The National tribune., 1904-07-07
ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.
Continusd from first paEe)
umn advancing toward Petersburg from the
direction Of Richmond. (16)

umn advancing toward Petersburg from the
direction Of Richmond. (16)
OPERATIONS ON THE 17TH.
The attack was renewed by Hancock and
Burnside on the morning of the 18th. The
former succeeded in taking some impor-
tant ground on his front. (1O The attack
of the latter was directed against part
Of the enemy's original line of works that
had not yet been carried and resulted in
the capture of redoubt. four guns. and
several hundred prisoners. (1S) In the
afternoon the Ninth Corps made another
attack, in which Barlow's Division of the
Second Corps participated, losing heavily
in killed, wounded. and prisoners l9)
After heavy fighting, and the failure OF
two attacks, Burnside succeeded in getting
across part of the enemy's line; but his
left was pressed very hard and continually
ground away, so that finally his line was
at right angles across the enemy's. Craw-
ford's Division of Warrens Corps was then
put in on the left in support. 1t was al
ready near dusk, and Crawford's troops
became bewldered in the ravines, but ad-
vanced nevertheless. and his right went
into the enemys lines, capturing a num-
Der of prisoners and the flag Of an Alabama
regiment. The enemy had during the day
made several sorties and sallies to regain
the positions taken, and after dark leaped
the breastwork Burnside had captured and
drove him out The loss during the day
was heavy-numbering about 4,OOO men.
These attacks had. however. established
an integral line for the army. (2O)
REBELS CONTRACT AND HOLD THEIR LINES
This result being accomplished. a gen
eral assault of the enemy's position was
ordered for the morning of the 18th. When
however, the skirmishers moved forward
nt1nS.
the temporary line held by him, giving ul
what works remained of the original sys
tenn of intrenchments, and had taken up q
| new and systematic line, drawn on com
| manding ground closer around Petersburg
| (2l
This required new dispositions, and th'
general assault was deferred till O'Clock
| complete repulse at every point, and was
attended with another mournful loss oil
| life. (22)
| INTRENCHING BEFORE PETERSBURG.
| The constant inspiration of these attacks
had been the belief that Petersburg could
| be carried before Lee succeeded in yet
bringing up the whole of his troops. The
result convinced Gen. Grant that this hope
| was now vain. and that further attack was
equally so. The troops were therefore or
dered to begin intrenching a systematic
line A few days labor brought this into
| such condition that the front could be held
by part Of the army, allowing the rest to
be cut loose for manuvers to the left. Ac-
cordingly, on the 21st. the Second and
Sixth Corps were dispatched On that flank
to effect q closer development of Peters
burg on the south side. The Second Corps
having the lead, proceeded westward to the
Jerusalem plank road, which runs south
ward from Petersburg, nearly midway be-
tween the Norfolk and the Weldon Rail
| roads. After some skirmishing it estab-
lished itself in position on the west side
of that road. connecting with Grf6n's Divi-
sion of the Fifth Corps. which held post on
the east side During the night, the Sixth
Corps coming up, extended to the left and
rear of the Second Corps, and the Cav
airy Divisions of Wilson and Kautz were
sent to cut the Weldon and Southside Rail
roads.
of the infantry by means of the Sixth
Corps to the Weldon Railroad; but as the
indication of this purpose instantly devel-
Oped very menacing demonstrations on the
part of the enemy, the movement to the
railroad was suspended, and Gen. Birney.
who at this time commanded the Second
Corps, during temporary disability Of
Gen. Hancock. (23) was ordered to swing
forward the left of the Second Corps, so
dS LID cAStlOp tue IiSHt AdHh vi Liz tiCiit
works. This movement. made by the divi-
sions Of Mott and Barlow (pivoting on the
right division under Gibbon. which was al
ready in close contact with the enemy
was executed without reference to the
Sixth Corps, and, of course. carried the
Second away from that corps. leaving. as
the former advanced, a wide and widening
gap between the two.
ENEMY USED AN OPENING.
The operation had nearly been COM
pleted, Motifs Division had secured its posi-
ton on the left of Gibbon, and was in
trenching itself and BarlOw's Division was
force of the enemy, composed of part of
Hills Corps. advancing in column by bri-
gades, penetrated the interval between the
left of the Second and the right of the
Sixth Corps. The shock was soon felt on
the fianks Of both these corps. but especial
ly OH the left of the Second. Barlow's
Division, rolled up like a scroll. recoled in
Mott, ON his right. fell back, but not with
out like loss and the enemy. still press
ing dagonally across the front of the corps,
struck Gibbons now exposed left flank and
rear, swept off and captured several entire
regiments and a battery, and carried Glib
bon's ntrenchments-the rest of the orig
inal line of the Second Corps remaining
intact.
The shattered corps was reformed on its
original line. when the enemy made brisk
attack on Miles's Brigade. but was easily
repulspd. The Confederates, however, held
the intrenchments taken from Gibbon un-
til they had removed the captured guns.
only feeble effort being made to retake
them. They then withdrew as suddenly as
they had made their swoop, carrying with
them 2,oOO prisoners and many standards.
The disaster was due mo less to the lack
of spirit displayed by the troops than tosthe
unwise order for the advance of the two
corps The Sixth Corps also lost several
which had been designed against the enc
my's communications by the Weldon Rail
16 The urgency for troops at Petersburg
had caused the withdrawal of the main
Confederate force from Buffers front at
Bermuda Hundred. Butler then threw for