Boydton plank road, battle of.
After the
National troops had taken possession of the Weldon Railroad, the
Boydton plank road became the chief channel of communication for
Lee in that quarter, and he extended his intrenchments along its line to the vicinity of
Hatcher's Run.
The corps of
Warren and
Parke were sent to assail the extreme right of these intrenchments, while hancock's corps and
Gregg's cavalry, well towards its left, should swing around to the west side of
Hatcher's Run, sweep across the
Boydton road, and seize the Southside Railway.
The
Boydton road was a few miles west of the Weldon Railway.
The movement began on the morning of Oct. 27, 1864, and at nine o'clock the
Confederate line was struck, but it was not broken.
Warren's corps made its way to the west of hatcher's Run to gain the
Confederate rear.
Crawford's division got entangled and broken in an almost impassable swamp.
An attempt of a part of
Howard's corps to form a junction with
Crawford's troops was defeated by the tangled swamp.
These movements had been eagerly watched by the
Confederates.
Heth was sent by
Hill to strike
Hancock.
It was done at 4 P. M. The blow first fell upon
Pierce's brigade, and it gave way, leaving two guns behind.
The Confederates were pursuing, when they, in turn, were struck by the Nationals, driven back, and the two guns recaptured.
Fully 1,000 Confederates were made prisoners.
Others, in their flight,
[
391]
rushed into
Crawford's lines, and 200 of them were made prisoners.
Meanwhile
Hancock had been sorely pressed on his left and rear by five brigades under
Wade Hampton.
Gregg fought them, and with infantry supports maintained his ground until dark.
In these encounters
Hancock lost about 1,500 men, and the
Confederates about an equal number.
Hancock withdrew at midnight, and the whole National force retired behind their intrenchments at
Petersburg.
the movement was intended to favor
Butler's operations on the north side of the
James River.
