The Washington herald., 1914-05-16

Fifty years ago To-Day an impoib1he
battle was fought near Drewry's Blum
on the James River, twelve miles below
Richmond, by Federal army under Gen.
B. r. Butler, and Confederates under
Gen T. @. Beauregard. which was -ot-
lowed by the retirement of the Federais
to an intrenched position at Bermuda
Hundred.
Although the moral effect Of victory
was with the Confederates, neither gen
eral accomplished what he had set him
self to do. Gen. Butler expected to
sweep the Confederates out Of Their
works, which barred the way to Rich
mond. Gen Beauregard expected to cap
ture Gen. Buffers army.
The battle virtually put an end to
Gen. Buffers campaign against Rich
mond, which had been undertaken as
part Of Grants operations for crushing
the military power Of the Confederacy.
While Grant confronted Lee in Central
Virginia, Gen. Franz siegel was to at
tack the Confederatss in tie Shenandoah
Valley. on Grants extreme right, while
Butler attacked them on the James. to
Grants left 1t was hoped that Lee
would thus be prevented from detaehins
troops from either point to strengthen
his own army.
Siegcl fought at New Market on May
ID ana was ueIcdIcQ. " Ucu .DuticI
failure on the following day the Federal
plan of campaign, so far as 1t related to
the valley and the James. was nullified.
Henceforth the army under Gen. Butler
was to be neutralized and held for the
summer inside defensive works at Ber-
muda Hundred, where, in the words OF
Grant, It became bottled up"
Gen Butler, jealous and tireless. had
made mistakes arising from lack Of mil
itaTy capacity. His failure was directly
traceable to his having taken up q de-
feusive position as a base for conducting
an offensive campaign; to having spent
nine days in preparations for meeting
the enemy. during which time the enemy
collected a force as strong as his own
to meet him; to having neglected seiz-
ing Petersburg, the strategic center OF
his field of operations, when he might
have done SO, and to not making City
Point his base, as ordered to do by Gen.
Grant.
Gen. Butler believed he had a glorious
opportunity to take Richmond. and that
the spot nearest it that he could reach
was the proper place for his army.
Hence he had made Burmuda Hundred
his base.
Friction Between Generals.
The Army of the James had landed at
DcTI nuud Ou may WIN tHc
exception of a division of 5000 troops
that was left at City Point. Its total
strength was about eco men present
for duty. Deducting the men at. City
Point and those required to hold Ber-
muda Hundred. Gen. Butler had about
:. 900 men for battle.
When the Federals landed from their
transports only 1000 men held Peters
burg. Gen. Beauresard at once began
.ushing men to that point, and TO
Orewry's Bluff, from points south. By
Nay Is he had 1900 available infantry,
all veterans. at hand, and 1000 cavalry.
With an equal available force, he had
he advantage of holding heavy works
hat extended from Drewry's Blur on
he James. where great guns were
mounted in Fort Darling. several miles
across country, protecting the roads TO
Gen Butler had begun operations by
'ending forces to cut the railroad north
" Petersburg. These operations were
completed on May with the destruction
" about six miles OF the road.
On the evening of that day Gen. But
ers Corps commanders-Gen. W. F.
Boldly Smith and Gen. Quincy A.
Gilmore. both of whom were regular
Irmy men and experienced engineers
to Gen. Butler that a pontoon
ridge be thrown across the Appomattox
River, which flowed between their poei- |
ion and Petersburg. and that they be |
permitted to take Petersburg. |
To this request Gen. Butler wrote his |
ormal disapproval, adding verbally that |
lie would build no bridge for West |
Pointers to retreat over
This remark reveals the spirit of the |
Citations between Gen. Butler and his |
orps commanders. Gen. Gilmore. who |
ad commanded in the department Of /
he South. had been with Gen. Butleri
sss than a week when the latter, on |
lay T. privately wrote to Senator Henry
wilson, of Massachusetts,, a member OF
he Committee on Military Affairs in
congress, requesting that he get the
enate to reject Gen. Gillmore's nominal
on for promotion, then before 1t. Gen.
'utler claimed that Gen. Gilmore was
Gen. Smith he found
-uculent and difficult to manage Both
he corps commanders considered Gen.
utler military ignoramus.
Preparing for Attack.
Having broken the railroad north Of
Gen. Butler on May L put
is forces into battle line across the turn