The National tribune., 1910-08-18
CHARGING PETERSBURG

CHARGlNG iii
vanced they saw that the enemy had
improved the time to construct a new
line of formidable works. Among these
were some very strong ones on high
point marked on the maps as the Avery
House.
The appearance of things was so un-
prepossessing that Meade sent warning
to Hancock not to attack until the rest
of the army should come up. Burnside
reached the front at noon with the
Ninth Corps, and Warren arrived with
the Fifth Corps at dusk. Orders We're
issued for Hancock and Burnside TO at
tack at o'clock, with Smith to make
a demonstration on the right. The at
tack was led by Gen. Egan and his bri-
gade with their usual gallant dash, by
which a redan was captured and con-
siderable length of intrenchment. At
p. m. more general assault was
made by the Second Corps supported
by two brigades of the Eighteenth on
the right and two of the Ninth on the
left. In this three redans were cap
tured, and the whole Confederate line
driven back, but at heavy cost TO The
assailants. The Confederates made sew
eral counter assaults to recover what
they had lost, but failed in each. Among
those killed on our side was Col. Pat
rick Kelly, SSth n. Y, commanding the
Irish Brigade, who fell while Val.antly
leading his men. Col. Beaver, 14Sth
Pa, was severely wounded and lost a
leg. The heavy fighting continued un-
til it was put an end 10 by the thick
darkness. In the course of the fighting
Gen. Hancock, bitterly against his will
found il necessary TO ask to be relieved
On account of the pain caused by the
breaking out of his Gettysburg wound,
and Gen. Birney took command of the
corps. Gen. Meade had been sent to
push the attack strongly, both to gain
the ad .:intage of the ground and to
keep the enemy occupied.
Gen. Grant himself rode back to Gen.
Buffers headquarters at Bermuda Hum
dred to provide against Lees attacking
that position and carrying it by the
force which he was hurrying forward
from Drewry's Bluff Butler pushed
forward Terry's Division, which had
found the Richmond End Petersburg
road quite uncovered Lee had ordered
that the troops in front of Butler
should not be withdrawn until Long
streets Corps, marching toward Peters,
burg, should arrive to relieve them.
This order had not been obeyed, end
the troops pushed on to meet the emer-
gency at Petersburg. Part of Terry's
force began to destroy the track, while
another part moved by the pike toward
Richmond. This latter column had rot
gone far when il met the enemy march
ing toward Petersburg, and found IT
prudent to withdraw within the works
at Bermuda Hundred.
Meade's Sensitiveness.
Gen. Meade's irascible temper mad
grown daily sharper under the constant
battling of efforts TO destroy the Con-
federate army and the mistakes and
shortcomings inevitable in his subor-
dinates during such prolonged, trying
and eventful campaign. He repeatedly
offered to resign, but was consoled and
placated by Gen. Grant, and his COM
mander's assurance that he was doing
all that was possible for anyone to do
and his course entirely satisfactory to
him, which helped to serene his mind
somewhat. He was seven years older
4han Gen. Grant, and possibly this had
something TO do with his asperity What
excited him most TO anger was the re-
port in some of the newspapers that on
the second night of the Wilderness he
had advised a retreat across the Rap
idan. He went 10 see Gen. Grant with
his wrath boiling over. Gen. Porter
says Of this:
He said that the rumor had been
circulated thruout the press, and would
be believed by many OF the people and
perhaps by the authorities in Washing
ton. Mr.. Dana. the Assistant Secretary
OF War, who was still with the army,
was present at the interview, and he
and Gen. Grant tried to console Meade
by assurances that the story would not
be credited, and that they would give a
broad contradiction TO H. Mr.. Dana at
once sent a dispatch to the Secretary of
War, alluding to the rumor, and saving:
This is entirely untrue. He has not
shown any weakness of the sort since
moving from Culpeper, nor once init
mated a doubt as to the successful issue
of the campaign The Secretary replied
the next day, saying: Please say 10
Gen. Meade that the lying report al
luded to in your telegram was not even
for a moment believed by the President
or myself. We have the most perfect
confidence in him. He could not wish
q more exalted estimation of his abil-
ity, his firmncss and every quality of q
commanding General than is enter
tanned for him. The newspaper CORE
spondent who had been the author oi
this slander was seized and placed on a
horse with large placards hung upon
his breast and back bearing the inscrip-
ton: Libeler of the press and
drummed out of camp There had
never been moment when Meade had
not been in favor of bold and vigorous
advances, and he would have been the
last man TO counsel a retreat"
The Fighting of June II.
Gems. Grant and Meade were desirous
Of gaining all the advantage possible
before Lee should arrive TO reinforce