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Maneuvers and Fighting In the Atlanta Campaign. General Johnston Places the Confederate Army Be hind Defenses Around Dallas---Sherman's Forces Repulsed In Attempts to Break Through---Grant's Army Closes In Northwest of Richmond---Lee Ar rives First on the Vantage Ground--- Sheridan's Cav alry Captures Cold Harbor---Grant's Advance Every where Checked by Lee---Preparations For Battle. By Cant. GEORGE L. KILMER, Late U. 4 V. Y the morning of May 23, fifty years ago, General Johnston’s army was on a new line admi rably chosen for defense in the vicinity of Dallas, Ga. The position was upon a series of ridges, covered with woods on their summit, but having open valleys in front, along which Sherman’s forces must advance to the attack, wholly without shelter. It cov ered the roads leading from Dallas to Atlanta, to Marietta and to Ackworth, as well as those passing near New Hope church, in the same direction. Sherman's extreme right was sixteen miles northwest of Dallas, on the Rome and Dallas road. The center, under munkey and Richmond—the Totopoto moy and the Chickahominy. The first runs east about two miles south of Hanovertown and is crossed by all of the Pamunkey and Richmond roads. To test the right of way on these numerous roads and find out the posi tion of Lee’s main army Sheridan on the 28th sent his divisions out on sep arate routes, west and south. Gregg’s division took the direct road from Hanovertown to Richmond and just before reaching the Totopotomoy en countered the cavalry of Hampton and Fitzhugh Lee. The Confederates were intrenched at a crossroads known as Hawes’ Shop and held Gregg at bay all day, but in Thomas, went forward on roads lead ing south from Burnt Hickory. A cap tured dispatch informed Sherman that Johnston was concentrating at Dallas, and he held back his left to allow the right column, under McPherson, to swing around west of Dallas. Hook er’s column, on the left, advancing on the New Hope Church road encounter ed Hood's Confederate corps. His troops were repulsed in successive at tacks on Hood’s strong position. Battle at Pickett’s Mill, Ga. Hooker was re-enforced from the cen ter. McPherson continued his march and reached within two miles of Dal las on the west. Sherman directed the Army of the Ohio, under Schofield, and Howard's corps to move around north east of Dallas. This carried them across the Dallas road leading from Alatoona. During the 26th there was continual skirmishing along the whole line, and on the 27th Howard’s corps fought a costly battle at Pickett’s Mill, five miles northeast of Dallas. Howard supposed that he was at tacking the extreme right of Johnston's line, with prospect of turning it, where as he struck only an angle in Hood's line. Heavy re-enforcements reached Hood, and Howard lost 1,500 men. Howard gained important ground around Pickett’s Mill, but the experi ence taught Sherman the folly of at tacking intrenched positions. He de termined to work around Johnston’s right flank and get in his rear east of Dallas. McPherson attempted to shift his divisions eastward, but every move in that direction was met by persistent attacks upon his line by the troops of General W. J. Hardee. The forces were at a deadlock all along the lines when the month of battles ended. Grant Close to Richmond. Fifty years ago the last week in May the Federal army striking at Richmond was at serious disadvan tage, being “a straddle” North Anna river. General Lee was sick and away from camp. He could not direct a blow against the enemy, but often exclaimed in a fever delirium, “They must not pass us again!’ On the 26th Sheridan’s cavalry started from the North Anna back over the Pamunkey in the direction of Richmond, followed by the Sixth corps, on a forced march. On the 27th Sheridan, with Gregg’s and Torbert’s cavalry divi sion, was across the Pamunkey at Hanovertown, fifteen miles from Rich mond, and had two pontoon bridges ready for infantry. By the 29th the Sixth, Second and Ninth corps were across the river, and Sheridan had pushed out his advance in all direc tions, particularly toward Richmond and the west. The proximity to Richmond was in dicated by the numerous roads running from the river to that point. There wes one good road following all the way down the south bank of the Pa munkey and from this roads branching off to the southwest. But two formida le streams interpose between the Pa ine evening the line was carried by a brilliant charge, General Custer’s Mich igan brigade moving up with bands playing. Some prisoners were taken, and from these Sheridan gained infor mation about Lee’s main army. The corps of Ewell and Anderson were in position on the Richmond side of the Totopotomoy ready to dispute the crossing of that stream and at the same time cover the passes of the Chickahominy a few miles nearer Rich mond. Lee Again Gets the Lead. It seems that Lee had discovered on the night of the 26th that Grant was withdrawing the troops south of the North Anna back to the north bank and also that Sheridan was crossing the Pamunkey at Hanovertown, a day’s ride from Richmond. Within twenty-four hours Early, with Ewell’s corps, had marched by a roundabout course twenty-four miles and placed his line across the roads on which Sheridan was moving. Anderson's corps moved at the same time and enforcements, numbering 18,000 men, embarked at City Point and Bermuda Hundred on the 29th. and, sailing down the James then up the York and Pamunkey, reached White House on the 30th and at once began the march up the south bank of the Pamunkey toward Hanovertown, where the gen eral headquarters were at this time Early on the List, while on the march, Smith received word from Grant that the enemy seemed to be moving out on the Mechanicsville road from Rich mond to get between him (Smith) and the Army of the Potomac and also in structions to march close along the Pa munkey. The union of Smith’s corps with the army was now an important considera tion, and such a union, as well as the control of White House as a base, de pended upon the control of the cross roads at Old Cold Harbor, seven miles east of Richmond and halfway from that city to the Pamunkey river. All the roads from the Pamunkey, includ ing that from White House at Han overtown, connect at Cold Harbor with Richmond by roads across the Chickahominy at Mechanicsville and over severe bridges lower down the stream. On the 31st Sheridan's cavalry went out in force down the Pamunkey and far out on the Federal left toward the Chickahominy. Fitzhugh Lee’s cavalry were found in force at Cold Harbor, but the road down the Pamunkey to ward White House was clear and Smith's column was advancing. The force at Cold Harbor appeared to be menacing the Federal army—namely, to advance along the White House road to cut off Smith. Torbert’s division attacked the cav alry which held the fort and, pressing it back some distance beyond Cold Harbor, came upon the Confederate infantry trenches across the Mechan icsville and Richmond road. The near est Federal infantry in position at this time was Warren’s Fifth corps, which lay north and south about three miles above Cold Harbor and across another Richmond road running from the Pa munkey to Richmond, parallel with the Mechanicsville road. In front of War ren was Ewell’s corps, intrenched. Sheridan Captures Cold Harbor. On meeting the infantry beyond Cold Harbor Sheridan sent word to head quarters and also directed Torbert to withdraw his line beyond Cold Harbor, but before the order could be carried out word came to Sheridan to hold Cold Harbor at all hazards, and at the same time the Sixth corps, under Wright, was ordered from its position on the Federal flank above Hanover town to Cold Harbor. Although it was not known at Grant’s headquarters at this time, Anderson's corps was now strung along between Cold Harbor and Richmond, with one division, Kershaw’s, directly in front of the key point. Sheridan, however placed his men (dismounted) in trench es, sent out skirmishers and passed the night of the 31st waiting the arrival of the Sixth corps. A long skirmish was opened about daylight on June 1, and the cavalry held their position, anxious only about the waste of ammunition. About § o'clock the Confederates advanced to the charge with two infantry brigades The carbines of Merritt and the ar tillery repulsed the advance. A sec ond charge was made, and that was re pulsed also, and before the attack could be renewed in force the Sixth corps was on the ground. In a short time this corps had got into position, covering the roads through Cold Har bor, toward White House and to Dis patch station on the Chickahominy, where the Richmond and York River railroad crosses. Smith had also been ordered to move his Eighteenth corps over from the Pa about the same distance and formed on Early’s right, covering the roads still farther south leading from the Pa munkey to Richmond. Hill’s corps formed on Ewell's left, reaching west as far as the Virginia Central road. By the morning of the 28th Richmond was enveloped on the north and east by the whole Army of Northern Virginia, with a new in trenched line at a distance less than ten miles from the permanent fortifi cations. The situation of the opposing armies was again assuming the nature of a deadlock. Grant, having learned of the failure to reach Richmond from the south side of James river, May 12 to 16, ordered a corps of Butler's army to join the main body in front of Lee. General W. Fr. Smith's column of te munkey river road to the left and join the Sixth corps. This was done dur ing the day, and the united army was now on one long line from the Chicka hominy, east of Richmond, around to the Central railroad on the north. The road to White House landing was also secured, and the movement of the corps on the right of the line was be gun with a view to concentrate around Cold Harbor. In this vicinity the four corps now constituting the Army of the Potomac took position in line of battle. The battle of Cold Harbor, which fol lowed upon this ground, was as bloody for the Federals as any of the cam paign. Grant made elaborate prep arations to attack Lee in front of Rich mond with no other hope than to seri ously cripple the Confederate army. THE DAYS OF LONG AGO. Fifty years ago when more than half of the country was covered with forests and the drainage was very poor, great ponds and sloughs were where we now find fertile fields and well cultivated farms. We were sub ject to quite a number of diseases which are now unknown. Our cattle hogs and sheep roamed at will on the range and were looked after When wanted. Traveling through the country one would hear cow bells ding-dinging in almost every direc tion. The tone of the bell guided the owner in the direction of his cattle or sheep when he wanted to find them. They lived on the wild grass and drank of the ponds or creeks and grew fat. The hog dug into the loose soil with his snout, and ate roots, grubs and beetles, as he found them. But it so happened that once in a while old Brindle, Star or Bess would fail to get home at milking time, and would remain away all night. In the morning some mem ber of the family would go into the woods in search of the missing cow. They would walk a while and then stop and listen for the bell, and if the hum of the swamp mosquitos was not too loud the tank-tank of the bell would soon reveal the hiding place of Bossy and no time would be lost in driving her home. But some times when they found her, she would be lying down and unable to rise. She would have a_— disease called the “tires,” or milk sickness. This was a very peculiar disease, which seemed to relax every muscle in the animal’s body. In such cases it was lucky for the family that the cow failed to get home before milk ing time, for if she had and the fam ily had used the milk it would have caused their deaths. It was never known what caused this disease but it was generally supposed that it was caused by the cattle eating some weed or herb that grew in the woods and as soon as the land was cleared up and put in cultivation the weed was killed off. If a cow was affected and killed for beef all who ate of it took the disease. This dis ease was very common fifty years ago throughout southern Indiana. The most common disease of those days was the ague chills and fever, which raged in every neighborhood, and everybody had their turn. We knew nothing then of the mosquito theory. Quinine was taken by the ounce. It would often effect a cure for a few days at a time. It was al ways taken in powder form, as we knew nothing of capsules then. Copyright by Patriot Publishing company. GENERAL W. J. HARDEE, C. S. A., AND GENERAL J. B. M’PHERSON, U. S A. WHOSE FORCES WERE IN CONFLICT BEFORE DALLAS. Copyright by Review of Reviews compAny, GENERAL E. M. LAW, C. 8. A., AND GENERAL J. C. BRECKINRIDGE, C. 8. A, LEADERS IN LEE’S TRENCHES AT COLD HARBOR.
Newspaper Details
Sullivan Union
Sullivan, Indiana, US
Wed, May 27, 1914
Page 8
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Aaron S.
USA 02 Jun 2026
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