[
467]
General Lee added that
Fitz Lee was forced to retire from
Old Cold Harbor, and that he had extended his own lines in that direction, placing
Hoke on the extreme right; and as the enemy's movements were still continuing to his right, on the morning of the 2d, he had moved
Breckinridge's corps and two divisions of
Hill's to the right.
In concluding he said:
General Early, with Ewell's corps and Heth's division, occupied our left, and was directed to get upon the enemy's right flank and drive him down in front of our line.
General Early made the movement in the forenoon, and drove the enemy from his intrenchments, following him until dark.
While this attack was progressing, General Hill reinforced Breckinridge with two brigades of Wilcox's division, and dislodged the enemy from Turkey hill, in front of our extreme right.
Lee's center under
Anderson, the First corps and
Hoke's division, were now in line across the
River road between
New Cold Harbor and
Old Cold Harbor, facing eastward and covering a highway to
Richmond.
The corps of
Breckinridge and
Hill extended the right to the
Chickahominy, while the Second corps, under
Early, extended
Lee's line to the left, covering the roads leading from the northeast, strengthened on the left by
Heth's division of the Third corps.
In the afternoon of the 2d,
Lee took the offensive, by ordering
Early to assail
Grant's right and sweep down toward his left; but he found
Grant's right returned with formidable works, and, as his offer of open battle was not accepted, he built strong earthworks in front of
Grant's, where he spent the night of the 2d.
At 4 p. m. of the 2d,
Dana dispatched
Stanton:
There has been no battle to-day.
Hancock's men were so tired with their night march, of nearly 12 miles, from their previous position on our extreme right, and the heat and dust so oppressive, that at 2 p. m. to-day, General Grant ordered the attack to be postponed till 4:30 a. m. to-morrow.
The weather is now changed, and we are having a violent rainstorm.
Our entire losses yesterday were, in round numbers, 2,500 killed and wounded. . . . The right of our lines is now at Bethesda church, and on the left the cavalry hold, down to the Chickahominy.
[Of Rosser's fight, he said:] Wilson fought his way out without great loss, but was obliged to leave his dead on the field.
There joined this army, yesterday, ten old and new regiments, making an additional force of 2,327 men. [A postscript reads] I omitted to state, in cipher, that Sheridan had a smart fight this morning, near Gaines' mill, but was unable to force the line of the enemy, owing to the commanding position of their batteries.
On the morning of June 3d, at half past 4,
Grant