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[501] to threaten the line of fortifications near the Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad, and at the same time protect the left flank of the infantry; Hinks' division, in rear of Kautz, tc take position across the Jordan's Point road, as near as possible to the enemy's works; Brooks' division to follow Hinks, and take position on his right; Martindale's division, on the extreme right, to proceed, by the river-road, and strike the City Point Railroad.1 After an advance of two miles, the cavalry struck a line of rifle-trenches, near the City Point Railroad, defended by infantry and armed with a light battery. Upon this, Kautz was withdrawn to the left, and the colored division thrown forward to carry the line—a duty that was executed in a spirited manner, and one gun captured. This unexpected affair delayed the column until about nine A. M. No further obstacle was encountered, and after a march of a couple of miles, the force brought up in front of the fortifications enveloping Petersburg from the south. It was noon before all the troops could be brought up.2 On reconnoitring the position, it was found to be defended
1 Smith: Report of Operations against Petersburg.
2 It may be observed that this statement of the time of the arrival of the column before the fortifications of Petersburg is at variance with the statement of General Grant, who asserts that General Smith ‘confronted the enemy's pickets near Petersburg before daylight.’—Report, p. 12. The statement above made is based on the official reports of General Smith and his division commanders. Without inquiring too curiously in regard to this matter, it is enough to say, that the assertion of the lieutenant-general is not in conformity with a series of established facts in regard to the sequence of events on the morning of the 15th. Thus, it was some time after daylight before the column began to move from its point of passage of the Appomattox at Broadway. It was then brought to a halt by the line of rifle-pits already mentioned, and it was after nine o'clock before it got under way again. It is probably this line of rifle-pits that the lieutenant-general means when he speaks of ‘confronting the enemy near Petersburg.’ Moreover, this affair caused a further delay; for the carrying of these trenches had thrown General Hinks out of his assigned position on the left, and as he knew the country better than any one present, it was necessary to halt the column until he could move by the flank to his place. The head of the column arrived before the Petersburg fortifications between ten and eleven, but it was three before the force was up and deployed in position.
1866.
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