Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-22


the line Of the North Anna river and the cross
ing Of the Virginia Central and the Fredericks-
burg railroads at Hanover junction ahead Of
the confederates, or some other position which
would force Lee to fight an offensive battle at a
disadvantage. Grants object was to destroy
Lees army, not solely to capture Richmond.
Hancock's corps arrived at Guiney's station
at daylight on the 21st, dispensing a small con-
federate force. Pushing on, by evening Of
that day the second corps was at Milford sta
ton, where the railroad crosses the Mattapony
river. Here Hancock drove off Kemper's
brigade, on the way from Richmond to REIN
force Lee, capturing the bridge and few
prisoners. He was stopped at Milford until
the rest of the army could be brought for
ward.
Warren followed Hancock on the morning of
the Dist, pursuing the same circuitous route by
Guiney's. Burnside and Wright were left in
position at Spottsylvania. menacing the rebel
lines twelve hours longer, to deceive and de-
tain Lee and cover the movement of the others.
In the afternoon the sixth corps attacked
by some of HILLS troops, probably in an effort
to determine what the Union people were at.
They were repulsed The attempt of Burnside
to move southwark by the Telegraph road was
stopped by an intrenched line of confederates
at STANDARDS Mills, and he thereupon con-
cluded to follow Warrens and Hsncock's line
of march. Wright also withdrew and followed
the others that night.
These movements were all made with the
utmost circumspection, and Hancock gained
the lead desired but the failure of the other
corps to secure shorter lines on which to
quickly close up lost the advantage of his
twelve hours start, for he had to be stopped
at Milford as measure of precauton until
they could march around by the same route to
his support, lest Lee should suddenly pounce
upon his isolated corps and destroy it. Lee
held the road running directly south from
Fredericksburg to Richmond. known as the
Telegraph road, below point to the southeast
of Spottsylvania, where burnside had been
stopped, and consequently the shorter line to
the North Anna.
HOW LEE MET THE MOVEMENT.
Lee was not long deceived. He discovered
Hancocks march on the 2lst and also the sub
sequent movements of the other corps. He
made no attempt to strike Hancock, as Grant
had hoped he might but merely began extend
ing southwark on the Telegraph road to meet
the federal fanking columns on the Bowling
Green road, to the east. His game was simply
to throw himself in the way of Grant. On the
22d he abandoned Spottsylvania entirely, NOV
ing down the Telegraph road ahead of the
Union army, and was that day already across
the North Anna with the head of Ewells
column. His army was then massed behind
that river, holding a wedge-shaped position,
with the point headed ON the river at Ok ford
and the wings thrown back and covered by a.
line of works as strong as those he had left at
Spottsylvana. Thus Grants main object was
defeated, though he was nearer Richmond.
But his army was close after Lee. Warren's
corps struck the North Anna five miles above
the Telegraph road at Jericho ford, where he
crossed by the night of the 23d. While getting
into position just before nightfall he was sud-
denly and violently attacked by Hill. who at
first caused some confusion in Cutters division.
There was a sharp battle of few minutes and