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intrenchments round Richmond。 Here Stuart with two regiments
of cavalry charged them and drove them back； but the gallant
Confederate officer received a wound that before night proved
fatal。 His loss was a terrible blow to the Confederacy； although his
successor in the command of the cavalry； General Wade Hampton；
was also an officer of the highest merit。
In the meantime General Butler； who had at Fort Monroe under his
command two corps of infantry； 4；000 cavalry； and a fleet of
gunboats and transports； was threat cuing Richmond from the east。
Shipping his men on board the transports he steamed up the James
River； under convoy of the fleet； and landed on a neck of land
known as Bermuda Hundred。 To oppose him all the troops from
North Carolina had been brought up； the whole force amounting to
19；000 men； under the command of General Beauregard。 Butler；
after various futile movements； was driven back again to his
intrenched camp at Bermuda Hundred； where he was virtually
besieged by Beauregard with 10；000 men； the rest of that general's
force being sent up to reinforce Lee。
In western Virginia； Breckenridge； with 3；500 men； was called
upon to hold in check Sigel； with 15；000 men。 Advancing to
Staunton； Breckenridge was joined by the pupils of the military
college at Lexington； 250 in number； lads of from 14 to 17 years of
age。 He came upon Sigel on the line of march； and attacked him at
once。 The Federal general placed a battery in a wood and opened
fire with grape。 The commander of the Lexington boys ordered
them to charge； and； gallantly rushing in through the heavy fire；
they charged in among the guns； killed the artillerymen； drove
back the infantry supports； and bayoneted their colonel。 The
Federals now retired down the valley to Strasburg； and
Breckenridge was able to send a portion of his force to aid Lee in
his great struggle。
After his six days' pause in front of Lee's position at Spotsylvania；
Grant abandoned his plan of forcing his way through Lee's army to
Richmond； and endeavored to outflank it； but Lee again divined
his object； and moved round and still faced him。 After various
movements the armies again stood face to face upon the old
battle…grounds on the Chickahominy。 On the 3d of June the battle
commenced at half…past four in the morning。 Hancock at first
gained an advantage； but Hill's division dashed down upon him
and drove him back with great slaughter； while no advantage was
gained by them in other parts of the field。 The Federal loss on this
day was 13；000； and the troops were so dispirited that they refused
to renew the battle in the afternoon。
Grant then determined to alter his plan altogether； and sending
imperative orders to Butler to obtain possession of Petersburg；
embarked Smith's corps in transports； and moved with the rest of
his army to join that general there。 Smith's corps entered the James
River； landed； and marched against Petersburg。 Beauregard had at
Petersburg only two infantry and two cavalry regiments under
General Wise； while a single brigade fronted Butler at Bermuda
Hundred。 With this handful of men he was called upon to defend
Petersburg and to keep Butler bottled up in Bermuda Hundred
until help could reach him from Lee。 He telegraphed to Richmond
for all the assistance that could be sent to him； and was reinforced
by a brigade； which arrived just in time； for Smith had already
captured a portion of the intrenchments； but was now driven out。
The next day Beauregard was attacked both by Smith's and
Hancock's corps； which had now arrived。 With 8；000 men he kept
at bay the assaults of two whole army corps； having in the
meantime sent orders to Gracie； the officer in command of the
brigade before Butler； to leave a few sentries there to deceive that
general； and to march with the rest of his force to his aid。 It
arrived at a critical moment。 Overwhelmed by vastly superior
numbers； many of the Confederates had left their posts； and
Breckenridge was in vain trying to rally them when Gracie's
brigade came up。 The position was reoccupied and the battle
continued。
At noon Burnside with his corps arrived and joined the assailants；
while Butler； discovering at last that the troops in front of him
were withdrawn； moved out and barred the road against
reinforcements from Richmond。 Nevertheless the Confederates
held their ground all the afternoon and until eleven o'clock at
night； when the assault ceased。
At midnight Beauregard withdrew his troops from the defenses
that they were too few to hold； and set them to work to throw up
fresh intrenchments on a shorter line behind。 All night the men
worked with their bayonets； canteens； and any tools that came to
hand。
It was well for them that the enemy were so exhausted that it was
noon before they were ready to advance again； for by this time
help was at hand。 Anderson； who had succeeded to the command
of Long street's corps； and was leading the van of Lee's army；
forced his way through Butler's troops and drove him back into the
Bermuda Hundred； and leaving one brigade to watch him marched
with another into Petersburg just as the attack was recommenced。
Thus reinforced Beauregard successfully defeated all the assaults
of the enemy until night fell。 Another Federal army corps came up
before morning； and the assault was again renewed； but the
defenders； who had strengthened their defenses during the night；
drove their assailants back with terrible loss。 The whole of Lee's
army now arrived； and the rest of Grant's army also came up； and
that general found that after all his movements his way to
Richmond was barred as before。 He was indeed in a far worse
position than when he had crossed the Rapidan； for the morale of
his army was much injured by the repeated repulses and terrible
losses it had sustained。 The new recruits that had been sent to fill
up the gaps were far inferior troops to those with which he had
commenced the campaign。 To send forward such men against the
fortifications of Petersburg manned by Lee's veteran troops was to
court defeat； and he therefore began to throw up works for a
regular siege。
Fighting went on incessantly between the outposts； but only one
great attempt was made during the early months of the siege to
capture the Confederate position。 The miners drove a gallery
under the works； and then drove other galleries right and left under
them。 These were charged with eight thousand pounds of powder。
When all was ready； masses of troops were brought up to take
advantage of the confusion which would be caused by the
explosion； and a division of black troops were to lead the assault。
At a quarter to five in the morning of the 30th of July the great
mine was exploded； blowing two guns； a battery； and its defenders
into the air； and forming a huge pit two hundred feet long and sixty
feet wide。 Lee and Beauregard hurried to the scene； checked