The National tribune., 1904-07-07

lnlS OrQer, winch was f0e orSt lntlma-
tion Gen. Hancock had received that
Petersburg was to be attacked that day,
or that Gen. Smith was operating against
it, (1O) met him when he was some miles
distant from Petersburg. He Immediately
FASTENED forward his command, but was
unable to join Gen. Smith till after the at
tack had been made; and, although he
then proffered his troops to Gen. Smith,
that officer had determined to suspend
operations for the night. judging ii wiser
to hold securely what had been won. then
by attempting to reach the bridges, to risk
the loss of all the gain. (1D
GRANT WAS RESPONSIBLE
Whether Gen. Smith, in thus acting, did
can be no question as to who is really re-
sponsible for the failure TO take Peters
burg This is no other than the Lieutenant
General himself (12) Yet, as the event
proved, it was fortunate it was not taken.
The resolution on the part of the Confed-
crates to try out the issue of the war there.
gave the Union army an excellent line of
operations on an easy base; whereas. had
Petersburg fallen. Lee would have retired
from Richmond to the interior, thus greatly
complicating matters.
During the night of the 18th, the van of
Lees army reached the town, and men of
a very different mettle from the crude SOL
diers to whom it's defense had been in
trusted silently deployed in line of battle.
In the morning it was found that new
line of works had been thrown up around
the town, defended by large force already
present, which was constantly reinforced
by the rapidly-arriving Confederate corps
1t was soon manifest that the "Cockade
City," which the day before was the open
prize of the first captor, would demand for
its possession a battle or a siege. As the
down before it in formal beleaguerment,
and it was not till after the lapse of near
twelvemonth that. in the last act of the
eventful drama of the war, Petersburg fell.
THE ARMY BEFORE PETERSBURG.
In its strategic relations to Richmond.
Petersburg may be defined as fortress
thrust forward on the flank of the Confed-
crate Capital. The great lines of supply
for an army covering Richmond-the
Lynchburg Railroad. James River Canal
and Danville Railroad--run into that city
from westerly and southwesterly direc
ton. But Petersburg, securely held, easily
holds off at arm's-ength any force threat
ening the communications of the Confed
crate Capital. 1t is distant 22 miles south
from Richmond, with which city it is con-
nected by the Petersburg 4 Richmond
Railroad, while by means Of the Lynch
burg Railroad it taps the great Danville
line, and from the south II receives the
Weldon and the Norfolk Railroads. In
case it should lose the two latter, as would
be likely if assailed by force following
the line of operations Of the Union army,
there remained the two former, which from
their situation are almost anassailable.
Invested with this values Petersburg
could not fail to be a possession coveted
with equal eagerness by each combatant.
This was indeed the case: Grant had de-
signed TO seize it before the Confederate
army could join the meager local force left
for it's defense; and Lee. as soon as the
transfer of the Army of the Potomac to
the south side Of the James had plainly
declared his rivals purpose, drew his col
umns also to the south bank and hurried
them forward to Petersburg, where they
began to arrive during the flonrs of dark
ness that followed the assault on. the even
ing Of the 18th of June.
How nearly Petersburg then fell prize
to Smiths coup de main has already been
seen. But night suficed to throw into the
city Confederate force SO considerable as
to insure that it's capture would cost
severe struggle.
The morning of the 10th found on the
Union side present before Petersburg no
more than the two corps of Smith and
Hancock: the remaining corps were distant
several hours march. The center of the
line of retlans enveloping the city from the
south had been penetrated the night be-
fore, and the positions then gained were
securely held by the Union force. But the
Confederates clung tenaciously to hastily
improvised line close in the rear of the
lost point; and this on it's left flank ran
into portions of the original system of