turn to his original plan of
attack from the coast, and turned his face toward the James river. On
the 12th of June the Army of the Potomac began to move, and by the 16th
it was, with all its trains across, and on the south side of the James.

Petersburg Grant regarded as the citadel of Richmond, and to capture it
was the first thing on his list to be accomplished. General Butler was
made acquainted with this, and as soon as General Smith, who, with a
portion of Butler's forces had been temporarily dispatched to join the
army of the Potomac at Cold Harbor, returned to Bermuda Hundreds with
his force, he was ordered forward to capture the Cockade City. It was
midnight on the 14th, when Smith's troops arrived. Butler ordered him
immediately forward against Petersburg, and he moved accordingly. His
force was in three divisions of Infantry, and one of Cavalry, under
General Kautz, who was to threaten the line of works on the Norfolk
road. General Hinks, with his division of the Phalanx, was to take
position across the Jordon's Point road on the right of Kautz; Brooks'
division of white troops was to follow, Hinks coming in at the center of
the line, while General Martindale with the other division was to move
along the Appomattox and strike the City Point road. Smith's movement
was directed against the northeast side of Petersburg, extending from
the City Point to the Norfolk railroad. About daylight on the 15th, as
the columns advanced on the City Point road at Bailey's farm, six miles
from Petersburg, a confederate battery opened fire. Kautz reconnoitered
and found a line of rifle trench, extending along the front, on rapidly
rising ground, with a thicket covering. The work was held by a regiment
of cavalry and a light battery. At once there was use for the Phalanx;
the works must be captured with the battery before the troops could
proceed. The cavalry was re-called, and Hinks began the formation of an
attacking party from his division. The confederates were in an open
field, their battery upon a knoll in the same field, commanding a
sweeping position to its approaches. The advancing troops must come out
from the woods, rush up the slope and carry it at the point of the
bayonet, exposed to the tempest of musketry and cannister of the
battery. Hinks formed his line for the assault, and the word of command
was given,--"forward." The line emerged from the woods, the enemy opened
with cannister upon the steadily advancing col