William Swinton, Campaigns of the Army of the Potomac

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[471] known that a flank march in presence of the hostile army affords unusual opportunity of striking a blow, and a vigorous commander will not willingly let slip such an occasion of taking the offensive, either by falling upon that portion already on the march, or by attacking the portion that remains behind. It can hardly be supposed that it was any thing but Lee's weakness that prevented his adopting this course; for, although made aware of Grant's initiative, he, instead of acting on the aggressive, adopted the course of falling back on parallel roads nearer to Richmond, with the intention, however, of again interposing his army across Grant's line of march. Accordingly, at midnight on the 20th, the same night on which Hancock set out, Longstreet's corps was headed southward, and another grand race between the two armies, similar to that from the Wilderness to Spottsylvania, was begun. But as Lee's front at Spottsylvania gave him command of the best and direct route leading southward (namely, the telegraph road, with the roads converging on and radiating therefrom), and as it was necessary for the Army of the Potomac, on its delicate flank march, to take circuitous routes well eastward, it was, from the start, probable that Lee would gain on his adversary.

Hancock had begun the movement on the night of the 20th. On the morning of the 21st Warren's corps followed. Lee met this by sending Ewell's corps after Longstreet's. There then remained within the lines of Spottsylvania, Burnside's and Wright's corps on the Union side, and Hill's corps on the Confederate side. Burnside left that afternoon. Wright, with the Sixth Corps, prepared to follow. Hill then fancying it to be a good opportunity to assume the offensive, made a sally on Wright's front, and opened an attack, which, however, was easily repulsed.¹ During the night the Sixth Corps withdrew;