GRANT MAKES A FEINT AGAINST THE REBELS. 893 CHAPTER LXIX. THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC AND THE ARMY OF THE JAMES-GRANT MAKES A FEINT AGAINST TERRY-SKETCH OF WE resume the narrative of the operations of the Union armies below Richmond, which we had suspended to bring up the history of the movements which were taking place in other parts of the field. After the Petersburg mine disaster, the Rebels had sent, as we have seen, a very considerable body of troops down the Shenandoah valley under Early to create a diversion in Maryland and Pennsylvania, in the hope of compelling Grant to relax his grip upon Lee's army. General Grant prepared to take advantage of this weakening of their force, by movements against their lines of communication. It was reported by spies and deserters from the Rebel lines that, early in August, three divisions had been sent from Petersburg to reinforce Early in his raid on Maryland; and partly to ascertain whether their strength had been so greatly reduced, and partly to draw a larger force to the north side of the James, and thus weaken the Rebel right while he should operate upon the railroads, General Grant ordered a strong demonstration to be made on the Rebel lines north of the James, on the night of the 13th of August, having previously made a feint of sending the second corps down the river in transports in the day time, but bringing them back at night. The tenth and second corps were both posted north of the James, and moved out upon Strawberry plains and encountered the enemy's skirmishers on the morning of Sunday, August 14th. They drove them back, and gained a considerable advance toward Richmond; compelling the enemy to send over a great number of troops to repel their attacks; but the Union force captured six pieces of artillery and several hundred prisoners, and ascertained that but one division of Rebels had yet departed northward, but that others were under orders to march soon. This demonstration, however, was only preliminary to a struggle on the enemy's right for the possession of the Weldon railroad. At four o'clock A. M., on the 18th of August, the fifth corps moved from its camp with four days rations, and marched toward Reams's station, driving in easily the enemy's skirmishers, of whom a part were captured. Griffin's division reached the Weldon railroad and began to destroy it, five or six miles from Petersburg, while the other three divisions proceeded toward Petersburg, completing the work of destruction. At Yellow tavern, they encountered the Rebel cavalry under General Dearing, who fell back to Davis's farm, two miles and a half from Petersburg. Here the Rebel General A. P. Hill advanced upon them, with the divisions of Mahone and Heth; the former being east of the railroad and the latter west of it. The Union line was formed and halted in an open field; Crawford's division confronting Mahone, and Ayres' opposing Heth, while Cutler's was in reserve. Ayres was attacked with great vehemence, and driven back about a mile to his intrenchments; but being supported by Cutler, held the main line, which was greatly strengthened during the night, and against which the Rebels surged in vain. On Friday, August 19th, the Union troops occupied an intrenched line; their left being on the Boydtown plank-road, and their right, across the railroad, held the Jerusalem road, which it was necessary to connect with the main line at Petersburg. This was accomplished by sending Wilcox's division of the ninth corps to fill the gap. Between Ayres' and Crawford's divisions ran the railroad, and between the right of the fifth corps, Craw ford's and Wilcox's divisions, the Jerusalem road, where there was still a dangerous gap. At four o'clock P. M., in the midst of a heavy rain storm, Hill assailed the Union troops with great fury; Mahone's division pressing through the gap separating Wilcox and Crawford, and getting upon Crawford's flank and capturing nearly one thousand of his men. On the left, Heth's impetuous attack carried the intrenchments, drove back the line, forced its way between Crawford and Ayres, and enveloped Hayes' regular brigade. The first and second divisions of the ninth corps now came up, after a severe forced march, to reinforce the fifth corps, and forming, quickly charged, capturing several hundred prisoners. This charge enabled Warren's hard pressed troops to rally; and the Rebels being in turn overlapped, were driven back with loss, and the disaster of the afternoon retrieved. The darkness put an end to the conflict. The Union loss was about fifteen hundred killed and wounded, and about two thousand prisoners. DESTRUCTION OF THE WELDON RAILROAD. 895 That of the Rebels could not have been less in killed and wounded. The enemy held possession of the Weldon road as far as the Yellow Tavern, while Warren and the divisions of the ninth corps still held the section below. There was no fighting of importance on the 20th, but on the 21st the Rebels renewed the effort to drive the Union troops from the Weldon railroad. The Union lines remained very much as on Friday, and at four A. M. the Rebels opened a heavy artillery fire, first upon. the left, then all along the line as far as the Appomattox river. About seven o'clock they made a slight feint against the ninth corps, but it was not until nine o'clock that the grand attack began. The Rebel columns emerged from the woods in fine style, and dashed across the open space intervening between the woods and breastworks. At the same moment, a heavy artillery fire burst from all their batteries, which was promptly answered by the Union troops. The Rebel flanking column on the left of the railroad fell upon the right of Ayres' and the left of Cutler's division. The Union skirmishers were speedily driven in, and their pits taken; but as the Rebels swept across the opening they were received with a staggering fire of musketry. Again and again they pressed forward, but were as often repulsed, with fearful slaughter. On the right, they did not succeed in reaching the main works. On the left, the column which came down the Vaughan road was caught with a cross-fire, and a part of one brigade threw down their arms and surrendered, those who attempted to escape suffering great loss. The repulse of this brigade decided the battle in that direction; and the Rebels hastily withdrew under a withering fire. An effort to flank the Union position was foiled with equal promptness. The battle was over in about two hours, but the fighting was very severe while it lasted, and the victory was as decided as the contest was desperate. The Rebel loss in killed and wounded exceeded twelve hundred, and the Union troops captured eight hundred prisoners. The entire Union loss did not exceed six hundred. Early on Monday morning, the 22d of August, it was found that the enemy had retired from the front of the fifth and ninth corps, and were intrenching themselves about three miles from Petersburg. The Union skirmishers were pushed forward, and both parties labored assiduously in erecting works, the picket lines frequently skirmishing; but there was no general engagement. Meantime, on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, the second corps, and part of the tenth, had recrossed the James, and were marching down upon the vicinity of the contest, covered by Gregg's cavalry; and on Monday, Miles's, formerly Barlow's division of the second corps, was occupied in breaking up the Weldon railroad, as far as Reams's station, and was joined on Monday night by Gibbon's division of the same corps, who finished the work to a point two miles beyond Reams's station, a distance in all of |