The Washington herald., 1914-05-26
THE WAR DAY BY DAY
Fifty Years Ago.
May z IS64-Gn Withdrew His Army from Before Gen. Lees Po
on the North Anna River and Began Flank March with the Oh
ject of Interpoing Between the Conedera and Richmond
tCopydght. 1glA)


Fifty wears ago today Gen. Grant with
drew his army from before Gen. Lees
position on the North Anna River. and
began a flank march, with the object
of interposing between the Confederates
and Richmond.
This was the third movement of this
character that Grant had been forced
by the skill of Lee to undertake, In the
course of campaign which had begun
on May l.. The first was after the bat
tie of the Wilderness, and the second
after fourteen days Of fighting and ms-
neuvering at Spottsylvania Court House.
night march had inaugurated each
movement, the first beginning on May
Z, and the second on May IL
Each movement had been planned with
skill that was above criticism, and eX-
ecuted in a manner rejecting credit on
the Federal troops: but in each instance
Lee by faster movements had reached
a point where he could bar the way to
Richmond.
On the North Anna Lees position,
which had been taken up on May q, was
so strong that Grant spent only enough
time in front of X to develop, by means
of attacks at various points, Its Tor
midable character. His army was In po-
sftion on May "a On May 3 he issued
orders for it to move by the left" on
the following night.
Grant had found Lees lines too strong
to invite direct attack, and so placed
that they could not be turned. They
came to a point on the North Anna
and extended back, like letter V, to a
river on one side and swamp on the
other. Grant had thrown a part OF his
army across the North Anna on either
side of the point, and had retained
mart opposite the point of the works
The erfect was a division of his forces.
and situation in which one wing could
not act with the other, nor the center
effectively with either.
Lee here remained strictly on the de-
fensive Grant was at a loss to under
stand this and formed the opinion that
Lees army was virtually defeated ana
had but little more fight left IN IL
An exclamation of the situation is found
in part in the fact that Gen. Lee at the
time was so i'll that he was confined to
his tent. On the authority Of his STAN
he was exceedingly anxious" 70 engage
Grant wherever conditions were FAVOR
able The field at the North Anna was
such that neither side could attack with
hone of success. The Federals were as
heavily intrenched as the Confederates
and were superior in artillery, which
here could be used to advantage.
Grant. Skill in Withdrawing.
Lees army rested between two rivers,
the North Anna and the South Anna,
which, flowing together few miles be-
low him, formed the Pamunkey that
in turn. flowed into the York
Grants problem was now to withdraw
from Lees front without betraying his
departure and to cross the Pamunkey
and gain the roads leading from 1t to
Richmond.
His decison to move and his orders for |
the movement revealed his chief charac- |
teristics- -quickness of thought and action |
and fertility of resource. His plans for |
starting his great force on a night march |
by roads that were poor and little known. /
seemed as simple and easily communi- |
Gated as If he were moving merely a |
regiment
Preliminary to the movement he had |
sent a division of his cavalry, under Gen. |
James H Wilson. to his right. to make |
a demonstration against the left OF the |
Confederate position, as il Grant were
contemplating a movement of his army |
around that end of Lees works.
This demonstration had so much the |
appearance of genuine attack that Gen.
Lee was led to report to Richmond on |
Nav 26-when- Grants plans were al
ready matured for the movement in the |
cations, he Grant SENS to contemplate |
a movement on our left flank"
Yet Lse[was not thrown off his guasd |
by this feint on the part of Grant. He |
had already taken the precaution, or |
Nav a of ordering re-enforcements that |
were arriving in his rear. under Gen John /
c. Breckinridge. to point far on 10 /
right that would place them on the roads |
to Richmond that Grant was secretly |
NJ, 70 Ca;p hv SIlrpriSe.
This and other facts preserved in the |
Official records reveal the deep sagacity |
Of Lee in dealing with the situation. His |
force was now less than 5000 effective |
men, while Grant's-both sides having |
been re-enforced-was not less than double |
that number. Lee must act wisely or be
lest.
Army Reaches the Pamunkey.
Lee was not long in seeing the real |
character of the feint on his left, nor /
was he moment late in proving what /
he had already divined-that Grant was
aiming to turn his right
Grants troops moved on the night OF
May .8, as ordered. quietly Withdrawing
from their positions, leaving pickets TO
keep up the appearance Of these being /
still occupied and cavalry to take up !
the pontoon bridges. The Sixth Corps
marched by a road near the river. fol-
lowed by the Second Corps. The Fifth
Corps took road farther north, and was
followed by the Ninth. The huge wagon
trains of the army-more than 1000 ve-
hicles- that In single line would form q
column more than so miles long, took al
still more northerly road.
Thus moving through still dark
uirht. the Heavens being clofrded ana