The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-02-10


TO Company 3, Captain james E. Wolfe,
second-class militia.
Bcallregard Too Much for Butler.
General Butler. however, made Rich
mond his objective point Of attack. and
lot Petersburg. He soon found he
Lad caught a3Tnrtars IN General Benure-
gard. and after tho severe defeat he
sustained at his hands, the military
nerves Of our modern Achilles were
SO unstrung that he had no, stomach
for any further lighting Mt that time.
The Richmond Examiner" of the day
indeed nptly compared Butler to q ''tur-
key buzzard matched against great
Eyr faleon,"s and the result proved
the truthEof its Demonstrations
Finding thntHthe enemy did not APP
Pear to be disposed to modest us, many
went buck to their various occupations,
but ready to be called upon at mo-
ments warning, and 80 1t happened
that on the fateful day our force was
considerably diminished. During this
time. however, we were marched from
CHE point to another on the lines find
Ing ourselves at last doing duty on the
farm Of Mr.. Timothy Rives, on the
Jerusalem Plank Road, south OF the
town. 49, aG5 s ttty
During the interim we were employed
in the usual avocatlons of camp life
drilling, doing guard and picket duty;
when not thus engaged. amusing our
selves as best we might. Quoit-throw-
ing was a favorite past1me. do not
remember that cards were INDUCED in
our company at least. as there was
amongst us quite sprinlklinE OF eld-
crly mon, deacons and elders of
churches. not usually given to- such
worldly recreations. Ks Snss
News regularly reached us, Of course
of the heroic deeds of that noble Army
of Northern Virginia. whose wonderful
victories against tremendous odds eX-
cited our unbounded admiration and the
wonder of the civilized world
We had an oracle In camp whose
fertile brain found ample scope for tho
exercise of his peculiar talents. He
could draw diagrams, locate armies,
make flank movements and show to a
very sympathetic audience how Lee
would whip them again. Indeed, many
believed that that peerless commander
would by some mastery stroke Of
strategy hurl back his endmies once
more to the Potomac.
One night when on picket near the
railroad. sitting around blazing camp
fire, our oracle exclaimed with unwont-
ed enthusiasm: II could take dozen
=
and keep back a whole regiment Of
Yankees" This was very amusing, but
It seems something like prophecy as
to what did occur later on.
The fateful day at length drew near
Butler, aroused from his inertia and
fully appraised OF tho weakness Of our
Gefenses. made an EFFORT to redeem his
reputation. and adopted the plan Of as
sailing Petersburg at two points
simultaneously. The Federal General
Gilmore, with a force of forty five hun
d:ed men was directed to move upon
The defenses of the city on tho east
along the City Point Road, while Cen
eral Kauta, with force Of cavalry
(stated In the Federal reports at thir-
teen hundred men and four pieces of ar
tillery), was to attack on the south
ct the town on the Jerusalem Plank
Road s9t313ty.t+6s 4Ef'
AS General Kautz had some fifteen
miles to travel, and General Gilmore
only four. the latter was to time his
movements so that they could attack
as nearly simultaneously as possible
upon hearing the sound OF the others
guns. ,5,
Petersburg to Be Crushed.
Thus, with & combined force Ct about
six thousand men arrnyed against few
hundred men, mostly raw militia, de.
Tending the long limo OF wolkss cncir-
cling tho city, operating as Stated al
two separate points, Petersburg was tc
be crushed like an egg-shell between
tho prongs of this military forceps, nnd
the city swept with the bosom Of de-
struction.
That the very safety Of the homes Of
the people of Petersburg was imperlled
II their livas ha ~ u,t
from orders given to the Federal Gen
eral FIickes by General Gilmore will
abundantly prove: Should you pene.
trate .the town before General Kau.z
who is to attack on tho Jerusalem Road
the public buildings, public stores
bridges across the Appomattox, depots
and cars are all to be destroyed.
Whether the destruction was TO be 40.
compished by the torch or by explo.
slves, it is evident that Il universal con
flagation might have ensued during the
general distress and confusion.
This movement was originally devised
by, the Federal general to take place on
the 10Th of May, but was postponed on
account of other movements. 1t was
| doubtless intended to be the forerunnei
| of Grants subsequent move upon Peters.
| burg. The inspiration evidently came
! from General Grant, for In a bitter letter
written by General Butler to General
| Gilmore after the operations of the day,
csnsuring him In unmensured terms for
| his failure, he mentions the fact of ar
officer OF General Grants staff being
present when instructions We're given Il
him. General Gilmore failed to carr!
ont his instructions, and wrote the fol.
| lowing letter to General Butler:
Headquarters.
'Elck Jordan's, June 8. 1864 IL 80 p. M
"Major-General Butler:
~ found the enemy prepared for me tc
| all appearances, A prisoner says oul
movement WAS known at 100 this morning
' and that reipforcemcnts arrived by rail
| road General Kinks, on the Jordan!
| Point road. says he cannot carry III,
works in his front, and that since he ar
rived there, al Zoo a. NJ. two more re
! giEnents have been added to the intrench
ments coming from the city. In Hawley'
t.lront the works are as strong, ! SHOULD
think. as our own on Terrys front Ii
my opinion, they cannot be carried ny tn
force / have. Distant firing on my ex
treme left has been heard for the las
hour and a half, ] therefore judge tina
ISantZ nnds himself opposed / am abou