d the Chickahominy with the Phalanx
cavalry, and arrived opposite City Point, having destroyed the railroad
for some distance on that side.

Leaving General Hinks with his Phalanx division to hold City Point, on
the 9th Butler again moved forward to break up the railroad which the
forces under Smith and Gillmore succeeded in doing, thus separating
Beaureguard's force from Lee's. He announced the result of his
operation's in the following message to Washington:

"May 9th, 1864.

"Our operations may be summed up in a few words. With one
thousand and seven hundred cavalry we have advanced up the
Peninsula, forced the Chickahominy and have safely brought
them to our present position. These were _colored cavalry_,
and are now holding our advanced pickets toward Richmond.
General Kautz, with three thousand cavalry from Suffolk, on
the same day with our movement up James river, forced the
Blackwater, burned the railroad bridge at Stony Creek, below
Petersburg, cutting in two Beauregard's force at that point.
We have landed here, intrenched ourselves, destroyed many
miles of railroad, and got possession, which, with proper
supplies, we can hold out against the whole of Lee's army. I
have ordered up the supplies. Beauregard, with a large
portion of his force, was left south, by the cutting of the
railroad by Kautz. That portion which reached Petersburg
under Hill, I have whipped to-day, killing and wounding
many, and taking many prisoners, after a well contested
fight. General Grant will not be troubled with any further
re-inforcements to Lee from Beaureguard's force.

"BENJ. F. BUTLER, _Major-General._"

But for having been misinformed as to Lee's retreating on
Richmond,--which led him to draw his forces back into his
intrenchments,--Butler would have undoubtedly marched triumphantly into
Petersburg. The mistake gave the enemy holding the approaches to that
city time to be re-enforced, and Petersburg soon became well fortified
and garrisoned. Beaureguard succeeded in a few days time in
concentrating in front of Butler 25,000 troops, thus checking the
latter's advance toward Richmond and Petersburg, on the south side of
the James, though skirmishing went on at various points.

General Grant intended to have Butler advance and capture Petersburg,
while General Meade, with the Army of the Potomac, advanced upon
Richmon