The Washington herald., 1914-05-19
THE WAR DAY BY DAY
Fifty Years Ago.
May 49, 1S64Gn Grant Ordered His Army Past Lee. Front al
Spcvania but the Latter Checked he Moven. By Attacking an Ex
posed Position Cost Blood Of Fifteen DAYS Of
Fighting .-.-. .r.."
tCopisht. lN4.)

Fifty years ago today Gen. Grant or.
dered his army to move past Lees front
at Spottsylvania, where the opposins
forces had faced each other for II days
with the object of getting around the
right flank of the Confederate position
and between Lee and Richmond.
The Confederate general checked the
movement by attacking an exposed posi-
tion in Grants line, his extreme right
The events of the day, like those of every
day in the campaign thus far, showed
Lee at his best, wary, resourceful and
alert to every movement OF his enemy,
and Grant the man of iron, as deter
mined as ever to strike the enemy when
ever opportunity offered.
The situation had now deveoped to an
impasse- Lee. behind breastworks, oper-
ating in his own country, which he knew
thoroughly and with the shorter lines by
which to move troops from one part o.
his lines to another, had prevented
Grants greater force from making head
way against him.
The logical outcome of this situation
was apparent to both generals, who by
this thoroughly understood each others
methods 1t must be another southwark
movement on the part OF Grant and a
counter movement by Lee to place his
army across Grants road to Richmond.
But Lee was ready to strike, like a
skilled fencer, if his enemy loweder his
guard for moment. Thus, when Grant
was planning his advance, and ordering
his troops to prepare for marching that
night, Lee launched one of his corps,
Gen. r. S. EwelTs, against the weakest
SDOt in Grants position
This was the extreme right of his line
on the road to Fredericksburg. held by
Gen. r. o. Tyler's division of heavy ar
tiery, 5000 men, which had Just come
from Washington to reinforce the Fed
eral army. Ewell struck with swiftnes,
and force toward nightfall. Tyler's men
had never been in a battle before, but
they fought valianty, and held their
ground until the Second Corps, under
Hancock, and the Fifth, under Warren.
could be hurried to their aid EweII was
driven off with loss of 800 men of s,Ooi
engaged.
The day having spun out in the fight
ing here. Grant cancelled his orders for
advance. to await developments
Success Eiudcs the FederaIs.
The events OF this day were destined
to terminate the fighting at Spottsylvania
Court House. which had bene incessant
and heavy since the morning of Nav &
except for periods of relative inaction
imposed by bad weather.
On taking up his southwark march.
after the two days battle of the Wilder
ness. which had ushered in the bloody
progress of the Federals toward Rich
mond, Grant had expected to reach
SDottsylvania Court House ahead of Lee
The place was important, for 1t covered
the roads between Richmond and Fred
ericksburg, being II miles from the
latter and 45 miles from the former.
Lees cavalry had SO impeded Grants
march as to enable the head of the
Confederate columns to reach Spottsyl-
TaRia ahead of the Federals. Lee here
intrenched very rapidly on May snd 8
In wedge-shaped line seven miles long,
covering the roads south. He thus
brought the Federal army to a halt
Grant, not dlspleased to fight, attacked
Lees works near their apex on May 10
and broke them, but owing to the late
made, the success could not be made
good by massing forces on the breach.
Again, on May u, the Federals at
tackled in great force. hurting 1000 men
in solid mass against the angle of
Lees lines. Again the lines were brok- |
en-, but success disorganized the Fed |
erals. Lee delivered terrific counter |
stroke and drove them from the works |
Then followed the heaviest fighting at |
close quarters in the war, at the Bloody |
Angle" in which Grant lost $500 men |
and Lee about 5000. of whom ZOO were |
captured.
Nature now put temporary embargo
on both armies. A heavy storm Of cold |
rain, which began on the night of May
II, continued with unabated fury on the
eth and 18th.
On May i3 Grant began maneuvers to
turn Lees position on his right. Three
Army Corps were started on Q night