Chapter 16: capture of fortifications around Richmond, Newmarket Heights, Dutch Gap Canal, elections in New York and gold conspiracy.
- Across the James River -- the demonstration of August 13 -- Butler's plan for attack on Newmarket Heights -- an order: respectfully submitted to critics -- gallant and brilliant charge of the colored division on Fort Newmarket and capture of Fort Harrison by General Ord -- Butler gets between the lines -- Lee's vain attempt to retake the position -- Butler's log-house headquarters -- courage of colored troops demonstrated -- Medals for bravery -- Dutch Gap Canal: dug and blown out to let the fleet up the River, and then the Navy is afraid to go -- sent to New York in November to insure a fair election -- suppressing a militia commander -- troops in ferry-boats all about the City -- August Belmont wants to bet -- the gold conspiracy -- how Butler kept the price down -- Butler offered post of Secretary of War -- banquet to Butler -- Beecher names him for President -- an unfortunate affair
In August we had a small holding on the north side of the James River at a point known as Deep Bottom. General Grant wanted to get north of the James still further up so that if it became convenient or necessary the united armies of the Potomac and the James,--leaving enough men in the trenches before Petersburg to hold our position there, and in our front, to hold the position of the Army of the James at Bermuda Hundred,--could be thrown across the river by pontoon bridges, and make a full attack upon the city of Richmond. To be able to get there before Lee, he relied upon the fact that we had much the shorter line, as will be seen by the map. Although Lee had a railroad, yet it was in such meagre equipment and repair that only a few troops could be transported over it rapidly to the south side of Richmond, Drury's bluff; and Grant proposed that his movement should be made on the north side of Richmond against the fortifications at Chaffin's farm. To extend his lines on the north side he detailed, on the 13th of August, Hancock with the Second Corps, to be transported from City Point by the river to Deep Bottom. At the same time I ordered General Birney to go with the Tenth Corps across from Bermuda Hundred and join Hancock in an attack upon the enemy in that quarter. The plan was that they should carry the enemy's fortifications,--the left of which, substantially, was Fort Wilkinson,--at a point known as Newmarket Heights, where there was a strong redoubt enclosed by a double line of abatis, and defended with artillery.1
