Chapter 32:
- Position of the armies around Richmond, June 1, 1864. -- maneuvers for position. -- battle of Cold Harbour. -- easy repulse of the enemy. -- Grant decides to cross the river, and attempt the south side of Richmond. -- why Gen. Lee did not attempt to attack him in the movement. -- battles of Petersburg. -- two attacks of the enemy repulsed. -- Butler advances his position, and is driven back. -- Grant turns his attention from the fortifications to the railroads. -- demonstrations on the Weldon and Danville Roads. -- defeat of Sheridan's expedition on the railroads North of Richmond. -- operations west of the Blue Ridge. -- Hunter's movement. -- he captures Staunton. -- he advances upon Lynchburg. -- he is defeated, and driven into Western Virginia. -- Gen. John Morgan's expedition into Kentucky. -- its disastrous conclusion. -- particulars of the murder of Gen. Morgan in East Tennessee. -- Early's invasion of Maryland. -- daring of Gen. Lee. -- what he proposed by sending Early's column into the North. -- Grant's preparations against this movement. -- battle of Monocacy Bridge. -- defeat of “Lew” Wallace's command. -- Early advances upon Washington. -- skirmish in front of Fort Stevens. -- Early declines to attack the Federal capital and retreats. -- questions as to the strength of Washington. -- results of Early's expedition. -- its effect on the armies operating around Richmond. -- the mine fiasco at Petersburg. -- three elements in the plan of attack. -- description of the mine. -- the explosion and a “feu d'enfer.” -- the assaulting column pauses in the crater. -- terrible scenes of carnage. -- the miserable failure. -- commentary of the New York times.
The first of June, 1864, found the position of the two armies around Richmond as follows: Grant was between the Chickahominy and the Pamunkey, with his left thrown forward to Mechanicsville, his right withdrawn to White House, and his reserve massed in rear of his left, and Richmond somewhat behind his left flank. Lee was posted from Atlee's Station, extending on his left to Gaines' Mill, with outposts as far as Coal Harbour. His position conformed to that of 1862; and, indeed, the whole Confederate line of battle was on ground occupied by both the armies at that time. On falling back to Richmond it had been the first concern of Gen. Lee to secure positions he knew, from the battles of 1862, to be good ones.
