[574] army or Drury's Bluff could arrive in time. Can anything be done in the matter?
Battery Dantzler was a new battery of heavy guns at Howlett's Hill, and formed the extreme left of our lines in front of Bermuda Hundreds Neck. At 1 h. P. M. I sent you and General R. E. Lee the following telegraphic despatch:Hoke's division is ordered to Petersburg; hope it will get there in time. I will hold lines of Bermuda Hundreds Neck as long as practicable; but I may have to reinforce Hoke with Johnson's division, when lines would be lost. I advise sending forthwith another strong division to intersection of turnpike and railroad near Port Walthall Junction. >Telegraph operator will send a copy of this despatch to General R. E. Lee. I received at 1.20 P. M. the following:
Hoke's division was ordered to you early this morning in time to be near at hand now, though his telegram of 11.30 says he had just received his orders and was marching. You are better able to judge than I can be of the movements necessary to be made by the troops immediately with you. At 1.45 P. M. I telegraphed you as follows:
Your telegram of 12 M. received. I did not ask advice with regard to movement of troops, but wished to know preference of War Department between Petersburg and lines across Bermuda Hundreds Neck, for my guidance, as I fear my present force may prove unequal to hold both.
To this I received no reply. The alternative of abandoning our lines in front of Bermuda Hundreds or Petersburg was thus presented. My force was inadequate to maintain our extended lines, reaching from Drury's Bluff to this place. The enemy, having been strongly reinforced, continued to press heavily towards Petersburg, and at 9.11 P. M. I sent you and General R. E. Lee the following telegraphic despatch:
Reinforcements not having arrived in time, enemy penetrated lines, from Battery 5 to 8, inclusive. Will endeavor to retake them by daybreak. I shall order Johnson to this point, with all his forces. General Lee must look to the defences of Drury's Bluff and the lines across Bermuda Neck, if practicable. Telegraph operator will send a copy of this despatch to General R. E. Lee.
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Battery Dantzler was a new battery of heavy guns at Howlett's Hill, and formed the extreme left of our lines in front of Bermuda Hundreds Neck. At 1 h. P. M. I sent you and General R. E. Lee the following telegraphic despatch:
1883. Harper. New York.
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