Chapter 20: Confederate operations in Northern Virginia
- Dana returns to Washington -- generals Smith and Butler -- defensive attitude in front of Petersburg -- despatches to Grant -- services to Grant and the army
On June 21, 1864, the President and a small party, including the Secretary of War, arrived at City Point on a short visit to General Grant and the army. Dana joined them at once, and when the visit was ended accompanied them to Washington for a few days. As both the President and Secretary of War “were anxious to have his daily reports of the operations around Petersburg,” he made haste to return, arriving at headquarters on July 1st. Here he found a condition of affairs far from encouraging. Instead of waiting for Sheridan's return from his movement against the railroads north of Richmond, Grant sent the rest of his cavalry straight out into the Confederacy to break up those leading west and south from Petersburg. Meade had tried to extend his left to cover the highways and railroads, but had failed and settled down supinely on the defensive. He was now engaged in quarrelling with Warren, but would probably settle the matter at issue without proceeding to the extreme remedy of relieving him. Butler was “pretty deep in controversial correspondence with Balky Smith,” in which it will be noted that Grant says, “Butler was clearly in the wrong.” Rumors had just come in that the movement against the Danville and Southside railroads had
