News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1915-04-21

| JlSlkt Tic NY thC NohiSN
n crates under General John &
Gordon on the lines of the Mint
corps at Petersburg March 25
1S65-ffty years ago-was the las
aggressive blow by the army of Rob
ert e. Lee. No inkling was given il
the Federal camps until the sleepin1
trench guards on nearly a mile of tn
lines We're aroused by the sounds O
attack and the cold steel of darins
enemy was held to their very breasts.
The point selected for the bold enter
prise was on the east of the city. For
Stedman, Fashioned earthwork, will
outside batteries, stood on a salien
elevation known as Hare's hill.
The Prince Georges Court House
road ran directly. from Petersburg past
Hare's hill, crossing both the Confed
crate and the Federal lines. 1t seemed
feasible for the Confederates to throw
column into this space and ado
| strength to it as it should move down
| the Federal works toward Grants left
Gordon's Daring Plan.
| But first it would be necessary to
make a breach in these works. This
Gordon provided for as follows:
To take Fort Stedman by direct as
| sault at night, then send a separate
| body of men to each of the rear forts
| next to press to the rear of Grants
| main line and force him out of his
| trenches, destroy his pontoons, cut his
| telegraph wires and rush his flank.
The distance from Fort Stedman,
where the first blow was to be struck,
| to the Confederate salient (Colquitt's),
where Gordon was to start his storm
ing parties, was sixty rods.
Promptly at q. M. these storming
parties, of about 100 each, moved out
of the Confederate works and, passing
inside of the enemy's picket pits, sep
arated for the work of the hour-the
capture of the batteries bearing on
Stedman-namely, Fort Haskell on the
left, battery 8 on the right and a
fortified battery in the rear of Sted
man; also a long line of skirmishers
deployed to the rear and set out for
the interior lines. Some of these
reached the United States military rail
road running from City Point along
the line of Federal camps. Here they
cut the telegraph wires.
Meanwhile Confederates swarmed
in Fort Stedman. The storming party
sent against battery 0 was repulsed
and returned to Stedman for re-en-
forcements, and column set out along
the Federal trenches between these
points. A strong defense by Fort Has
movement a check on the other flank
and limited the success counted upon.
1t was now growing light. Gordon
had not silenced the guns which swept
the space between the lines where he
intended to move out his main force.
The attempt on Fort Haskell was
repeated twice with no success, and
as similar movements on battery 8
had failed Gordon's men found them
selves hemmed in Under a CALLING fire
from batteries much nearer to them
now than when they occupied their
own lines. 1t was daylight, and the
artillery on both sides opened a ter
Smelling Gordon's men and the Con-
federate guns firing back upon the bat
teries and upon the Federal troops
drawn up around the breach. Re-en-
forcements which had been promised |
did not arrive, and Gordon ordered his |
men to retire. This they attempted |
under a storm of bullets, shell and
grape.
Lees Trenches Assailed.
As soon as the result Of Gordon's
sortie became known on the Federal
left General Humphreys, commanding
the Second corps, advanced his men
beyond the Confederate picket line,
but found the main works too strong
to carry by assault. General Wright
also advanced his corps, the Sixth, i'm
the same way.
After March % there was constant
firing across the lines, both with artil-
ery and muskets. Sheridan Joined the
besieging army on the 9th of March,
and the movement to the left around
Lees right flank began on the Both.
rhe left wing of the Army of the Po-
tomac had also been REINFORCED by
Ord's Army of the James, from the
north side Of the Appomattox. The
Army of the Potomac numbered 5000
FOR duty; Sheridan added 1900 and
Ord about 1900, making a total Of
bout 10000. The Army of the James
lad a reserve of about 10000, making
grand total under Grant at this
)oint of 125.00O. Lee had a total on
IFS twenty miles of defensive lines of
1000.
The several movements on the Fed ,
raj left had crowded the Confederates
Jack to one road running in a general ,
Erection southwest and lying between
he Federal positions and Hatcher's ,
un. Hatcher's run is swampy ,
tream and made a good barrier when
defended at the fords. About thirteen T,
niles west by south Of Petersburg !