The Washington herald., 1914-06-01

THE WAR DAY BY DAY
Fifty Years Ago.
June 1884 -csd Hasss H KY II FA Dss Reinsad Wk
Grant Lee Wss Mass Tbs Armies fse Ba IVES Held By Sh-
daas FEDERAL cavahy, Tssss Dsfsaa Against Infantry Ahae
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1 M,
considered It unwise to keep "Torbert's
division there. for the nearest Infantry
supports were at least eight miles away.
He therefore ordered 1t to withdraw In
the night.
While the withdrawal was in progress
information Of the days events reached
Gen. Grant and Gen. Meade. The order
to Gen. Sheridan to hold Cold Harbor
at all haxards was dispatched at once
AZ soon a. this reached Gen. Torbert he
faced his command back to Cold Harbor
reaching II before dawn on June /.
Cavalry Repulses Infantry.
In the darkness Of the night the with
drawal and return had passed unnoted
by the enemy. whose infantry lines were
now forming SO near the breastworks at
Cold Harbor that sounds of their men
at work on intrenchments and COM
mands Of their officers could be heard
by the Federals in the early morning
Torbert saw that he had desperate
work before him and prepared for II by
forming his men in a single line. dis
mounted. behind the rail breastworks
The line was long and thin and there
were no reserves Ammunition was taken
In boxes to the fine and there opened on
the ground before the men. Each man
knew his work. He was to fire as
rapidly as possible with his Spencer car
bine, which took seven shots at a load
ing. and keep on reloading. There could
be no question OF retreat.
About 8 a. m. the Confederates assault
ed. They were met with a sheet of
steady fire from the repeating guns in
the hands OF the Federals. and also by
q heavy artillery fire from twelve pieces
served with shell and canister. There
was a small clearing In front of the
breastworks and beyond this dense woods.
The Confederates came to the edge of
the woods. but were unable to advance
across the clearing.
After the first attack had been re-
pulsed they formed in the woods for a
second: but their line broke, and this
also was unsuccessful
About O'Clock the cheering news was
received by Torbert's men that the Sixth
Corps was coming up to their relief.
Within an hour the head of the corps
arrived Grant had put IL on the march
the night before. The men had been
marching all night, covering fifteen miles
by narrow and sandy roads through
dense woods.
An Opportunity Lost.
The timely arrival of the Sixth Corps
determined the line of subsequent action
at Cold Harbor. Grant had the important
crossroads Lee was massing his forces
directly opposite the point where the
Sixth Corps formed in its battle line.
But for Torbet's stubborn stand the
Confederates would have gained and held
CrnEQrnad hA
rear.
The Confederates felt afterward that
they lost golden opportunity at Cold
Harbor. That Hoke's division did not
Cooperate with Gen. Kershaw and over
power Torbert was due to the fact that
Gen. Hoke had not been put under COM
mand Of Gen. Anderson. who led Long,
streets corps. As a result. neither gen.
erai felt fun responsibility for the stu
alton
Had Ionsstreat been on the held-he
was absent. wounded-or Gen. Lee been
acquainted with the situation as IL de-
veloped, Torbert might have been
crushed.
An illustration of the accidents that
sometimes determine the position OF bat
tie lines is afforded by the action of Con-
federate troops that morning before Cold
Harbor. As stray bullets from the en-
men. halted on the road. the soldiers,
without instructions. began to dig dirt
with their bayonets and pile 1t up with
their tin cups, TO get cover for them
selves In short time a line of in
trenchments was formed in this manner
where the column had halted.
As the forenoon advanced and reports
came In that the Federals were massing
IN front. orders were given that this line
adnnfAd a. fhA ErA -
sition. technically known in the subse-
quenf bloody work at Cold Harbor as
Lees right center, was thus determined
on the morning of June l.
Meanwhile Gen. Grant. with intense
energy. was moving his various corps to
impinge upon Cold Harbor. in a battle
line six miles long He was bringing to
the field 10000 re-enforcements, which he
had ordered sent to him from Gen. But.
lers army on the James. This force,
under Gen. W. F. Smith. had landed from
transports at White House on Nav 81.
Grant expected to have 1t at Cold Har-
Dor early on the morning OF June /, but
owing to q mistake in their marching
orders the troops were sent to New Cas-
tie Ferry. on the Pamunkey, a round-
about route, which delayed their arrival
at Cold Harbor until late in the after
noon.
The arrival of Smiths corps Cth.
Eighteenth was the signal for an attack
upon the Confederate lines, which Grant
hoped to carry before they could be
completed. The attack began about 6
p. m. and the fighting lasted until dark.
The lines were penetrated at one point
where there was a small gap, but the
enemy stood the assailants. When dark
ness came the Federals held advanced
positions. which they hastily intrenched.
This twilight battle was a bloody one.
the loss of the Sixth Corps being about
l,a0 killed and wounded. and of the
Eighteenth Corps about 1000.
Anxious to mass greater strength at
Cold Harbor, Grant had ordered Han
cocks corps to make a forced march
thither at night from the extreme right,
and passing behind the other corps to
take position on the extreme left.
II was Grants purpose to attack Lee
again at Cold Narbor as soon as he
could get his forces on the field. Ham
cock marched all night on June 1. but
when his troops arrived at Cold Har-
Dor they were so exhausted that they
could not at once be put into action.
This and other difficulties experienced
in getting Grants army into position de-
layed his attack upon Lee until th.
morning Of June 3.
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