ASSAULTS OF PETERSBURG, VA.
June 8–18, 1864.
On the first occasion the city of Petersburg was actually in possession of the Federal forces, but the failure of a prominent commander to perceive and take advantage of the opportunity, was the cause of heavy losses to the Federal army in after battles for the same object.
On the night of June 8, an expedition under General Gilmore was sent out from Bermuda Hundred for the capture of Petersburg.
The cavalry force was under General Kautz, who carried the works on the south side of the town, with but slight resistance, and penetrated to the suburbs of the city, where they remained for some time, awaiting the advance of the infantry from the north. General Gilmore, finding the works which he approached very strong, and deeming an assault impracticable, returned to Bermuda Hundred without attempting one. The cavalry being unsupported, were obliged to yield the advantage gained, and retire.
It was well known by General Grant that the enemy held but a small garrison at that time in Petersburg. Attaching great importance to the possession of that place before the return of the troops that had been sent from there to reinforce Lee, he immediately detached General Smith’s command by water, via the White House, to reach Bermuda Hundred in advance of the Army of the Potomac. The design of this was to secure Petersburg before the enemy, becoming aware of the intention of the Federal chief, could reinforce the place. The importance attached by General Grant to this movement, induced him to seek a personal interview with General Butler, at that time, which is thus alluded to in the report of the Lieutenant-General.
“The instructions to General Butler were verbal, and were for him to send General Smith immediately, that night, with all the troops he could give him without sacrificing the position he then held. I told him that I would return to the Army of the Potomac, hasten its crossing, and throw it forward to Petersburg by divisions as rapidly as it could be done; that we could reinforce our armies more rapidly there than the enemy could bring troops against us. General Smith got off as directed, and confronted the enemy’s pickets near Petersburg before daylight next morning, but for some reason, that I have never been able to satisfactory understand, did not get ready to assault his main lines until near sundown. Then, with a part of his command only, he made the assault, and carried the lines northeast of Petersburg from the Appomattox river, for a distance of over two [and a half miles, capturing fifteen pieces of artillery and three hundred prisoners. This was about seven P. M. Between the line thus captured and Petersburg there were no other works, and there was no evidence that the enemy had reinforced Petersburg with a single brigade from any source. The night was clear—the moon shining brightly—and favorable to further operations. General Hancock, with two divisions of the Second corps, reached General Smith, just after dark, and offered the services of these troops as he (Smith) might wish, waiving rank to the named commander, who he naturally supposed knew best the position of affairs, and what to do with the troops. But instead of taking these troops, and pushing at once into Petersburg, he requested General Hancock to relieve a part of his line in the captured works, which was done before midnight.
“By the time I arrived the next morning, the enemy was in force. An attack was ordered to be made at six o’clock that evening by the troops under Smith and the Second and Ninth corps. It required until that time for the Ninth corps to get up and into position. The attack was made as ordered, and the fighting continued with but little intermission until six o’clock the next morning, and resulted in our carrying the advance and some of the main works of the enemy to the right (our left) of those previously captured by General Smith, several pieces of artillery, and over four hundred prisoners.
“The Fifth corps having got up, the attacks were renewed and persisted in with great vigor on the 17th and 18th, but only resulted in forcing the enemy to an interior line from which he could not be dislodged. The advantages in position gained by us were very great. The army then proceeded to envelop Petersburg toward the Southside railroad, as far as possible, without attacking fortifications.”
The severe and continued fighting of the four days resulted in a loss to the Federal army of about ten thousand men; the casualties of the Second corps alone were estimated at fifteen hundred men.
General Grant thus alludes to the operations near Bermuda Hundred, General Butler’s headquarters, which transpired simultaneously with the transactions thus described:
“On the 6th, the enemy, to reinforce Petersburg, withdrew from a part of his intrenchment in front of Bermuda Hundred, expecting no doubt to get troops from north of the James to take the place of those withdrawn before we could discover it. General Butler, taking advantage of this, at once moved a force on the railroad between Petersburg and Richmond. As soon as I was apprised of the advantage thus gained, to retain it I ordered two divisions of the Sixth corps, General Wright commanding, that were embarking at Wilcox landing, under orders for City Point, to report to General Butler, at Bermuda Hundred, of which General Butler was notified, and the importance of holding a position in advance of his present line urged upon him.
“About two o’clock in the afternoon General Butler was forced back to the line the enemy had withdrawn from in the morning. General Wright, with his two divisions, joined General Butler on the afternoon of the 17th, the latter still holding with a strong picket line the enemy’s works. But instead of putting these divisions into the enemy’s works to hold them, he permitted them to halt and rest some distance in the rear of his own line. Between four and five o’clock in the forenoon the enemy attacked and drove in his pickets, and reoccupied his old line.
“On the night of the 20th, and morning of the 21st, a lodgment was effected by General Butler, with one brigade of infantry, on the north bank of the James, at Deep Bottom, and connected the pontoon bridge with Bermuda Hundred.”