number of prisoners without a loss of 300 men. It was in getting back. to our lines that the loss was sustained. The enemy attempted to charge and retake the line captured from them and were repulsed with heavy loss by our artillery; their loss in killed must be greater than ours, whilst our loss in wounded and captured is four times that of the enemy. U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. Major-General HALLECK, Washington, D. C. Major-General HALLECK, ADDENDA. CITY POINT, August 2, 1864-9.30 p. m. Chief of Staff: I have the honor to request that the President may direct a court of inquiry, to assemble without delay at such place as the presiding officer may appoint, to examine into and report upon the facts and circumstances attending the unsuccessful assault on the enemy's position in front of Petersburg on the morning of July 30, 1864, and also to report whether, in their judgment, any officer or officers are censurable* for the failure of the troops to carry into successful execution the orders issued for the occasion, and I would suggest the following detail: Maj. Gen. W. S. Hancock, Brig. Gen. R. B. Ayres, Brig. Gen. N. A. Miles, Volunteer service; Col. E. Schriver, inspector-general and recorder. U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. No. 2. Dispatches of Charles A. Dana, Assistant Secretary of War. MOODY'S, VA., June 13, 1864-6_a. m. (Received 7 p. m.) Wilson's cavalry crossed without opposition at Long Bridge about 8.30 p. m. yesterday. A pontoon bridge was laid at once, and Warren's corps got across and advanced upon and held the road leading toward Richmond. Smith, Wright, and Hancock withdrew from the lines before Cold Harbor without difficulty. Everything is going prosperously forward. Hon. EDWIN M. STANTON, C. A. DANA. LONG BRIDGE, VA., June 13, 1864-8 a. m. Everything quiet. Hancock's corps is all close up here ready to cross. Wright and Burnside are moving to Jones' Bridge. No enemy in the way on either road. General Warren reports that there is no obstacle between here and James River. Wilson, who is feeling out with his cavalry toward White Oak Swamp bridge and toward Bottom's As received by Halleck this word is answerable. * Bridge also, finds no force of any moment before him. We have reports from deserters that Beauregard is intrenched at Malvern Hill. Hancock and Warren are to move direct to Wilcox's; Wright and Burnside to Charles City. Hancock will reach his destination before dark. The army will cross the James at Fort Powhatan. There are strong indications that Lee is moving troops to Petersburg. Hon. EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War. C. A. DANA. GENERAL BUTLER'S HEADQUARTERS, Wright's corps reached the James River last night opposite Fort Powhatan. Burnside camped on the other side of the Chickahominy. Warren camped at Saint Mary's Church. Both these corps are up before this time. The wagon train, with Ferrero's division, reached the Chickahominy at the Windsor Shades, but did not cross, because they did not have enough bridge material. The deficiency has been supplied. Butler's engineers had begun work for the pontoon bridge at Fort Powhatan before our arrival, and are now aided by heavy details from Hancock's corps. It is a pretty heavy job to corduroy the marsh, which is fully half a mile wide, and quite deep. When we left Wilcox's Wharf at 9 o'clock this morning there were three steam-boats there to begin ferrying Barlow's division. No ferry-boats had yet appeared; however, the crossing will be made with all practicable rapidity, the troops crossing on boats, and the bridge being used for the trains only. The weather is cloudy, threatening rain, but I think we shall get everything out of the Chickahominy bottom upon the highlands along the James River before any trouble from that source. We know nothing of Lee's movements. He has not yet sent troops to Petersburg. General Grant desires me to inquire whether Quartermaster Holabird, at New Orleans, has been relieved. He has very bad reports concerning him. He also wishes that you would send him $500,000 in Confederate money for use in a cavalry expedition, on which he proposes to pay for everything taken. Your dispatch respecting Barnard was received and communicated. There is no reason for anxiety on that subject. Hon.- EDWIN M. STANTON, C. A. DANA. HEADQUARTERS, June 15, 1864-8 a. m. (Received 9.50 p. m.) All goes on like a miracle. Pontoon bridge at Fort Powhatan finished at 2 a. m. Artillery trains instantly began crossing. Hancock's corps is nearly all landed by ferry at Wind-Mill Point; last of it will be over by 10 a. m. Hancock moves out instantly for Petersburg to support Smith's attack on that place, which was to have been made at daylight. General Warren will next be ferried, followed by Burnside and Wright. None of the boats sent by General Halleck, on General Grant's order, have arrived. The great wagon train has not yet begun to come up from the Windsor Shades, the pontoons sent back there having been delayed. Wilson's cavalry pickets now extend from White Oak Swamp bridge, on the right, to Malvern Hill, on the left. Wilson had constant sharp skirmishing on 13th, losing 50 men. He has taken prisoners who report that Hill and Ewell are intrenched on the line from White Oak Swamp to Malvern Hill. Lee appears to have had no idea of our crossing the James River. General Grant moves his headquarters to City Point this morning. Weather splendid. C. A. DANA. CITY POINT, June 15, 1864-5.30 p.m. The Petersburg Express newspaper of yesterday has a telegram sent to Extra Billy Smith from Lynchburg stating that Hunter entered Lexington on the 11th. They estimate Hunter's strength at 16,000; his advance was resisted by General McCausland. The Richmond Enquirer of the 13th has official intelligence that Crook, with 8,000 men, was at Amherst Court-House, only twelve miles from Lynchburg. They had destroyed the bridge over the Ta River. Lynchburg is defended, as Enquirer says, by a much larger force than it had expected, aided by militia. Smith, with 15,000 men, attacked Petersburg this morning. General Butler reports from his observatory near Bermuda Hundred that there has been sharp fighting, and that troops and trains of the enemy were, as he writes, moving from the city across the Appomattox as if retreating. Hon. EDWIN M. STANTON, C. A. DANA. Secretary of War. CITY POINT, VA., June 15, 1864-7.30 p.m. (Received 5 p. m. 16th.) Our latest report from Smith was at 4.04 p. m. He had carried a line of intrenchments at Beatty's house, the colored troops assaulting and carrying the rifle-pits with great gallantry, but he had not yet carried the main line. He describes the rebel artillery fire as very heavy. He expected to assault this line just before dark. Hancock is within three miles of Smith. Hon. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War. C. A. DANA. CITY POINT, June 16, 1864-7 a. m. (Via Jamestown Island 11.45 a. m. Received 4.45 a. m. 17th.) At 7.20 p. m. yesterday Smith assaulted and carried the principal line of the enemy before Petersburg, taking 13 cannon, several stand of colors, and between 300 and 400 prisoners. This line is two miles from Petersburg. Hancock got up and took position on Smith's left at 3 a. m. to-day. There was heavy firing in that direction there from 5 to 6. No report yet. Hon. E. M. STANTON. C. A. DANA. HEIGHTS SOUTH OF PETERSBURG, June 16, 1864-8 a. m. (Via Jamestown Island 12.30 p. m. Received 4 p. m. 17th.) The success of Smith last night was of the most important character. He carried these heights, which were defended by works of the most formidable character, and this gives us perfect command of the city and railroad. The enemy still hold south of the city and west of the river, but their position of little comparative value. General Smith says the negro troops fought magnificently. His loss is in round numbers 750, of which 500 were among the negroes. He took 16 cannon. Hon. E. M. STANTON. C. A. DANA. DOUTHAT'S LANDING, VA., June 16, 1864-1 p. m. After sending my dispatch of this morning from the heights southeast of Petersburg I went over the conquered lines with General Grant and the engineer officers. The works are of the very strongest kind, more difficult even to take than was Missionary Ridge, at Chattanooga. The hardest fighting was done by the black troops. The forts they stormed were, I think, the worst of all. After the affair was over General Smith went to thank them and tell them he was proud of their courage and dash. He says they cannot be exceeded as soldiers, and that hereafter he will send them in a difficult place as readily as the best white troops. They captured six out of the sixteen cannons which he took. The prisoners he took were from Beauregard's command; some of them said they had just crossed the James above Drewry's Bluff. I do not think any of Lee's army had reached Petersburg when Smith stormed it. They seem to be there this morning, however, and to be making arrangements to hold the west side of the Appomattox; the town they cannot think of holding, for it lies directly under our guns. The weather continues splendid. Hon. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War. C. A. DANA. DOUTHAT'S LANDING, June 16, 1864-2.30 p.m. I have come down here from Petersburg to see how the crossing advances. I find the rear of Warren's corps just being ferried across. The great wagon train will all be over the bridge by daylight to-morrow morning. The cavalry (Wilson's division) will also pass over in the night, leaving Wright's corps. to hold the rear. The line of defense across the neck here is about a mile long and very strong, extending from one swamp to another. The last of the army will no doubt be south of the James River by noon to-morrow. I must here say that the unprecedented pontoon bridge, nearly 700 yards long, constructed by Major Duane, is of the most admirable solidity. After Duane had nearly finished it Benham came up and took charge. Hon. EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War. C. A. DANA. CITY POINT, VA., June 16, 1864-1 p. m. (Via Jamestown Island 11.45 p. m. Received 5.30 a. m. 17th.) The Richmond Whig of yesterday says that General Stahel, with 2,000 cavalry, has passed west through Robertson's Gap, apparently to destroy the Tennessee railroad. The infantry force which had been at Amherst Court-House is said to be moving in the direction of Buffalo Springs. A dispatch from the same paper General Lee reports that Hampton and Fitz. Lee have routed Sheridan at Trevilian Station, capturing 500 prisoners and 6 guns, and Sheridan is said to have left his dead and wounded on the field. The same paper has a dispatch from Atlanta stating that General Polk was killed by a cannonn-ball at 11 a. m. Johnston, Hardee, and Jackson were with him when he fell. C. A. DANA. Hon. E. M. STANTON. CITY POINT, June 16, 1864-4.15 p. m. (Via Jamestown Island 11.45 p. m. Received 4.50 a. m. 17th.) General Butler reports from Bermuda Hundred that the enemy have abandoned the works in the front of that place. His troops are now engaged in tearing up the railroad between Petersburg and Richmond. Two divisions of the Sixth Corps, now coming up on steamers from Douthat's Landing, will be sent to support Butler. Hon. E. M. STANTON. C. A. DANA. CITY POINT, June 17, 1864-9 a. m. (Via Jamestown Island 8 p. m. Received 1.30 a. m. 18th.) I find that I was wrong yesterday in regard to the points of the compass. The works taken by Smith on Wednesday evening are on the east and northeast of Petersburg, extending across the line of the City Point railroad. After the Second Corps got up a part of Smith's troops were relieved and the whole of the Second Corps was put in on the east of the city with its line inclining to the southwest. On the left of Hancock came the Ninth Corps; its line, however, did not extend to the Norfolk railroad. General Meade arrived on the ground at about 3 p. m. yesterday and took command. At5 p. m. Hancock attacked upon his whole front, supported by two brigades of the Eighteenth Corps. Birney made considerable progress, taking some of the advanced works of the enemy and one of the main works of their first line. This morning at 40'clock Burnside moved a strong assaulting column from his own right and broke through the rebel lines, capturing 2 redoubts, 4 guns, and 400 prisoners. General Meade reports that there was fighting along the line all night, the moonlight being very clear. He estimates his total losses at less than 2,000 killed and wounded. Colonel Kelly, commanding Irish brigade, and Lieutenant-Colonel McCreary, One hundred and forty-fifth Pennsylvania, are reported killed.* Colonel Egan, Fortieth New York; Lieutenant-Colonel McGee, Sixty-ninth New York; Colonel Hapgood, Fifth New Hampshire, wounded. The Fifth Corps reached the field about 11 p. m. yesterday. Two divisions of the Sixth Corps, McCreary was captured, not killed. |