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not in proper condition to attack the enemy under his gunboats.
I ordered, therefore, that no advance should be made and wrote to request that the
commanding general would ride forward at his earliest convenience.
Brigadier-General D. R. Jones, in command of his own brigade and that of
General Toombs, reported to me just before the arrival of the
commanding general.
These brigades were put in position on
Jackson's left, and
Major-General A. P. Hill's division on his right, at
Crenshaw's farm.
After consultation, further offensive operations were not deemed expedient.
Some days were, therefore, occupied in collecting the arms and other property thrown away and abandoned by the enemy, when our forces were withdrawn to their present positions near
Richmond.
Respectfully submitted,
.
General: I have the honor herewith to submit to you a report of the operations of my corps in the
battle of Cold Harbor, and other engagements before
Richmond.
On the seventeenth of June, last, leaving the cavalry and
Chew's battery, under
Brigadier-General Robertson, near Harrisonburgh —
Whiting's division, then near
Staunton, and
Ewell's and
Jackson's near
Weyer's Cave, Augusta County, Virginia--moved toward
Richmond.
Lawton's brigade, subsequently of
Jackson's division, being part at
Staunton and part near
Weyer's Cave, moved with the troops nearest their positions.
Subsequently
Colonel Munford, with his cavalry, marched in the same direction.
On the twenty-fifth of June, we reached the vicinity of
Ashland, on the
Richmond,
Fredericksburgh, and Potomac Railroad, about twelve miles from
Richmond.
The division of
Brigadier-General Whiting embraced the
Texas brigade,
General Hood; the Third brigade, Colonel Law commanding, with the batteries of
Rielly and
Balthis.
The division of
Major-General Ewell, the Fourth brigade,
General Elzey; the Seventh brigade,
General Trimble; and the Eighth brigade,
Colonel L. G. Seymour; and the
Maryland line,
Colonel Bradley T. Johnson, with the batteries of
Brockenbrough,
Carrington, and
Courtnay.
Jackson's division, the First brigade,
General Charles S. Winder; the Second brigade,
Lieutenant-Colonel R. H. Cunningham commanding; the Third brigade,
Colonel L. W. Fulkerson commanding; and the Fourth brigade,
General A. R. Lawton; with the batteries of
Poague,
Carpenter, and
Wooding.
On the morning of the twenty-sixth, in pursuance of instructions from the
commanding general, I took up the line of march for Cold Harbor,
Whiting's division in front.
Pursuing the
Ashcake road, we crossed the Central Railroad about ten A. M. Approaching the
Tottopotomy Creek, the
Federal pickets crossed to the south side of the stream, and partially destroyed the bridge, and by felling trees across the road further on, attempted to delay our advance.
After the
Texas skirmishers had gallantly crossed over and
Rielly shelled the woods for the purpose of driving the enemy from it, in order that we might safely effect a lodgment beyond the creek,
Whiting rapidly repaired the bridge, and the march was resumed.
That night the three divisions bivouacked near
Hundley's Corner.
Whilst there, some skirmishing took place with detachments of the enemy, in which
Brockenbrough's battery, the First Maryland, Thirteenth Virginia, and the Sixth Louisiana regiments participated.
We were now approaching the ground occupied by that portion of the grand army of
McClellan, which was posted north of the
Chickahominy.
His right was then resting upon
Mechanicsville, from which point his lines extended some miles down the river.
As our route, that day, inclined toward the south, and brought us in the direction of, but to the left of,
Mechanicsville, we distinctly heard the rapid and continued discharges of cannon, announcing the engagement of
General A. P. Hill with the extreme right of the enemy.
Early
