The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-08-14


Fifty years ago today Gen. Grant
moved $4,000 troops. under Gen. Win
/ field S. Hancock. across the James
River from City Point, in a feint
against Richmond, to divert the atten-
I ton OF Gen. Lee from the Shenandoah
Valley and the south side OF Petersburg.
Gen. Lee had found. himself strongly
enough established ir his works at Pc
tersburG 10 detach trooDs to REINFORCE
Gen. Jubal A. Early, who was operating
against Gen. P II. Sheridan In the VAL
ley. and also to hold his rail connections
southwark out Of Petersburg.
Grant had tried. unsuccessfully. on July
30. to break the Petersburg lines, by
means of an assault. following an explo-
sion II a mine. but-had failed, through
Encouragement by subordinate comman-
ders
Since the failure II the mine there had
been little action in front OF Petersburg.
The people Of the North were beginning
TO lose faith in Grants operations, while
in the Valley. Sheridan. who had taken
command. there on August ., as yet had
made no forward movement.
Under these conditions Grant felt the
necessity. as he states. OF doing some
thing" at Petersburg to keep Lee Occu-
pied. His plan for sending Hancock
across the James was identical, in prin-
Glpals Win lnhl lhllgN e sANA AAg DNARAN
the sprinEing OF the mine. In that in
stance IL had resulted in Lee detaching
three-ffths of his army from the Peters
burg works TO meet the advance across
the James thus giving Grant complete
opportunity to break his weakened line.
Not daunted by the failure Of the mine.
Grant sought 10 secure the same enect
again. As befor., Hancock was chosen
10 lead the feint as the best field COM
mandcr in the army.
He was ordered % press forward as far
as possible toward Richmond, but not to
bring or a general engagement.
Ruse of No Avail.
Cen. Hancock was ordered to embark
his own corps on transports at City
Point on August 10, to give the impress
sion that they were TO be sent down the
river. The Tenth Corps. under Gen. Da-
vid b. Birney. and a cavalry division I'M
der Gen. D. Nom. gregg, were to march
across Bermuda Hundred and wait at
Deep Bottom for the transports, which
were TO go up the river at night
II was expected thus TO effect a sur
prise OF the enemy near Deep Bottom.
and carry his works, as Gen. B. F. But
Ter. whose Army OF the James, at Ber-
muda Hundred, was in contact with the
enemy on the James. had reported but
$500 Of Lees men on the north side OF
the river.
The enterprise did not go well from the
start. The transports for Hancock's
troops were seagoinE vessels In their
navigation of the river they displayed
lights and sounded their whistles to pre-
vent collisions, and ;his warned the enc
my OF the movement. Arriving at Deep
Bottom the steamers were unable TO
throw out gangplAnhs to the shore for
landing the troops. as had been planned.
as they drew too much water to ap-
proach the bank.
An old wharf was rebuilt for a landing
place, and this work and the slow method
OF landing the men cat sed so much de-
lay that II was near noon on August II
before all the men were landed, and the
march inland begun.
Gen. Birney, who haa crossed by the
pontoon bride, was to attack the enemy's
position along -Four Nine Greek, near the
river, while Hancock marched to strike
the main roads to Richmond. These were
the Malvern Hill. or New Market road
near the river, the Darbytown road be-
yond, and the Charles City road still fur
Their on. All three led direct to Rich
mond, and thanked the strong position Of
the Confederates at Chaffins Bluff. on
the James about eish: miles from the
city.
The second Corps RePulscd.
No short march Of the war was made
with greater suffering than that OF Han
cocks men that day. The way lay
through dense woods, on roads deep with
dust The weather was witherinGly hot.
The sun beat down upon the soldiers so
mercilessly that in a short time hun
dreds were FRUSTRATED with sunstroke,
One general reported that in two small
regiments 105 men were overcome. The
troops marched between lines Of their
companions lying helpless by the road