William Swinton, Campaigns of the Army of the Potomac

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[535] victory, achieved with trivial loss.¹ Warren soon rendered his position unassailable, and Lee was compelled to see this important line of supplies cut off. The loss sustained by Warren in these actions for the possession of the Weldon Railroad, reached an aggregate of four thousand four hundred and fifty-five killed, wounded, and missing.²

the action at Reams' Station.—It will be remembered that at the time Warren moved out, Hancock was operating on the north bank of the James River. Having, meanwhile, returned to the lines before Petersburg on the morning of the 21st, after a very fatiguing march, he was ordered to the left, in rear of the position held by Warren. This was accomplished the same afternoon, and the troops passed the next two days in destroying the Weldon Railroad, moving southward and tearing up the track as far as Reams' Station. The cavalry meanwhile operated on the left towards Dinwiddie Courthouse. From Reams' Station, the troops proceeded, on the 24th, to continue the work of destruction for three miles further southward, after which they were withdrawn to the intrenchments. As Hancock's instructions were to break up the railroad as far as Rowanty Creek, eight miles south of Reams', he once more dispatched part of his corps, on the 25th, to perform this duty. The division to which this work was this day assigned (that of Gibbon), had, however, hardly left its intrenchments when the cavalry, which was thrown out in the direction of any hostile approach, reported the enemy advancing. As the Confederates showed a strong