William Swinton, Campaigns of the Army of the Potomac

movement by the left.—The hold gained by Warren on the Weldon Railroad was permanently retained, and a line of redoubts formed connecting his position with the old left of the army, on the Jerusalem plankroad. No further movement of consequence, beyond reconnoissances, was made till the end of September, when General Grant, being resolved to push operations on Butler's front, north of the James River, directed a demonstration to be made on the left, with the view of preventing the transfer of re-enforcements to the troops opposed to Butler.¹ For this purpose General Warren, with two divisions of the Fifth Corps, and General Parke, with two divisions of the Ninth, moved from the left towards Poplar Spring Church and Peeble's Farm. Gregg's division of cavalry, at the same time, moved further to the left and rear. One of Warren's divisions, under General Griffin, found the Confederates intrenched on Peeble's Farm, and attacking, carried a redoubt and a line of rifle-pits, taking one gun and about a hundred prisoners. At the same time his other division, under General Ayres, carried a small work on the Squirrel Level road. In the afternoon, Parke, moving on Warren's left, towards the Boydton road, was fiercely assailed, and forced back in disorder. Griffin's division, however, came to his support, and the enemy was then checked and repulsed.

Early next morning, Gregg met the enemy's cavalry and forced it back. At the same time Mott's division of Hancock's corps was withdrawn from the lines and sent to re-enforce Parke; but it did not reach the ground in time to be of service. During the afternoon Gregg was heavily attacked on the Duncan road, where he was guarding the left and rear; but repulsed the enemy, with considerable loss.

The 2d of October the whole force advanced, but found the enemy had withdrawn to his main intrenchments. A position was then taken up, and the necessary works laid out to extend the Federal intrenched line to the position gained.² The loss in this action was above twenty-five hundred.