Edward Porter Alexander, Military memoirs of a Confederate: a critical narrative

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[530] parallel road. Longstreet marched all night and until about noon on the 22d, when we bivouacked on the south side of the North Anna about 30 miles from the camps we had left, and within a mile of the Junction. Hill, who had now returned to duty, crossed the North Anna about 10 miles above us on the 22d, and moved down next morning.

The lure set for Lee had failed of its object. To make the effort, Hancock had been sent by a route about nine miles longer than the most direct from Grant's left to Hanover Junction, which was only 25 miles, and three miles shorter than Lee's shortest. Having the additional advantage of the initiative, it was doubtless an error on Grant's part to undertake it. On the 22d, it was learned that all three of Lee's corps had passed the night before, and the Federal corps were now all directed to follow.

At Hanover Junction, Lee received his first reenforcements, about 9000 men. On May 15, Breckenridge had severely defeated Sigel at New Market, in the Valley, and driven him south of Cedar Creek, allowing Lee to bring down Breckenridge with two brigades of infantry, about 2500 men. Beauregard, on May 16, had also defeated Butler at Drury's Bluff, allowing Lee to send for Pickett's division, about 5000 men. Hoke's brigade, about 1200 strong, was also brought from Petersburg and assigned to Early's division. Gordon was promoted and assigned to the remnant of Johnson's division, to which also his own brigade under Evans was now transferred from Early.

We had taken position behind the North Anna, but had not yet selected a line of battle or started any intrenchments, when early in the afternoon, the enemy appeared north of the river, and opened fire with artillery upon two slight bridge-head works at the north ends of the railroad bridge and the Telegraph road bridge, which had been constructed to repel raiders a year before. We brought up guns and replied, but ravines on the north side allowed covered approaches to both bridge-heads, and both were captured with some prisoners. We held, however, the south end of the railroad bridge, until after dark, and burned it.

Hancock's corps had approached along the railroad and the Telegraph road. Burnside's corps, next on his right, was directed on the Ox Ford, a crossing about two miles above the