File:Campaigns of the Army of the Potomac; (1882) (14762430522).jpg

Identifier: campaignsofarmyo01swin (find matches)
Title: Campaigns of the Army of the Potomac;
Year: 1882 (1880s)
Authors: Swinton, William, 1833-1892
Subjects: United States -- History Civil War, 1861-1865 Regimental histories Army of the Potomac. (from old catalog) United States -- History Civil War, 1861-1865 Campaigns
Publisher: New York, C. Scribner's sons
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: Sloan Foundation

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
ing all the commanding ground beforethe heavy Confederate re-enforcements should arrive. Gen-eral Hancock, to whom, in the absence of Generals Grant orMeade, the command of the field fell, was fully alive to theimportance of so doing, and he had the night before instructedhis division officers. Generals Birney and Gibbon, that aUsuch ground between their positions and the Appomattoxshould be attacked and taken at or before daylight.* Theseinstructions were not promptly complied with, nor indeed didthe effiirts of these officers possess any serious character.This forfeited the one opportunity that remained ; and when,later in the morning, reconnoissances were pushed forward, itwas found the enemy had secured the commanding positionsand greatly strengthened his line at all important points.f * Hancock: Report of the Fifth Epoch of the Campaign of 1864.f Among these dominating points was the high ground at the positionwhich will be found marked on the accompanying map as the Avery House.
Text Appearing After Image:
THE SIEGE OF PETERSBURG, 509 Meantime, Hancock was admonished by General Meade torefrain from attack until the remaining corps of the Army ofthe Potomac should have arrived. Of these, the Ninthreached the front at noon, and the Fifth at dusk. An assaultwas ordered to be made about four p. m. by Hancock andBurnside—Smith on the right to demonstrate merely. At theappointed time the assault was made by Hancock, supportedby two brigades of the Ninth on his left. The advancewas spirited and forcible, and resulted, after a close strug-gle in which the troops suffered heavily, in driving the en-emy back some distance along the whole line.* The severefighting ceased at dark, though during the night the Confed-erates made several ineffectual sallies to regain the lostground. The same day an advance was made by Butlersforce from Bermuda Hundred for the purpose of destroyingthe Petersburg and Eichmond Kailroad; but after reachingthis point it was compelled to withdraw, in consequence of thepre

Note About Images