Benjamnin F. Butler, Butler's Book: Autobiography and Personal Reminiscences of Major-General Benjamin Butler

Those letters plainly demonstrate that which had become painfully evident before — that my two corps commanders agreed upon but one thing and that was, how they could thwart and interfere with me. Smith's letter shows that Gillmore would do nothing in the world to aid Smith. I did not then think Smith was quite in that frame of mind towards Gillmore, but other evidence has shown me that he was. Indeed, as will appear, it was impossible even to get them to join their intrenchments on our line. One insisted on building on one line, and the other insisted on building on another. This required me to detail General Weitzel from the command of his division to be chief engineer of the department, in order to get these intrenched fortifications, on which our whole safety depended, put in order so that they could be capable of being defended by a small force while we demonstrated towards Richmond.

About twelve o'clock, while the movement of the 9th was going on, the enemy, advancing from Richmond upon our rear, attacked the covering force of the Tenth Corps under Colonel Voorhis of the Sixty-Seventh Ohio, and for a moment forced him back, although he gallantly held his position. General Terry, with the reserve of that corps, advanced from Port Walthall Junction. Two pieces of artillery that had been lost were re-captured by a gallant achievement of the Seventh Connecticut Volunteers, under Lieutenant-Colonel Roman, who drove the enemy back with loss to them of three hundred killed. The woods from which the enemy had been driven took fire under a high wind and their dead and severely wounded were burned. General Terry held his position till night and then withdrew to his place in line. As Brigadier-General Turner's division was retiring, General Hagood, by authority of General Bushrod Johnson of the Confederate forces, sent a flag of truce asking permission to bury their dead and to bring off their wounded, which was granted.

On the morning of the 10th I received advices by signal from General Kautz announcing his return with his entire command. He had failed to reach Hicksford, but had burned the Stony Creek bridge, the Nottoway Bridge, and Jarratt's Station, and captured about one hundred and thirty prisoners, with a loss to his command of about thirty, killed and wounded.¹

Wishing to have the assistance of General Kautz's cavalry in the