The Words of War

Home > Other > The Words of War > Page 20
The Words of War Page 20

by Donagh Bracken


  “Judging from Gen. Meade’s previous action in similar cases, and from the general temper he exhibits toward the press, Mr. Swinton is quite as likely to have been excluded for being too accurate as for any other offence.”

  Ironically, Raymond’s facts, too, conflicted with reality. General Meade, who also had a reputation as an antagonist of the press, was being taken to task for General Grant’s action.

  June 9, 1864 – From the Charleston Mercury Telegraphic

  The Campaign Against Richmond

  BATTLEFIELD, NEAR GAINES’ MILL, June 7 – 5 p.m. – The press telegram sent last evening should have read ‘EARLY followed the enemy two miles,’ and not ‘After pursuing two miles, and finding the enemy entrenched on Tolpotomy Creek, with a swamp in their front, EARLY went no further.’

  The condition of affairs on our left is unchanged today. The enemy is still in front of HILL’S and ANDERSON’S corps, but is reported moving to the right.

  Last evening GRANT sent another flag of truce asking permission to bury the dead. This was granted, and three hours (from 7 until 10 p.m.) fixed as the time. But it seems GRANT did not get General LEE’S answer in time; and the dead are still unburied. Another flag of truce has come in this morning.

  Some artillery and picket firing is going on today.

  Second Despatch

  RICHMOND, June 8. - GRANT sent Gen. LEE the flag of truce yesterday for the purpose of returning a detail of ours, improperly captured, while burying the dead last night, and apologized for taking them.

  Nothing of interest has transpired today.

  The Latest from the United States

  RICHMOND, June 7 – The Washington Chronicle of the 2d instant says that GRANT’S communications with the White House are complete. A railroad will be put into operation between West Point and the White House.

  Brownsville, Texas, at last accounts, was threatened by 2,000 rebels.

  Gold in New York 89 1/2.

  We have European dates to May 20. Parliament had reassembled. PALMERSTON’S health was restored. There are alarming accounts of the health of the Pope. Some credit was attached, on the London Stock Exchange, to the report of GRANT’S victories over LEE. The Confederate loan declined 3 per cent, and the news caused unsettled feeling in commercial circles.

  UNION AND CONFEDERATE BATTLE LINES AT COLD HARBOR. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.

  Later

  RICHMOND, June 8 – United States papers of the 4th instant have been received. They quote gold at 192.

  GRANT, in his despatches of May 2d, claims that the rebel works at Cold Harbor were carried on the afternoon previous. The rebels’ repeated assaults, he says, were repulsed with loss in every instance. Several hundred prisoners, he adds, were taken.

  Other despatches, equally false, from BUTLER and other sources, are published, probably with a view of influencing the action of the Republican Convention, which met in Baltimore yesterday.

  The Charleston Mercury

  June 14, 1864

  Letter from Richmond

  Correspondence of the Mercury

  Richmond, Friday, June 10

  While his gabions are being prepared, GRANT amuses himself by sending out raiding parties. That sent to Petersburg yesterday succeeded about as well as SHERIDAN did when he got inside the outer line of works around Richmond. A engineer from Petersburg declared that the enemy got as far as Main street, but were mown down there by cannon which the plucky Petersburgers keep planted in all their streets.

  Can Grant reduce Turkey Ridge by regular approaches? I put this question to a military man a week ago; he said it could not be done, and explained why it could not – because the sappers could be flanked and enfiladed. To prevent this, Grant gets up his gabions, etc., and yet this is a long-taw siege with a vengeance. Turkey Ridge is ten or twelve miles from here. There is a ruse somewhere.

  The proposition to pay the President $50,000—he does not prefer to exercise his legal right to demand his present salary of $25,000 in constitutional money, or gold—excites a good deal of ridicule and serious irony on the part of the independent newspapers of this city. It is a monstrous proposition. Twenty-five thousand dollars in gold, at present rates, viz: for 1, would make the President’s salary $350,000 in Confederate money.

  Sheridancavalry, 6,000 strong, is moving up the country, either to cut off Breckenridges’ trains, or to join Hunter and Crook in the Valley. Should the three unite, the joint force would be about 18,000. This would give us trouble. Hampton is close up to Sheridan. Our loss in the fight near Staunton, in which General W. E. Jones fell, was 1,300 killed, wounded and missing.

  The Yankee practice of shooting at our wounded was carried to a villainous extent during the late battle at Cold Harbor. I hear of an artillery officer who was shot seven times after he had fallen. On the field in front of Kershaw, where the blue coats lay so thick, the Yankee sharpshooters killed many of their own wounded, and left the rest to die at leisure.

  The Bureau of Conscription has decided that after the 15th of July, all the able bodied men employed by the Express Company shall be put en permanence into the army.

  The engorgement of the City Postoffice has abated in a measure, yet we get few Southern papers, except such as are sent from the Express office in this city.

  HERMES

  The Charleston Mercury

  June 16, 1864

  Telegraphic

  From Gen. Lee’s Lines

  Headquarter’s Army Northern VA, June 14, 9 p.m.

  The force of the enemy mentioned in my last despatch as being on the Long Bridge Road disappeared during the night. It was probably advanced to cover the movement of the main body of his forces, most of which as far as I can learn, have crossed the Chickahominy at Long Bridge and below, and have reached the James River at Westover and Wilcoxlandings. A portion of Grantarmy, upon leaving our front at Cold Harbor, are reported to have proceded to the White House, and embarked at that place. Everything is said to have been removed. The depot at White House was broken up. The cars, engines, railroad iron and bridge timber brought to that point were also all removed.

  RICHMOND, June 14 – Our cavalry yesterday evening gave back some two miles above RIDDLE’S shop, towards Richmond, until strengthened by WILCOX and part of MAHONE’S infantry, when the enemyforce, consisting of two divisions of infantry, artillery and cavalry, were encountered and driven back some three or four miles below RIDDLE’S shop, towards the Long Bridge, thus recovering the road to Malvern Hill, which the enemy at one time held. This movement of the enemy was a mere feint. Last night they again withdrew from our front, and are reported today to be moving towards James River, at Shirley, on both sides of the Chickahominy. Some seventy more prisoners have been brought in. GRANT’S exact whereabouts or intentions have not been ascertained.

  The Charleston Mercury

  June 16, 1864

  Letter from Richmand

  (Correspondence of the Mercury)

  Richmond, Wednesday, June 8

  Believed that Master GRANT has come back to his work, after trying in vain to fool LEE into the opinion that he was off on another file left movement. But you can hear anything you want from the army. For example, it was currently reported yesterday that the heaviest battle of the war was raging below Cold Harbor.

  RICKETT’S DIVISION, 6TH CORPS, ATTACKING AT COLD HARBOR (FORBES). LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.

  Prisoners taken on Monday say Grant is receiving large numbers of horses; so we may expect another great raid, perhaps on the north side of the city, around Leeleft, to the canal, and perhaps over the river to the Danville road.

  Preparations have been made for Grantreception on the Southside. Beauregard is watchful as a lynx, and if Ulysses is not careful, he will find a lion in his path the moment he sets foot on shore at City Point.

  The vulnerable points on the Danville Road are not numerous. Raiding parties will have to venture very far from their base in order to do much damage; nearer at hand, they will be apt to ca
tch a Tartar. The Danville Road is well supplied with rolling stock and doing good work, but I was surprised to hear this morning that only two locomotives were in use on the Greensboro connection. I doubt whether the authorities are aware of this fact.

  I have wondered that none of my letters have appeared in late numbers of the Mercury. A visit to the Postoffice yesterday explained matters. One hundred thousand letters for the South were lying on the floors, window sills, etc., and have been there for nearly a week. Let every heart, from the James to the Rio Grande, break with anxiety. What matters it to the impractical Washington hacks in power in this city, so six clerks are added to the army?

  Hunter will not be able to spend an undisturbed summer in Staunton. Fact is, he will be annoyed to death in less than a week from this time. You take the hint. Weather strangely cool and cloudy.

  HERMES

  The Charleston Mercury

  June 17, 1864

  Grant Moving Towards James River

  (From the Richmond Dispatch, June 14)

  At an early hour Monday morning the reports of cannon in the direction of BottomBridge gave warning that active hostilities had been resumed, though to what extent was not known until a later hour of the day. A rumor was soon in circulation that GRANT was moving his whole army towards the James, and abandoning his position near COLD HARBOR, which he had taken so much pains to fortify and render impregnable.

  This report was afterwards fully confirmed.

  It appears that a force of the enemy, during the night of Sunday, crossed the Chickahominy at Long Bridge, eight miles below BottomBridge, and drove in our cavalry pickets.

  Report says that they also crossed at Forge Bridge and Turner Ford, still lower down the river. Our pickets fell back to RiddleShop, a point thirteen miles below Richmond, at the intersection of the Charles City and Long Bridge roads, where a brisk skirmish took place between a detachment of Gen. W.H.F. Leecavalry, under Col. Gary, and the enemy.

  This fight was progressing at two o p.m., though with what result we are not informed. A report was in circulation that the enemy had gained possession of Malvern Hill, but this lacks confirmation.

  Later advices state that our men, owing to the difference in numbers, were compelled to fall back.

  Army Northern Virginia

  June 13th, 5 p.m.

  Grant, after digging six heavy lines of entrenchments on his old front, near Gaines’ Mill, suddenly abandoned them last night, moving again on our right. This morning about day he suddenly appeared at the Long Bridge on the Chickahominy, about eighteen miles below Richmond. Here his forces found a small picket of ours, which was readily driven in, and the enemy proceeded to cross. Our cavalry fell back to RiddleShop, and the enemy pushing us there was a considerable fight until our men were forced to give back before the enemycombined force of infantry, artillery and cavalry.

  The enemy are also reported moving on the river road, as well as the Charles City road. Our scouts also say that Grant is landing troops and supplies from his gunboats near Malvern Hill, and it is supposed that he is in possession of those heights. This accords with the information previously received, and now confirmed, that the enemy have been tearing up and destroying the York River Railroad.

  Up to this hour there has been no collision of the two armies, but it is not improbable that one will occur late this evening or early in the morning. Our troops are marching rapidly to thwart and check the enemy.

  Grant may intend to go to the southside, but it is more likely that he will make another effort this side of the James and the Chickahominy.

  Our men captured a few prisoners this morning. They were principally from the 9th and 18th corps.

  Grant is not so near Richmond as when he was south of the Chickahominy, but he has certainly now made across that river.

  The enemy, when they abandoned their breastworks this morning, left them guarded by a line of skirmishers, some one hundred and fifty of whom fell into our hands, among them a mail carrier attached to the 6th corps.

  Sunday Evening

  June 12, 1864

  On the left of our lines nothing at this time is occurring of either an exciting or important character. Scouts today were down the Chickahominy River Road, below HaweShop. The only Yankees seen were pickets on the Topotomy River, two miles below HaweShop. I have learned from parties who have just returned from the vicinity of the White House that the enemy are destroying the York River Railroad, and moving towards James River, carrying the railroad iron with them.

  COLD HARBOR TAVERN (FORBES). LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.

  The section the enemy passed through has been ditched and fortified extensively. When ever they halted an hour they entrenched themselves. Feathers, broken jars, corks, bottles, ETC., trailed their tracks, telling the depredations they committed and showing their thievish and brutal propensities.

  Yesterday several squadrons of their cavalry thought they would test the strength of our pickets some miles out from the Meadow Bridge. They trotted up and were fired upon by our pickets, we killing three, capturing two, and, it is thought, wounding five times that number. Their horses are unusually poor.

  J.S.H.

  From The New York Times

  June 7, 1864

  Headquarters, Army of the Potomac,

  Cold Harbor, Near the Chickahominy

  Friday, June 3–10 P.M.

  General View of the Battle

  Judged by the severity of the encounter and the heavy losses we have experienced, the engagement which opened at gray dawn this morning and spent its fury in little over an hour, should take its place among the battles of the war; but viewed in its relations to the whole campaign, it is, perhaps, hardly more than a grand reconnoissance – a reconnoissance, however, which has cost us not less than five or six thousand killed and wounded.

  The object of the action was to force the passage of the Chickahominy, on the north side of which, and covering the roads to Richmond, the rebels had planted themselves in a fortified line. What we have done is to feel this line by a vigorous attack, in which, though gaining some temporary successes, and at one or two points actually carrying the enemy’s works, we have, on the whole, reached the conclusion that any victory that could here be won must cost too much in its purchase. I do not say this as speaking with any authority, but only as recording the general conviction of the army. Such conviction, however, when the common judgment of such men as have to-day led their lines against the enemy, is apt to be of itself authority, and hence I think I may safely predict that there will be no renewal of the assault on the lines of the Chickahominy; that we must look to the resources of strategy to plant this army in a position where, being at less of a disadvantage, its valor will have a better promise of adequate reward.

  It is in this view that the action of to-day assumes to me the aspect of a great reconnoissance. but it might easily have been more. Were prudence not as much a characteristic of Lieut. Gen. Grant’s mind as pluck, did he not know as well how and when to cry a halt as to order an advance, he might have pushed the action from a reconnoissance to a bloody battle; but to me it is clear we should have had only another Fredricksburgh and its useless slaughter. Gen. Grant is not so poor in resource that he need do this; and I think already his eyes are turned away from the Chickahominy to lines and combinations more bold than any yet essayed.

  Ten Minutes of History

  The metaphysicians say that time is naught, is but a category of thought; and I think it must be so, for into ten mortal minutes this morning was crowded an age of action. Ten minutes of the figment men call time, and yet that scant space decided a battle. There are a thousand details, ten thousand episodes, but the essential matter is this: that first rush of advance carried our whole front butt up against a line of works, which we were unable to break through, or, breaking through, were unable to hold. Conceive of this in the large, the fierce onslaught amid deafening volleys of musketry and the thunder of artillery, and the wild, mad yell of battle, and s
ee the ranks mown down, and the lines break here and there, and the sullen, obstinate retreat, every inch contested, and we shall then be able to descend to some of the points of action as they individualize themselves along the line.

  The Left Hancock’s Corps

  Hancock held the left of the whole line of battle; and of his three divisions, that of BARLOW held the extreme left of the army, that of Gibbon was drawn on the right of Barlow, while Birney’s division was held in reserve. Of the four brigades of Barlow’s division, Brooks had the left and Miles the right, each brigade in double line of battle. SMITH, commanding the Irish Brigade, was placed in support. The left was protected by refusing it – the Third Brigade being disposed so as to cover that flank

  The formation of Gibbon’s division on the right of Barlow was similar: Tyler’s brigade (heavy artillery) holding the right, Smith’s the centre and Owen’s the left – McKean in rear of Tyler’s centre, in two lines. On Hancock’s line there were but a few places where artillery could be used with effect.

  Barlow had directed that his attacking brigades should, previously to the assault, be moved out, and formed just in rear of the picket line. From this point they advanced for half a mile through woods and over open intervals, under a severe fire, square up to the enemy’s works. That portion of his front where the right of Mile’s brigade joined with the left of Brooks’ – the same brigades that so brilliantly carried the famous salient in the lines of Spotsylvania – succeeded in a similar splendid coup here; they got over and into the enemy’s parapet, capturing his guns (four light 13-pounder), his colors and five or six hundred prisoners, about 300 of whom were secured by promptly passing them to the rear. The storming column, in fact, were just turning the enemy’s guns on the retreating rebels, when powerful reinforcements from the second rebel line appeared advancing. The first rebel fire was held by Breckenridge’s troops and was carried, but Lee is too good a General to leave a point so important thus weakly defended. Breckenridge’s men were placed in the fore-front to receive the baptism of fire, but behind these lay the veterans of Hill’s corps, and it is these we now see dashing forward to retrieve the honors we had snatched. Barlow’s brigades – stout hearts not used to pale before the greatest odds – could have held their own under conditions the least short of desperation, but the situation in which they now found themselves overleaped its limits: It was not merely the overwhelming front that came pressing down upon them, of that they had no fear, but the position they had gained placed them in advance of the whole line of battle, and gave the rebel artillery the opportunity for a deadly enfilading fire. Beside this, they had lost the directing - heads of two of the chief commanders. Brooks and Burns “souls of courage all compact,” fell mortally wounded, and all the organizations had suffered fearfully from an unparalleled lose of officers. In this state of facts they fell back, bringing with them the prisoners they had taken and a captured color, but not the guns. They fell back, but not to their original position – to a position far in advance of that they had held, and at different points not more than fifty yards from the enemy. Here they intrenched, and here I leave them to pass on to Gibbons’ division of the same corps on the right, and which was engaged at the same time.

 

‹ Prev