The Washington herald., 1914-05-03


sued in the various commands OF the
army of the Potomac to be ready to
march at midnight from their winter
camns in Culpeper County. Va, and
cross the Rapidan In the early morning.
This was the beginning Of Grants over
land campaign, the final campaign OF
,ha uar that was to last $40 days prove
one OF the bloodiest in history. ana re-
suIt in the destruction OF Lees army, IN
peace. and in the restoration OF the
Union.
In its grimness. its horrors OF blood
and death. its dramatic features and Its
intense human interest this campaign
has no parallel in modern history.
was 4 mighty struggle between men OF
the same race and ration, in which the
one side fought with the advantage Of
greater numbers and greater resources
and the other outnumbered and grow
ing weaker day by day. put on the hnal
scene with the energy Of desperation
far beyond the period that both sides
had believed would see the inevitable
end.
The superiority in resources was with
the North. Its mcst successful general
Grant. had been called to the scene 10
deliver the final blow to the Confed-
eracy. Its armies had been recruited
and supplied on a scale never before at
tanned in the war
II has been often said that Grant had
J two men TO Cen. Lees one. The strength
Of the contending armies has been
variousIy given-that of Grant being Civ
en- as from 10000 - 10000 men. and
that of Lee at from 400 to 5000.
The official records show that on April
% the army Of the Potomac. under
Grant. and the Ninth Corps, operating
with il as a separate command, num-
bered I21 "a present for duty equipped.
that is men VINO could be put into bat
tie. was 9sScS The difference Of &.-
g54 men represented the extra duty
men, guards and the like. who could not
be used in battle.
The records are not clear as to Lee
actual force On May ii was about
s4OD An aggregate Of 65,4n5. given by
Gen. Longstreet as its strength on May
s. is the result CT careful compilation.
On Nav Lee had in his camps on the
Rapidan only Gen r. S. Ewells corps,
A. p Hilrs corps was several miles
further south. Longstreets corps. re
Gently returned from East Tennessee,
was at Mechanicsburg. six miles south
! Ct Gordonsville and twenty-five miles
| from EweIL 1t numbered about 1O.SG
men. Stuart's cavalry numbered about
/ 500 men The strength on May 6. So
4C5. was attained by calling in various
detached commands
I Lee Prepared for Battle.
| That Grant was ready to launch his
I campaign Lee well knew His spies had
kept him informed OF movements within
the Federal lines. On May his own
ewes saw, as he stood on Clarks Noun
tain. between his headquarters and the
river and scanned the country north oi
the Rapidan through a glass. that the
enemy was ready to move. Wagon trains
were moving on the roads leading from
the Federal camps to the river
Whether this indicated a purpose to
cross the river above or below his po-
sition. Gen. Lee knew not; but he was
prepared for a battle. and calmly awaited
il. Almost without supplies. except am
n,unition. his army was ragged and
largely barefoot: but their spirit was
strong. and they were sustained oy the
confidence shown in them by their gen.
eraI.
Lee. knowing well the trial that was
before him. had issued a significant order
a few davs before. II was warning 10
his men that if taken prisoners they were
to say nothing of the strength OF their
commands.
Grant also had issued an order that
showed that the impending struggle
would Oe to the death. II forbade further
exchange of prisoners with the Confeder'
ates. Every man returned to tenn meant
a fresh soldier to be met in the ranks
Grant was starting to wear the enemy
down by mere attrition." in his owr
words. and this was one measure fol
reducing their strength.
Thus on the eve of the great cam
raign. each leader showed his under
standing of the unyielding death-grapplt
that was near at hand.
Roads Lay Through Wilderness
Grants orders for the campaign en-
Joined a general advance OF all the Fed
eral forces in the field. Already Fedora
cavalry was riding In the Shenandoah
Valley, to engage and hold there troops
that might be sent to re-enforce Lee.
Gen. W. T. Sherman, at Chattanooga
with a picked army of 100000 men. wa:
ready to advance against the Confeder
ate army in Northern Georgia, undel
Gen. Joseph E. Johnston.
At Fortress Monroe, a force Of 5000
men under Gen. Benjamin F. Butler wal
ready to start up the James River OF
transports. to make an advance upoI
Richmond as Grant marched overland
In the rear Of the Army of the Potomac
the Ninth Corps guarded the railroad
back to Washington, with orders to hold
itself in readiness to join Grant wher
called.
Grants orders for the advance OF tn
ARMY of the Potomac provided for
swift crossing Of the Rapidan and {
march southwark through the section o
Spottsylvania County known as the VII
derness.
This section, about seventy-ive mile
SQUARE, was a region of tangled growth
rough clearings. old mines. gravel pits
meadows, bogs, and rocks, that must b
traversed. for the most direct roads from
the army's position toward Richmon'
ran through II. 1t lay to the east. o
right OF Gen. Lees line on the Rapidan
Grant had deliberated deeply on tn
best means of passing Lees position.
direct attack upon 1t was out of the ques
tion. The lire occupied,by Lee was vel
selected and thoroughly strengthened
Covered by the Rapidan. a stream o
considerable size with steep banks an
dificuIt fords. 1t was lanked on the eas
by the wilderness and on the west b
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