The National tribune., 1904-08-11
Gen. Grant Plans and Begins the Grand
Turning Movement Which Is to Force Lee
Out Of Petersburg and Richmond.

Gen. Grant Plans and Begins the Grand
Turning Movement Which Is to Force Lee
Out of Petersburg and Richmond.
Lees act of offense neither retarded nor
precipitated the catastrophe. for Grant
having forefixed the Doth of March as the
day ON which he would open the campaign,
held firmly to his intent, pushing forward
meanwhile his preparations for Il grand
movement.
To exhibit in it's details the plan of op-
erations devised by the Lieutenant-Gen-
eral. give herewith, the text of the order
then drawn up.
City Point, Va, March "a, 1865.
General: On the 18th instant the ar
mics operating against Richmond will be
moved by our left for the double purpose
of turning the enemy out of his present
position around Petersburg, and TO insure
the success of the cavalry under Gen.
Sheridan, which will start at the same
time, in its efforts to reach and destroy
the Southside and Danville Railroads. Two
corps of the Army of the Potomac will be
moved at first in two columns, taking the
two roads crossing Hatcher's Run nearest
where the present line held by us strikes
that stream, both moving toward Din
widdle Courthouse.
The cavalry under Gen. Sheridan,
joined by the division now under Gen.
Davies, will move at the same time by the
Weldon road and the Jerusalem plankroad,
turning west from the latter before cross
ing the NOttoway, and west with the whole
column before reaching Stony Creek. Gen.
Sheridan will then move independently,
under other instructions which will be
given him. All dismounted cavalry be-
longing to the Army of the Potomac, and
the .djsmounted cavalry from the Middle
60 limo
erty belonging to their arm of service, will
report to Brig. Gen. Benham, to be added
to the defenses of City Point. Maj-Gen.
Park will be left in command of all the
army left for holding the lines about
Petersburg and City Point, subject, of
the Army of the Potomac. The Ninth
Army Corps will be left intact to hold
the present line of works, SO long as the
whole line now occupied by US is held. If.
however, the troops to the left OF the
Ninth Corps are withdrawn, then the left
of the corps may be thrown back so as to
occupy the position held by the army prior
to the capture OF the Weldon road. All
troops to the left of the Ninth Corps will
be held in readiness to move at the short
est notice by such route as may be de-
signated when the order is given.
Gen. Ord will detach three divisions,
two white and one colored, or SO much of
them as he can, and hold his present lines,
and march for the present left of the
Army of the Potomac. In the absence of
further orders, until further orders are
given, the white divisions will follow the
left column of the Army of the Potomac.
and the col0red division the right column.
During the movement. Maj j.-Gen. Weitzel
will be left in command Of all the forces
remaining behind from the Army Of the
James.
The movement of troops from the
Army of the James will commence on the
night of the 21st instant. Gen. Ord will
leave behind the minimum number of cav
airy necessary for picket duty, in the alb
seDce of the main army. A cavalry expe-
dition from Gen. Ord's command will also
be started from Suffolk, to leave there on
Saturday. the 1st Of April, under Col.
Sumner, for the purpose Of cutting the rail
road about Hicksford. This, if accom-
therefore from 800 to 800 men will be
sufficient. They should, however, be sup
ported by all the infantry that can be
spared from Norfolk and Portsmouth, as
far out as to where the cavalry crosses
the Blackwater. The crossing should prob
ably be at Uniten. Should Col. Sumner
succeed in reaching the Weldon road, he
will be instructed to do all the damage
possible TO the triangle of roads between
HicksfOrd, Weldon, and CASTOR. The
railroad-bridge at Weldon being fitted up
for the passage of carriages it might be
of supplies the enemy may have collected
south of the Roanoke. All the troops will
move with four days rations in haver.
sacks, and eight days in wagons. To avoid
as much hauling as possible, and to give
the Army of the James the same number
of days supply with the Army of the Pc.
tOmac, Gen. Ord will direct his Commits
sary and Quartermaster to have sufficient
supplies delivered at the terminus of the
road TO NIL up In passing. Sixty rounds OF
ammunition per man will be taken in
wagons, and much grain as the trans
portation on hand will carry. after taking
the specified amount of other supplies
The densely wooded country in which the
army has to operate making the use OF
much artillery impracticable. the amount
taken with the army will be reduced t.
six or eight guns to each division, at the
option of the avny commanders.
All necessary preparations for carry
Ing these directions into operation may be
commenced at once. The reserves of the
Ninth Corps should be massed as much a,
possible. Whilst / would not now order
an unconditional attack on the enemy.
line by them, they should be ready, ant
should make the attack. if the enem,
weakens his line in their front. withou
waiting for orders. In case they carr,
the line, then the whole Ninth Corps conll
follow up, as 10 join or cooperate will
the balance of the army. To prepare TO
this, the Ninth Corps will have ration
issued to them. same as the ba lance of TN
army. Gen. Weitzel will keep vigilan
watch upon his front. and if found at al
practicable to break through at any point
he will do so. success north of In
James should be followed up with grea
prOmptness. An attack will not be feas
ible unless it is found that the enemy ha
detached largely. In that case it may b
regarded as evident that the enemy ar
relying upon their local reserves prime
pally for the defense of Richmond Pret
arations may be made for abandoning a
the line north of the James. except in
closed wOrks-Only TO be abandoned. how
ever, after a break is made in the lines O
the enemy.
by these instructions a large part O
the armies operating against Richmon
is left behind. The enemy. knowing thi.
may, as an only chance strip their line
to the merest skeleton in the hope of nd
vantage not being taken of it, whilst the
hprl every thing against the moving co
ufnn, and return. 1t cannot be impresse
tDo strongly upon commanders of troop
left in the trenches not to allow this /
occur without taking advantage of it. Tn
very fact OF the enemy coming out to al