Virginia and Virginians eminent Virginians, executives of the colony of Virginia from Sir Thomas Smyth to Lord Dunmore. Executives of the state of Virginia, from Patrick Henry to Fitzhugh Lee. Sketches of Gens. Ambrose Powel Hill, Robert E. Lee, Thos. Jonathan Jackson, Commodore Maury |
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GRANT MOVES TO THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE JAMES. |
 | Virginia and Virginians |  |
GRANT MOVES TO THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE JAMES.
Cold Harbor was the last pitched battle of the campaign north of the
James. Grant deciding that the "On to Richmond" route was not
from the direction of the Potomac, but from the opposite point, accordingly
put his army in motion, and after a march of fifty-five miles over
the sandy roads of the Chickahominy, on the 15th reached the bank of
the James at City Point, sixty miles below Richmond, and three days
later his rear guards passed beyond that river. Lee made no resistance
to this movement, but leisurely fell back to Richmond.
The Federal army had been from the 5th of May to the 15th of June—
forty-five days—in its marching from the Rapidan to the James; and
during that time had fought the battles of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania
Grant reached the James his official reports show that he had lost 54,551
men, of whom 7,289 were killed, 37,406 wounded, and 9,856 missing.
Lee had lost 32,000 men, of whom 8,500 were prisoners. He entered
Richmond with 58,000 troops, while Grant crossed the James with
150,000, including those of Butler's command. Here is presented by
the Virginia Army one among the most remarkable achievements in
the history of wars. For a period of forty-five days that little army
stood face to face with one nearly three times as great as itself, then
necessitating it to a cautious and circuitous progress, as in the arc of a
circle, radiating fifty miles from Richmond, and finally compelling it to
cross the James sixty miles below its objective point.
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