Shenandoah Valley against the enemy,
should the force he met have seemed to
endanger it. If it did not he would have
been within easy distance of the James
River Canalon the main line Of communi-
cation between Lynchburg and the force
sent for its defense. l have never taken
exception to the operations of General
Hunter, and l am not now disposed to
find fault with him, for l have no doubt
that he acted within what he conceived to
be the spirit of his instructions and the
interests of the service. The promptitude
of his movements and his g~allantry should
entitle him to the commentator of his
country
THE FIRST ATTEMPT TO CAPTURE PETERS
BURG.
Returning &c the Army Of the Potomac,
the report describes the movement across
the James, after the the battle of Cold
Harbor. 1t then says: after the cross
ing had commenced, 1 proceeded by
steamer to Bermuda Hundreds, to give
the necessary orders for the immediate
capture of Petersburg. The instructions
to Gen. Butler were verbal, and were for
him to send Gen. Smith Immediately. that
night, with all the troops he could give
him, without sacrificing the position he
then held. 1 told him L would return at
once to the Army of the Potomac; hasten
its crossing, and throw it forward to
Petersburg by divisions as rapidly as it
could be done; that we could reinforce
our armies more rapidly there than the
enemy could bring troops against us"
Gen. Smith got off as directed, and con-
fronted the enemy's pickets near Peters
burg before daylight the mex morning;
but for some reason that L have never been
able to satisfactorily understand, he did
not get ready to assault his main line
until near shutdown. Then, with a part
of his command, he led the assault and
carried the lines northeast of Petersburg
from the AppomattoX river, for a distance
of over two miles, capturing fifteen pieces
of artillery, and 300 prisoners. This was
about Z p. m. Between the line thus
captured and Petersburg, there was no
evidence that the enemy had reinforced
Petersburg with a single brigade from any
source.
THE night was clear, the moon shining
brightly, and favorable to further opera
tions. Gen. Hancock with two divisions
of the I'd corps, reached Gen. Smith Just
after dark, and offered the service of these
troops as he (Smith) might wish, waving
rank to that commander, who he natur-
ally supposed knew best the position olaf
fairs, and what to do with the troops; but
instead of taking these troops ana pushing
at once into Petersburg, he requested Gen.
Hancock to relieve a part of his line in
the captured works, which was done be
fore midnight. By the time | arrived the
next morning the enemy was in force. An
attack was ordered to be made at six
o'clock that evening by the troops under
Smith, und the I'd and 9th corps. 1t re-
quired until hat time for the 9th corps to
get up and into position. The attack was
made as ordered, and the fighting contin-
ued with but little intermissiOn until six
o'clock the next morning, and resulted in
our carrying the advance and some of the
main works of the enemy to the right and
left of those previously captured BY Gen.
Smith, several pieces of artillery and over
four hundred prisoners. The 5th corps
having got up, the attacks were renewed
and persisted in with great vigor on the
18th and 18th, but only resulted in forcing
the enemy to an interior line, from which
he could not be dislodged. The advantages
in position gained by us were very great.
The army then proceeded to envelop
Petersburg, toward the South Side Rail
rOsd, as far as possible, without attacking
the fertilization. On the 9th, the enemy,
to reinforce Petersburg, withdrew from
a part of his reinforcements, in front of
Bermuda Hundred, expecting, no doubt,
to get troops from the north Of the James
to take the place of those Withdrawn. Be-
fore we could discover it, General Butler
taking advantage of this, at once moved
his force on the railroad between Peters
burg and Richmond.
As soon as 1 was apprised of the advan-
tage thus gained, to retain it | ordered
two divisions of the sixth corps, Gen.
Wright commanding, that were embark
ing at Wiieox's Landing, under orders for
City Peint, to report to Gen. Butler at
Bermuda Hundreds of which Gen. But
Ter was notified, and the Importance of
holding a position in advance of his pres
ent line urged upon him. About two
o'clock in the afternoon Gen. Butler was
forced back to the line the enemy had
withdrawn from in the morning. Gen.
Wright, with his division, Joined Gen.
Butler in the forenoon of the 18th, the lat
ter still holding, with a strong picket line,
the enemy's works; but instead of putting
these divisions into the enemy's works to
hold them, he permitted them to fall back
some distance in the rear of his own line.
Between four and five O'Clock in the after
noon, the enamy attacked, drove in the
pickets, and reoceupied his old line.
EXPLOSION OF H MINE IN FRONT OF
PETERSBURG.
OF the explosion it says:
"On the morning of the Both July, be-
tween four and five o'clock, the mine was
sprung, blowing up a battery and most of
a regiment, and the advance of the assault
ing column, formed of the 9th corps, i'm
mediately took possession of the crater
made by the explosion and the line for
some distance to the right and left of it,
and a detached line for some distance to
the right and left of it, but for some cause
failed to advance promptly to the ridge
beyond. Had they done this | have every
to believe that Petersburg would
have fallen Other troops were imme-
diately pushed forward, but the time con-
sumed in getting them up enabled the
enemy to rally from his surprise, which
had been complete, and get forces to this
point for its defence. The captured line
thus held being untenable, and Of no ad-
vantage to us, the trbops were Withdrawn,
but not without heavy loss. Thus ter
minated in q disaster what promised to be
the most successful assault of the cam
SHERIDAN IN THE VALLEY.
Sheridan having been assigned to COM
mand in the valley, the Lieutenant Gen
eral, after some hesitation, and IN inter
view with Sheridan at his headquarters,
ordered an offensive movement. The Re
port continues
l may here add that the result was such
| have never since deemed IL neces-