FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   407   408   409   410   411   412   413   414   415   416   417   418   419   420   421   422   423   424   425   426   427   428   429   430   431  
432   433   434   435   436   437   438   439   440   441   442   443   444   445   446   447   448   449   450   451   452   453   454   455   456   >>   >|  
ADE, Commanding Army of the Potomac. Direct corps commanders to hold their troops in readiness to march at five A.M. to-morrow. At that hour each command will send out cavalry and infantry on all roads to their front leading south, and ascertain, if possible, where the enemy is. If beyond the South Anna, the 5th and 6th corps will march to the forks of the road, where one branch leads to Beaver Dam Station, the other to Jericho Bridge, then south by roads reaching the Anna, as near to and east of Hawkins Creek as they can be found. The 2d corps will move to Chesterfield Ford. The 9th corps will be directed to move at the same time to Jericho Bridge. The map only shows two roads for the four corps to march upon, but, no doubt, by the use of plantation roads, and pressing in guides, others can be found, to give one for each corps. The troops will follow their respective reconnoitring parties. The trains will be moved at the same time to Milford Station. Headquarters will follow the 9th corps. U. S. GRANT, Lieut.-General. Warren's corps was moved from Harris's Store to Jericho Ford, Wright's following. Warren arrived at the ford early in the afternoon, and by five o'clock effected a crossing under the protection of sharpshooters. The men had to wade in water up to their waists. As soon as enough troops were over to guard the ford, pontoons were laid and the artillery and the rest of the troops crossed. The line formed was almost perpendicular to the course of the river--Crawford on the left, next to the river, Griffin in the centre, and Cutler on the right. Lee was found intrenched along the front of their line. The whole of Hill's corps was sent against Warren's right before it had got in position. A brigade of Cutler's division was driven back, the enemy following, but assistance coming up the enemy was in turn driven back into his trenches with heavy loss in killed and wounded, with about five hundred prisoners left in our hands. By night Wright's corps was up ready to reinforce Warren. On the 23d Hancock's corps was moved to the wooden bridge which spans the North Anna River just west of where the Fredericksburg Railroad crosses. It was near night when the troops arrived. They found the bridge guarded, with troops intrenched, on the north side. Hancock sent two brigades, Egan's and Pierce's, to the right and left, and when properly disposed they charged simultaneously. The bridge was carrie
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   407   408   409   410   411   412   413   414   415   416   417   418   419   420   421   422   423   424   425   426   427   428   429   430   431  
432   433   434   435   436   437   438   439   440   441   442   443   444   445   446   447   448   449   450   451   452   453   454   455   456   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

troops

 

Warren

 
bridge
 

Jericho

 

follow

 

Bridge

 

Station

 

driven

 

Cutler

 

intrenched


Wright

 
arrived
 
Hancock
 

position

 
brigade
 

artillery

 

crossed

 

Crawford

 

formed

 

Griffin


pontoons

 

centre

 

perpendicular

 

Railroad

 
crosses
 

Fredericksburg

 
guarded
 

disposed

 

charged

 

simultaneously


carrie

 
properly
 

Pierce

 

brigades

 

wooden

 
trenches
 

killed

 
assistance
 

coming

 

wounded


reinforce

 

hundred

 
prisoners
 

division

 

General

 
branch
 

Hawkins

 
reaching
 

Beaver

 

ascertain