The Washington herald., 1914-10-27

Fifty years ago today the Federals un-
der Gen. Grant were baked at Hatchers
Run in an attempt to seize the south
Side Railroad, west OF Petersburg, and
compelled by force Of circumstances to
make their way back to their old posi-
iions. from which they had marched to
attack the Confederate right flank.
The operations OF the day. known as
the battle OF Hatchers Run or Boydton
Plank road, were to be the last under
taken by the Federals before winter
shut down upon the scene and sus-
pend active work Of beseiged and be-
siegers alike for several months They
were productive of no results, save that
they made Grant more familiar with the
field west Of Petersburg-a familiarity
that was to prove an asset in the closing
hours OF the war.
The whole trend of the Federal opera
tions at Petersburg had been toward the
west. Grant kept pushing his lines fur
ther and further in that direction. hop
ing to outstTetch the Confederates- and
To finally force Lee to surrender or re-
treat He now determined to throw
heavy mass of troops on the extreme
Confederate right, to break through their
lines. which he supposed had been
stretched TO a breaking point
He had been informed by deserters and
spies that Gen. Lee had extended his in
trenchments as far as the north bank
OF Hatchers Run and that the line at
that point was incomplete and very
weak. II was decided that the first blow
should fall at that point. and that
simultaneous movement should be made
far to Lees rear. to hold the South Side
Railroad and the BOydton Plank road.
the last an important highway leading
out of Petersburg from the southwest.
Grants Move Delayed.
The troops selected for this work had
been carefully withdrawn from the
trenches on October &c. Two divisions Of
Gen. W. s. Hancock's Second Corps, un-
der Gems. GershOm Mott and Thomas w.
Egan, the latter being Gibbons division
together about 1000 men. marched from
their bivouac on the Weldon railroad
at $50 in the morning. and at dawn
reached the south bank of HatChers
Run. \ stout resistance by a small body
= Confedsrates in rife pits delayed the
advance, but by noon Hancock had
reached the Boydton road after p harl
march over n narrow caTt-Toad through
the woods around Porters Mill. south
west OF the run.
The cooperating force comprising the
bulk OF the Fifth Corps. under Gen. G.
X. Warren. and the Ninth Corps, under
Gen. John C. PaTke. had not Jared so
well. The day had dawned dark and
rainy and the movement Of troops had
been slow II was found that the de-
serters' reports had been inaccurate, for
Lees defenses were fully completed and
covered by a well-laid abbatis OF trees.
Gen. Parke determined not to attempt
an assault and he was sustained by Gen.
Warren. who was close in his rear. II
was now decided that Warren should
cross Hatchers Run and move up the
south bank, supporting Gen. Hancock.
and at the same time seeking an Oppor-
tunity OF crossing again and taking the
Confederate defeuses in flank.
Gen. Samuel w CrawfOrd's division OF
the Fifth Corps was near at hand, and
was ordered to undertake the movement.
At Has the head of his column crossed
the stream where Hancock had forced a
passage early in the morning. Craw-
ford moved into the thick woods on the
south bank and began a movement up
stream.
The timber was so interlaced with
creepers and underbrush that is was Al
most impossible for the troops to force
their way through II. 1t took Crawford's
men until o'clock in the afternoon 10
make their way a mile and a half up
the river. when they came abreast of the
Confederate works and halted to reform
their ranks before rCcrossing to attack
them.
In the meantime Gen. Hancock had re-