The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-05-07
RUINS OF A CAPTURED TRAIN on A
VIRGINIA RAILROAD AND SCENE
OF GEN. BUTLER'S OPERA
TONS NEAR PETERSBURG.

OF GEN. BUTLER'S OPERA
TONS NEAR PETERSBURG.
photo from a wartime negative by
Brady in the War Department Collec-
ton: map based on the official records.
Gen. u. $. Grants plans for takins
Richmond and crushing the military
power OF the COnfederacy.
When Grant crossed the Rapidar
River in Central Virginia on May tC
engage Lees army, the force under
Gen. Butler. which numbered 33.SOt
men present for duty, was assembled
at Yorktown and Gloucester Point, on
the York River. 1t was speedily en-
barked. and on the morning of May j
the transports, conveyed by naval YES
sells. the whole making an imposing
fleet. steamed up the James River to.
ward Richmond.
Gen. Grants orders to Gen Butler
were for him to make Richmond his
objective. After landing the bulk Of
his forces at City Point at the mouth
of the Appomattox River, which place
he was to fortify, he was TO push up
the south bank Of the James.
AS Gen. Buffers campaign went
wrong from the start, one cause OF its
failure may be traced to these instruc-
tons, which, except for the order re-
garding City Point, were not explicit
and made no mention of the impor-
tance of Petersburg. Gen. Butler was
to move according to circumstances
after making Cfty Point his base.
Gen. Yutler construed his orders as
directing him to get as near Richmond
as he could.
Instead of landing his army at City
Point and making that place his base
of operations, Gen. Butler had landed
$500 colnred troops there and pushed
on to Bermuda Hundred, a wide PENN
sula formed by the bends of the James
and the waters of the Appomattox.
This was an admirable place for de-
Tense, but in an offensive campaign 1t
was an unsuitable point at which TO
land an army. since the river restrict
ed free movement, except across a
narrow neck of land. suggesting the
figure of bottle. that Gen. Grant aft
erward used, with the defensive works
across the neck representing the cork.
Gen Buffers army therefore was
engaged, from it's landing at Bermuda
Hundred, in corking itself up in the
bottle, while opportunity to make
brilliant stroke for the Union was be-
ing lost.
Pickett Defends Petersburg.
This opportunity lay in the direction
Of Petersburg. the city and railroad GEN.
ter twenty-five miles south of Richmond
that was to cost the Federals 4 ten
siege to subdue.
On the afternoon of May ), when Gen.
Buffers transports coming up the James
.aused a panic among the people OF
the city was defended by
George Z. Pickett. whose division was
hen absent in North Carolina, were
hastily marched to the outskirts. toward
City Point to undertake a defense. The
,burch bells were rung and citizens
armed themselves TO help defend the
lily.
portion of Gen. Buffers army. march,
ng from City Point on the night of May
or the morning of May g. could have
seized Petersburg. Gen. Pickett well knew
his, and with the energy that character
zed the Confederates- as a whole in
lines of great emergency, bent his ef-
orts to getting up troops to defend the
jlace.
The whole Of May 5 was granted him
~ the Federals in which to accomplish
his Gen. Butler was engrossed in COM
,leting the landing of his forces at Ber-
nuda Hundred, in intrenching there and
n planning an advance against Rich
nond He had wished to march to the
capital Immediately on land
ng, but had been dIssuaded by his
,orps commanders. Gen. William +.
,mith, and Gen. Quincy A. Gilmore.
Fort Darling. at DreUrys Bluff on the |
ames, and n strong line of field works |
Intending from it inland. were between |
zen. Buffers position and Richmond. |
-l,a Canfalaro hal inc 4
hese works as soon as the news came |
hat Buffers army was moving up the |
ames. by crossing troops over the river |
rom Chaffins Bluff.
Thus Dreurys Bluff, which had been |
ut lightly manned, was ready for de- |
ense within twenty-four hours after |
len. Buffers arrival at Bermuda Hun |
red. Richmond also was being defended. |
he tocsin had sounded and called by |
hanging bells the local militia and battal-
ions of government clerks and rushed |
D arms, to aid the 5000 troops that held
he works around the city, under Gen. |
rnold Elzey.
Rniders Burn Bridges.
Every hour occupied by the Federals
4 getting into position on the James
ad been worth life itself to the gar
ison at Petersburg.
Gen. G. T Beauregard, who had been
allied from Charleston in April to take
in North Carolina and South
astern Virginia, with headquarters at
Weldon, n. C., had feared for Peters,
urg, and now made every effort to save
The troops of Beauregard's new de,
artment were much scattered, being
hiefy in North Carolina, where they |
ad engaged In a campaign against Ply
lcuth and Newbern.
Beauregard, on hearing that Butler was
, tie James. had abandoned this cam ]