The Washington herald., 1914-05-23

under Grant, marching from Spottsyl-
. vania courthouse toward Richmond. ar
rived at the North Anna River and found
the army under Gen. Lee posted In q
strong position in its path.
Gen. Lee, on learning that Grant was
moving from the scenes of their two
weeks struggle at Spottsylvania. had at
once put his forces in motion to reach
the North Anna, the next defensive po-
sition between him and Richmond.
Marching directly to the selected point,
Lee reached 1t on May q. and on May
"a had his army in position behind the
river. and engaged In building intrench-
ments. His line was chosen with great
skill 1t was in the form of letter ",
with the point resting on the river be-
tween the chief fords on either hand that
Grant must use II he came that way.
The faces OF the v were each about
three miles long, that on the west ex.
tending back to another streenf Little
River. which secured his fiank in that di-
rection, and that on the east to an i'm
passable swamp.
In his many displays OF sagacity in this
wonderful defensive campaign. Lee had
/ never shown himself wiser than in Sc
lecting his position for again meeting
Grant
| Even while he was engaged in plant
ing himself behind the North Anna he
was in doubt as to how Grant was NOV
ing, for Grant had withdrawn from his
front by making a detour eastward and
had not yet reappeared. Lee thought II
possible that Grant would move south on
the east side Of the Mattapony River.
and cross that stream some miles below
the position on the North Anna.
Therefore, while intrenching at the
North Anna, Lee was prepared to march
| to dispute a crossing of the Mattapony
| by the Federals. His first duty, as he
conceived It, was meanwhile to hold the
position on the North Anna, which cover
ed an important railroad point Hanover
Junction, and also barred the direct road
to Richmond.
Lees impossible Barrier.
The wisdom Of Lees course was ap-
parent on the morning of May 3. when
his cavalry informed him that Grants
army was approaching the fords OF the
North Anna by several roads.
Grant had brought his army forward
by roads lying from five 70 ten miles east
of those that had been followed py tie
Confederates. His foremost corps. Han
cocks, has crossed the Mattapony at
Milford. and rested there during the I'D.
The advance had then been taken by
the Fifth Corps. Gen. Warren's, and this
had been pushed out westward, to reacn
a ford across the North Anna to the right
Of the Richmond and fredericksburg
Railroad the line of which had beer
parHlleled by Grants forces after their
withdrawal from Spottssylvania.
The for&s were not correctly shove on
the maps but as his various COPS ap-
preached the river they came into roads
that brought them to all the available
crossing places, along q line. from east
to west, about three miles long as the
bird flies, and perhaps four by the cour-
try roads.
1t CHANGED that the very center Of that
line was where the apex Of Lees great
v rested on the river. Therefore, from
the moment the Federals reached the |
river, Lee'e wedge-like salient was be-
tween the two wings of Grants army.
The Confederates were in place and |
ready to fight, and late in the afternoon |
there were engagements in front of both
faces of Lees defenses, which demon
strated clearly that once more Lee had I
interposed an impossible barrier between |
Grant and Richmond.
Fighting Mt the River.
warren's corps had come to the river |
at Jericho Ford, the right OF 3rant .
line OF approach. The stream was mar
row, but the banks were hisa. There
ocihS HolOPpo6iIou " tHcA SAossShios vic
Federals were soon busy wadlng over,
and laying a pontoon bridge. At $50
o'clock all the Infantry were across and
the guns were crossing, -
Battle line was at once formed FOR an
advance, with the division Of Gen. Ly-
sander Cutler on the right, that Of Gen.
Charles Grimm in the center, and chat Of
Gen. Samuel Crawford on the left
Lee at once threw forward the divi-
sions Of Gen. C. NJ. Wilcox and Gen.l
Henry Heth, Of Hill's Corps. to drive
Warren into the riyer. They were re-
pulsed with heavy loss by Griffith. The
Confederate commander then detached
three briEad.s for the purpose OF assail-
ing the right flank Of Warren's line.
Marching rapidly along the Virginia Gem
tral Railroad till sufhcient distance had
been gained, this command fell upon the
regiments OF Cutler, not yet fairly In
position. swept their left back, and threw 4
the entire division into confusion 0rfmth
became again involved. and for few
the situation was serious At
Ibis critical juncture the Eighty-thiro
Rsnnsyivania, Lieut.. Col Dewitt e. Nc. Ii
flIIv s~rxv~x,, vxHfnO xo1ofher With the EIfnf 4