CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY The Gift of NEWTON C FARR Class of 1909 CORNELL UNIVERSITY ,UBR*RV 3 1924 092 890 205 Cornell University Library The original of tliis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924092890205 THE YIRGinA CAMPAIGN OF '64 AND '65 /^.^^. The Army in the Civil War VOLUME XII. THE VIRGINIA CAMPAIGN OF '64 AND '6^ THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC AND THE ARMY OF THE JAMES BY ANDREW A. HUMPHREYS BRIGADIEK-GENERAL, CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, AND BREVET MAJOR-GENERAL U.S.A.; CHIEF OF STAFF, ARMY OF THE POTOMAC; COMMANDING SECOND CORPS, ETC., ETC. SUBSCRIPTION EDITION CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS NEW YORK Copyright by CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 1883, 1885 TROW 9 PRINTING AND BOOKBINDINQ COMPANY, NEW YORK. PEEFAOE, In preparing this narrative i have met with great and un- expected difficulties from the incomplete condition of the flies of the War Department in the matter of the official reports of Corps, Division, and Brigade commanders. So many officers of high command were killed and wounded during the campaign, the movements by day and night, the battles, actions, and close contact with the enemy were so unceasing, that there was but little time for the prepara- tion of reports, and to this day many of them, if prepared, have not been received at the War Department. The de- spatches become therefore the more important, but the flies of these, are not complete. All the Eeports, Returns, orders, despatches, and papers of every kind in the War Department, including the Con- federate Archives, have been placed at my disposal by authority of the Secretary of War, and I am under many obligations to General Drum, Adjutant-General, and Col- onel E. N. Scott, in charge of the preparation of the " Offi- cial Eecords of the Union and Confederate Armies" for publication. Major-General Hancock has furnished me with a complete printed set of the reports made by him during the wai. I am indebted to Colonel George Meade for placing in my hands the retained copies of all General Meade's despatches VI PRKPACB. sent and received during the campaign. I have also had my own papers covering the same period. I am also indebted to Major-General de Peyster for the valuable information contained in his elaborate work, "La Eoyale," published at his own expense for private circula- tion, and for the aid I have derived from his coi-respondence with Confederate officers. I am also under obligations to General Fitz Lee and Gen- eral E. P. Alexander for valuable information, and to the Bev. J. WiUiam Jones, TI0D., Seoretaiy of the Southern Historical Society, for a fuU set of the publications of that Society from January, 1876, to the present day, and for other information. The Military Historical Society of Massachusetts placed all its papers in my hands. Colonel John P. Nicholson, of Philadelphia, offered the volumes of his valuable Military Library for my use. Prom the gentlemen having charge of the several sub- offices of the Adjutant-General's Department — Messrs. Joseph W. Kirkley, Henry EUerbrook, Thomas C. Bourne, A. P. Tasker, F. Jones, and Henry E. Scott—I have had constant aid. Mr. Fitz Gerald, Librarian of the War Department, has sent me all the volumes of the Library treating of the War. Indeed, wherever I have asked for assistance in any shape it has been given me in the most obliging manner. To Mr. William J. Warren, Chief Clerk of the Engineer Department, I am under very great obligations for untiring assistance throughout the whole time of the preparation of this narrative. Through him, also, I have had the use of the Journal of Colonel Eoebling, of General Warren's staff. A. A. Htjmphkeys. OOI^TEI^TS. PAoa List ' of Maps, . xi CHAPTER I. The Position of the Ahmt of the Potomac and op THE Army of Northern Virginia in the Spring of 1864 — The Reorganization of the Army of the Potomac—General Plan of Operations fob - THE Campaign—The Movement by the Left Flank Decided on — The Composition and Numbers op THE Two Armies X CHAPTER II. The Passage of the Rapidan — The Battle of the Wilderness 18 CHAPTER IIL Spottsylvania Court House, . ... 57 CHAPTER IV. Motement to the North Anna River—The Cavalry Corps sent against the Confederate Cavalry, AND to Haxall's Landing on James River, . 119 Viii CONTENTS. CHAPTER V. PAGE The Co-operative Movement op the Aemy of the James—The Battle of Dkuby's Bluff, . , . 137 CHAPTER VI. Passage of the PAMtiifKEY River—Totopotomoy and Cold Habbob, 160 CHAPTER VII. Passage of James River — Assaults upon the In- TKBNCHMBNTS OF PBTEBSBUBG, 194 CHAPTER VIII. Movement against the Weldon and South Side Railroads — The Cavalry Engagements in the Vicinity of Trbvylian Station on the Virginia Central Railroad, and Rbams's Station on the Weldon Railroad—The Casualties in the Army OF THE Potomac from the Commencement of the Campaign until June 30th — The Demonstration against Washington, 326 CHAPTER IX. The Operations of the Army of the Potomac against the Intrenchmbnts of Petersburg to be by Reg- ULAB Approaches—Movement to the North Bank — OF the Jambs The Petersburg Mine, . 246 CHAPTER X Movement to the North Bank of the James to Threaten Richmond — Capture of the Weldon Railroad at the Globe Tavern—The Battle of Eeamb's Station, 367 — — CONTENTS. IX CHAPTER XI. PAGE Movement against Eichmond on the North Bank of THE Jambs—Capture of Fort Harrison—Oo-opee- ATiTE Movement on the Left, by which that Plank is Extended to Peebles's Farm— Move- ments against our Right on the North Bank of THE James — Movement to Turn Lee's Eight Flank and Occupt the South Side Railroad— Co - operative Movement against Lee's Left Flank, 384 CHAPTER XII. The Winter of 1864-65 Movement to Break up the Wagon-train Route of Supply from Hickspord, ON the Weldon Railroad, to Petersburg, and Extension of our Intrenchments to Hatcher's Run—The Capture and Recapture of Fort Sted- MAN Preparations to Move against Lbe's Right Flank and the Danville and South Side Rail- roads, 308 CHAPTER Xin. Movement to Turn Lee's Right — Actions of White Oak EiDGE and Dinwiddie Court House—The Bat- tle OF Five Forks— Lee's Intrenchments West of Petersburg Carried—He Abandons the Eich- mond AND Petersburg Lines, and Eetebats to- ward Danville, 333 CHAPTER XIV. Lee's Army Assembled at Amelia Court House- Night March Past Meade's and Sheridan's Left Flank—Attacked while Retreating—Battles op — X CONTENTS. FAQB Sailor's Creek—Retreat Continued During the Night—Halts near Parmvillb—Oorrespondbncb Between Grant and Lee—Surrender of Lee at Appomattox—Surrender of All Other Confeder- ate Armies—Abmt of the 1'otomac Disbanded, . 373 appendix; a. Organization of the Army of the Potomac, Com- manded BY Major-Genbral George G. Meade, on May 4, 1864 401 APPENDIX B. Extract from Consolidated Morning Report op the Army of the Potomac, April 30, 1864 Oorre- spondbncb WITH THE Adjutant-General, . 408 APPENDIX C. Organization op the Army of Northern Virginia, Commanded by General Robert B. Lee, January 31, 1864, AND August, 1864. 411 APPENDIX D 421 " E, 423 " P 424 " G, 435 " H 426 " I, 428 "»•••••.., 438 " K, .... 1 .... 439 " L, 433 " M, 439 LIST OF MAPS. The maps are 'placed at the end of this volume. ViKGiNiA Between Washington and Richmond. The W1LDBRNES8. spottbtiivania coukt housb. totopotomot. Cold Harbor. North Anna. Bermuda Hundred. ElCHMOND. Petersburg. General Map of the Field of Operations. 1 THE VIRGINIA CAMPAIGN OF '64 AND '65. CHAPTEE I. THE POSITION OF THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC AND OF THE ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA IN THE SPRING OF 1864—THE REORGANIZATION OF THE ABMY OF THE POTOMAC—GENERAL PLAN OF OP- ERATIONS FOR THE CAMPAIGN—THE MOVEMENT BY THE LEFT FLANK DECIDED ON—THE COMPO- SITION AND NUMBERS OF THE TWO ARMIES. In the Spring of 1864 the Army of the Potomac lay be- tween the Rapidan and the Eappahannock. The infantry was posted chiefly in the vicinity of Oulpeper Court House covering the roads leading from Lee's position, the First and Third Corps about two miles in advance of the Court House, the Second Corps near Stevensburg, the Sixth Corps near Welford's Ford, on Hazel Biver, and the Fifth Corps guard- ing the railroad from the Eappahannock Eiver back to Bris- toe Station, near Manassas Junction. The Ninth Corps, under General Barnside, began to relieve the Fifth Corps from this duty on April 25th, and between the 1st and 3d of May encamped along the railroad from Manassas Junction to Eappahannock Station. The main body of the cavalry of the Army of the Poto- mac was about two miles in front of the First Corps, the of infantiy other part of it near Stevensburg. A chain XII.— 2 THE VIRGINIA CAMPAIGN OF '64 AND '65. pickets, well in advance, encircled the wtole army ; cavalry pickets extended outside of these to give early notice of any serious movement of the enemy. The Eapidan was care- fully watched, especially at the fords and at the railroad bridge. The Army of Northern Virginia lay along its intrench- ments on the Eapidan, from Barnett's Ford, about five miles above the railroad crossing of that river, down to the vicin- ity of Morton's Ford, a distance of eighteen or twenty miles. Swell's corps held the lower half of these intrenchments. Hill's the upper half.