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of Ewell's corps and twenty pieces of artillery.
But the resistance was so obstinate that the advantage gained did not prove decisive.
The thirteenth, fourteenth, fifteenth, sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth were consumed in manoeuvring and awaiting the arrival of reinforcements from Washington.
Deeming it impracticable to make any further attack upon the enemy at Spottsylvania Court-house, orders were issued on the eighteenth with a view to a movement to the North Anna, to commence at twelve o'clock on the night of the nineteenth.
Late in the afternoon of the nineteenth Ewell's corps came out of its works on our extreme right flank; but the attack was promptly repulsed, with heavy loss.
This delayed the movement to the North Anna until the night of the twenty-first, when it was commenced.
But the enemy again having the short line, and being in possession of the main roads, was enabled to reach the North Anna in advance of us, and took position behind it. The Fifth corps reached the North Anna on the afternoon of the twenty-third, closely followed by the Sixth corps.
The Second and Ninth corps got up about the same time, the Second holding the railroad bridge and the Ninth lying between that and Jericho ford.
General Warren effected a crossing the same afternoon, and got into position without much opposition.
Soon after getting into position he was violently attacked, but repulsed the enemy with great slaughter.
On the twenty-fifth General Sheridan rejoined the Army of the Potomac from the raid on which he started from Spottsylvania, having destroyed the depots at Beaver Dam and Ashland stations, four trains of cars, large supplies of rations, and many miles of railroad track; recaptured about four hundred of our men on their way to Richmond as prisoners of war; met and defeated the enemy's cavalry at Yellow Tavern; carried the first line of works around Richmond (but finding the second line too strong to be carried by assault), recrossed to the north bank of the Chickahominy at Meadow's Bridge, under heavy fire, and moved by a detour to Haxall's landing, on the James river, where he communicated with General Butler.
This raid had the effect of drawing off the whole of the enemy's cavalry force, and making it comparatively easy to guard our trains.
General Butler moved his main force up the James river, in pursuance of instructions, on the fourth of May, General Gillmore having joined with the Tenth corps.
At the same time he sent a force of one thousand eight hundred cavalry, by way of West Point, to form a junction with him wherever he might get a foothold, and a force of three thousand cavalry, under General Kautz, from Suffolk, to operate against the road south of Petersburg and Richmond.
On the fifth he occupied, without opposition, both City Point and Bermuda Hundred, his movement being a complete surprise.
On the sixth he was in position with his main army, and commenced intrenohing.
On the seventh he made a reconnaissance against the Petersburg and Richmond railroad, destroying a portion of it after some fighting.
On the ninth he telegraphed as follows:
On the evening of the thirteenth and morning of the fourteenth he carried a portion of the enemy's first line of defence at Drury's Bluff, or Fort Darling, with small loss. The time thus consumed from the sixth lost to us the benefit of the surprise and capture of Richmond and Petersburg, enabling, as it did, Beauregard to collect his loose forces in North and South Carolina and bring them to the defence of those places. On the sixteenth the enemy attacked General Butler in his position in front of Drury's Bluff. He was forced back, or drew back, into his intrenchments between the forks of the James and Appomattox rivers, the enemy intrenching strongly in his front, thus covering his railroads, the city, and all that was valuable to him. His army, therefore, though in a position of great security, was as completely shut off from further operations directly against Richmond as if it had been in a bottle strongly corked. It required but a comparatively small force of the enemy to hold it there. On the twelfth General Kautz with his cavalry was started on a raid against the Danville railroad, which he struck at Coalfield, Powhatan, and Chola stations, destroying them, the railroadheadquarters near Bermuda landing, May 9, 1864.Our operations may be summed up in a few words. With one thousand seven hundred cavalry we have advanced up the Peninsula, forced the Chickahominy, and have safely brought them to our present position. These were colored cavalry, and are now holding our advance pickets toward Richmond. General Kautz, with three thousand cavalry from Suffolk, on the same day with our movement up James river, forced the Blackwater, burned the railroad bridge at Stony creek, below Peterbsurg, cutting in two Beauregard's force at that point. We have landed here, intrenched ourselves, destroyed many miles of railroad, and got a position which, with proper supplies, we can hold out against the whole of Lee's army. I have ordered up the supplies. Beauregard, with a large portion of his force, was left south by the cutting of the railroads by Kautz. That portion which reached Petersburg under Hill I have whipped to-day, killing and wounding many, and taking many prisoners, after a severe and well-contested fight. General Grant will not be troubled with any further reinforcements to Lee from Beauregard's force.
