Litchfield enquirer., 1866-01-04


 ing the day, but failed. The a was spent in
 getting troops into position for an attack on the 3d. On the sd of June, we again assaulted
 the enemys works, in the hope of driving him
 from his position. In this attemptour loss was
 heavy. while that of the enemy,I have reason s, 10 belsre vas comparatively light. It was the Ionly general attack made from the Rapidan to the James, which did not inflict upon the enc.
 my losses to compensate for our own losses =
 I would not be understood as saying that all
 previous attacks resulted in victories to cur
 arms, or accomplished as much as had hoped
 from them; but they inflicted upon the enemy
 severe losses, which tended in the end, to the
 complete overthrow of the rebellion. Fromths proximity of the enemy to his de. fences around Richmond, it was impossible by any flank movement to interpose between him
 and the city. was still in condition to eith-
 CT move by his left flank and invest Richmond
 from the north side. or continue any move by
 his right flank to tbe south side of the James.
 While the former might have been as cover
 ing for Washington, yet full survey of all the
 ground satisfied me that it would be impracti. cable to hold line north and east of Rich-
 moad that would protect the Fredericksburg railroad-a long. vulnerable line. which would exhaust much of our strength to guard, and
 that would have to be protected to supply tn e army. and would leave opea to the enemy all his lines of communication on the south side of the James. My idea. from the start, had been to beat Lees army north of Richmond, if possible, Then. after destroying his lines of communication north of the James river, to transfer the army to the south side and besiege Lee in Richmond, or follow him south if he should retreat. After the battle of the Will. ldernessit was evident that the enemy deemed it of the 6rst importance to run no risks. with the army he then had. He acted purely on the defensive behind breastworks, or f.ebly on the offensive immediately in front of them, and where, iG casa of repulss, he could easily retire behind them. Without greater sacrifice of iifs than was willing to make. all could not be accomplished tkat-I had designed north of
 Richmond. therefore determined to continue to hold substantially the ground we. then occu- pied, taking advantage of any favorable circum- stances that might presen themselves until the cavalry could be sent to Charlottesville and Gordonsville, to efsctually break up the rail- road communication between Richmond and the Shenandoah valley and Lynchburg and when fhs cavalry got we'll of. to move the at my to the south of the James river. by the ene- my's right flank, where felt could cut of all his sources ofsupply except by the canal.
 F On the 7th. two divisions of cavalry, under General Sheridan. get of on the expedition against the Virginia Central Railroad, with n- structioDs to Hunter. whom l hoped he would meet near Charlottesville, to join his forces to -sheridan's, and after the work laid ont for them vas thoroughly done. to join the army of the Potomac by the route laid down in sheridau's instructions.
 On the 10th of June General Butler sent a force of infantry under General GiIImore. and cavalry under General Kauiz, to capture Ps- 'tersburg if possible, and destroy the railroad and common bridges across the Appomattox The cavalry carried the works on the south side, and penetrated well in towards the town. but were forced to retire. General Gilmore, find ing the works which he approached very strong. and deeming an assault impracticable, returned to Bermuda Hundred without attempting one d.JAttaching great importance to the possess ion of Petersbure, T sent back to Bermuda Hun Idred and City Point General Smith s command by water, via White House, to reach there in badvaoce of the army of the Potomac. This
 was for the express purpose of securing Peters burg before the enemy, becoming aware of our intention, could re-enforce the place.
 1.-The movement from Cold Harbor commenc- ed after dark on the evening of the l2th, one. division of cavalry. under General " ilson. and thel5th corps. crossed the Chickahominy at
 Long Bridge, and moved out to White Oak Swamp, to cover the crossing ofthe other corps. The advance corps reached James river at Will COTS landing and Charles City Court House, on the night of the 18th.
 During three long years the armies ot the Potomac and northern Virginia had been con. fronting each other. h that time they had fought more desperate battles than it probably
 ever before fell to the lot of two armies to fight.
 without materially changing the vantage ground |e ef either. The southern press and people, with Itnors shrswdness than was displayed in the
 host6. ahding that they had failed to capture
 NsshinstoA snd mach on to New York. as