l Grant to reach and seize upon the important
point of Hanover Junction before the arrival of Lee, decided the fate
of the plan of campaign originally devised by him. If the reader will
glance at the map of Virginia, this fact will become apparent. Hanover
Junction is the point where the Virginia Central and Richmond and
Fredericksburg Railroads cross each other, and is situated in the
angle of the North Anna and South Anna Rivers, which unite a short
distance below to form the Pamunkey. Once in possession of this point,
General Grant would have had easy communication with the excellent
base of supplies at Aquia Creek; would have cut the Virginia Central
Railroad; and a direct march southward would have enabled him to
invest Richmond from the north and northwest, in accordance with his
original plan. Lee had, however, reached the point first, and from
that moment, unless the Southern force were driven from its position,
the entire plan of campaign must necessarily be changed.

The great error of General Grant in this arduous campaign would seem
to have been the feebleness of the attack which he here made upon
Lee. The position of the Southern army was not formidable, and on
his arrival they had had no time to erect defences. The river is not
difficult of crossing, and the ground on the south bank gives
no decided advantage to a force occupying it. In spite of
these facts--which it is proper to say General Grant denies,
however--nothing was effected, and but little attempted. A few words
will sum up the operations of the armies during the two or three days.
Reaching the river, General Grant threw a column across some miles
up the stream, at a point known as Jericho Ford, where a brief but
obstinate encounter ensued between Generals Hill and Warren, and
this was followed by the capture of an old redoubt defending the
Chesterfield bridge, near the railroad crossing, opposite Lee's right,
which enabled another column to pass the stream at that point. These
two successful passages of the river on Lee's left and right seemed to
indicate a fixed intention on the part of his adversary to press both
the Southern flanks, and bring on a decisive engagement; and, to
cooeperate in this plan, a third column was now thrown over opposite
Lee's centre.

These movements were, however, promptly met. Lee retired his two
wings, but struck suddenly with his centre at the force attempting to
cross there; and then active operations on both s