Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-03-18
GEN. BUTLER'S ACHIEVEMENTS
NEAR PETERSBURG.


H'DQ'Rs ON BOARD GREYHOUND,
June 18th, 1854.
Hon. e. M. Stanton, Secretary of War, U.S.A.:
/ have the honor to transmit herewith,
insthe form of diary, the operations of
my troops after landing at Bermuda
Hundreds, on the Sd of May:
May 6th-I sent out Gen. Hickman,
with five regiments and two pieces of ar
tillery, toward Walthal Junction. He
met and gloriously defeated regiment
of South Carolinians, and then retired,
leaving his dead and wounded in the
hands of said Carolinians, in accordance
with the policy of embarrassing the ene-
my by such spoils, adopted by most of
our Generals in this war.
May 7th-Sent out Gen. Brooks, with
five brigades, to the same point. He
gained decisive victory over two brig
ades of rebels, and retired after dark to
our intrenchments, leaving his dead and
wounded behind. He also reports COM
plete success in burning saw-mill and
some private residences.
May 9th-Sent Gen. Gilmore to cap
ture Petersburg, as the rebels have no
works on the north side of the city. He
routed the rebels with terrible slaughter
on Swift creek, shelled Dunlops heuse.
chased an ambulance committee, com
posed of the .old gentlemen of Peters
burg burned several shanties, and re-
turned to our intrenchments.
May l3th--Sent Generals Gilmore
and Smith to capture Drewrys Bluff.
They stormed at the point of the bayonet
the works abandoned by the rebels. To-
morrow we will open up the navigation
of the James river.
May l6th-Met Gen. Gilmore retiring
with his troops to our intrenchments.
He said that Beauregard had attacked
him with musketry and he would not sub
nit to it. This, he said, was the age
of long.range artillery-musketry was
relic of barbarism he fought with 100
pound ParrCtts, on Morris Island and
woald not permit the rebels to force him
to engage in their favorite mode of war
fa-e. My headquarters were too distant
to hear the fire of musketry ; l heard the
artillery, but thought it was the rebels
blowing up their ironclad vessels We
burned four more houses to-day.
May l7th-Begun an observatory to-
day at Cobb's burnt house.
May 20th-The rebels assaulted our
rifle pits to-day.
We killed 25l7 and wounded 1868
The rebels assaulting column consisted
of Beauregard's force, Hardee's corps,
from Johnson's army, and Longstreets
corps, from Lees army, in all as shown
by captured field return, of 74,529 eff
fectives. Gen. Smith burned barn to-
day.
June 3d-My observatory is now fifty
feet high. Could see a heavy fight
raging all Day about Gains Mill with a
powerful glass l could see the rebels fly
ing in great disorder into RichmondI
counted III, 1882 fugitives from the battle
field
June 9th-I sent Gen. Gilmore with
division of infantry and Gen. Kautz with |
brigade of veteran raiders to capture |
Petersburg. Gen. kautz gained glori- |
GUS victory over fully two hundred mill
tiameu, on the Jerusalem Plank road, |
but being aanked on the right, left and |
centre, he was compelled to retire after
burning several houses. Gen. Gilmore |
pushed up the City Point road until be
discovered that the rebels we're armed
with muskets and rifles, when he returned,
and now proposes to establish battery
of Rodman guns on the top Of my OBJ
servatory (already two hundred feet
high ] held this post during the whole
of the fierce contest to-day, but escaped
unhurt- 1t is only eight miles from Pc
tersburg.
June l5th-Gen. Badly Smith sur
prised and captured the Notifications
around Petersburg this morning.
The rebel troops and trains can be
seen from my observatory lnow 500 feet
high, flying in the widest confusion TO
the north side Of the Appomattox. Do
they think that my side Of the river IS
the safest2
June l5th-With two brigsdes Of my
full regiment OF rebel sharp
shooters was driven from my front, and
the railroad torn up at Walthal junction.
could see the whole Of the brilliant at
fair from my lookout NOV 400 feet high. } |
June 18th, 7am.-Hancock and Smith
oapiared Petersburg last night From
ny stand NOV 300 feet highl, ! can see
the hills around Petersburg covered Eith |
Union troops
II m.-The fog has lifted up and the
troops which see around Petersburg
are Lees ragged rebels
June leth--I bad almost omitted to
state that 10000 rebels charged ny
small force, and retcok their old line III
front Of Mr.. Hovletfs When the firing
commenced I vas obliged 10 leave my