Jones' bridge, Virginia, June 13, 1864.
By the left flank, once more I Our army has been crossing here quietly for some hours.
Our wounded and sick were all sent to White House yesterday.
Such of our troops as could be moved from the front, started yesterday (Sunday) morning.
Our wagon trains had been packed the previous day, ready for the move.
These preparatory movements always occupy a day or two, when the enemy are on our front, and it was not until last night that the completion of these preliminaries gave the signal for the troops to fall in for another move.
A portion of the Eighteenth corps and some other troops were first withdrawn and moved to the rear.
During the night the rest were quietly withdrawn.
It is one of the most difficult tasks to withdraw from the front of an enemy strongly intrenched, with lines of battle as close as they were, in position, just to the left.
Our withdrawal was effected so quietly as not to arouse their suspicion, and here we are crossing the Chickahominy, a full and long day's march from Mechanicsville.
Where we go we know not.
All have learned to follow General Grant wherever he leads, and no questions asked.
We crossed in two colums, our right here at Long bridge, and our left lower down at Jones' bridge.
The headquarters' trains left Cold Harbor on Sunday at three A. M., and are now encamped here.
Our next march is to bring us to James river.
So closely have we pressed the enemy in our front for several days, that they were unable to send off sufficient forces to hold these fords, and as we have a shorter line by twenty miles than anything they can take to reach our rear, we feel very secure in our position.
White Oak swamp now protects our right wing, and the Chickahominy in a few hours will cover our rear.
The Richmond Despatch of Saturday, June eleventh, mentions a rumor brought into the city of Wade Hampton's having had a sharp fight with Sheridan's cavalry, west of Richmond, where the Yankees were endeavoring to reach the canal locks on James river.
It claims that that they had obtained some success, but does not seem to attach much importance to the statement.This text is part of:
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Van Nostrand. New York, New York. 1868.
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