The National tribune., 1904-07-07

ueQ. NIllln ndu Uetu lutOIucu thdI -.
fortifcations were such that cavalry couid
ride over them"-a representation that did
not turn out to be justified by experience;
for kautz, who, with his mounted division,
essayed to work his way round on the left,
found himself completely estopped by a
heavy fire, and in front the approaches
were discovered to be SO covered by the
play of artillery from the works, that
from every point on which Smith attempted
to place batteries to silence the enemys
fire the guns were speedily driven off ~
1t could not be detected that any heavy
force of infantry was manning the fortifi-
ration but it was not judged probable
that so considerable an artillery force
would be there without support.
ATTACK BY sKIRMIsHERs.
After surveying the ground and making
his dispositions, which consumed all the
afternoon, Gen. Smith, thinking that the
assault of the works by column would,
from the fire of the enemy's guns, cost too
great a sacrifice, determined to try heavy
line Of skirmishers. Accordingly, toward
p. m..(S cloud of tirailleurs was ad-
vanced from the divisions of Hinks on the
left, Brooks in the center, and Martindale
on the right (the rest of whose command
awaited in line of battle to follow up any
success). and. under a sharp infantry fire.
carried the line. Brooks captured the
works on the salient, with several hundred
prisoners and four guns, which. double
shotted with canister. had been kept in
waiting for the expected column of assault
links on the left. and Martindale on the
right, followed up the success. the colored
troops CARRYING four of the redoubts with
their artillery.
Thus auspiciously opened the operations
on the south side of the James; the lines
of Observation-Disclosures as it proved. by
an inconsderable force, and by local militia
made up of boys and old men of the town
were carried. But as it was almost dark
when the operations l have described closed,
the troops rested on their arms in the
works gained, without the possession either
of Petersburg or the line of the Appomat-
tox-an event whence sprang a long Iliad
of woes.
UNHAPPY RESULTS OF UNNECESSARY DELAY
AT OUTER LINES.
During the day on which these events in
front of Petersburg were occurring. the
Army of the Potomac still continued the
process of filing across the James.
and at the same time Lee was passing his
army to the south side above, near Drury's
Bluff. BY the morning of the 10Th. how
ever, the same morning on which Smith
moved toward Petersburg, Hancock's Corps
had been all ferried to the south side OF
the James, and it would have been a sim
pie matter to have directed that corps on
to unite with Smiths command
Had this been done, Petersburg and the
line of the Appomattox would have been in
possession of the Union force before night
The circumstance by which it failed to be
done forms one of the most curious epi-
sodes in the conduct of this campaign.
1t would seem as though Gen. Grant ex-
pected that Petersburg would fall an easy
prey to Buffers force; for he left both
Gen. Meade and Gen. Hancock wholly un-
aware of his design to secure the capture
of that place. Hancock was directed to re-
main at the point at which he had crossed
till rations, which Gen. Butler was to send,
should be received and issued, and then to
march in the direction Of Petersburg, and
take up a position where the City Point
Railroad crosses Harrison's Creek" After
waiting till about 10 o'clock in the fore
noon, and finding that the expected rations
did not arrive, he ordered the forward
march of his column toward his assigned
position on Harr;son's Creek-a position
which was marked on a map furnished him
from headquarters. and on which it was
located at about four miles from Peters
burg. and between that place and City
Point. AS it proved, however, the map
was utterly incorrect, and Harrison's
Creek. instead of being at the locality in
dicated on the map, was miles away, and
actually inside the enemy's lines.
At length, at 5 80 in the afternoon,
while pushing forward to reach this myth
ical objective, Hancock received a dispatch
from Gen. Grant, directing him to use all
haste in getting up to the assistance of
Gen. Smith. who. as the paper stated. had
attacked Petersburg(9) and carried the
outer works in front Of that place.