THE SIEGE OF PETERSBURG.
Petersburg is twenty-two miles south of Richmond and nine miles
south-west of City Point, and was during the war one of the greatest
railroad centers of the South: the Richmond & Petersburg railroad
entered it from the north, and the Weldon or Roanoke road from the
south, while the Lynchburg or Southside Road came in from the west.
Over these lines came the supplies for Richmond, and Grant, without
losing a single moment after crossing the river, attempted the capture of
the place; but, being disappointed in that, his operations necessarily
assumed the features of a siege, knowing, as he did, that upon the capture
of Petersburg, depended the reduction of Richmond. The Confederate
authorities were fully cognizant of the momentous issue, and to
the raw troops and militia now put under arms for the defense of the
"Cockade City," General Wise addressed a memorable and thrilling
order: "Petersburg," said he, "is to be and shall be defended on her
outer walls, on her inner lines, at her corporation bounds, in every
street, and around every temple of God, and altar of man."
But the gallant little city was now to be put to a much more severe
test than any which it had hitherto experienced. It was now to bear
the brunt of the bulk of the mighty besieging army which bore upon it
like an avalanche. Butler was ordered by Grant to send Smith's
division forward, and at the same time informed that the entire Army
of the Potomac would be moved forward as rapidly as possible. Smith,
on the morning of the 14th, landed at Bermuda Hundred, but did not
get ready to make the attack until near sunset; then, with a portion
only of his command, he made the attack, and at 7 P. M. succeeded in
carrying the outer line of works on the north-east of the city, capturing
fifteen guns and 300 prisoners. Night came on and the moon was
shining brightly, when at 9 o'clock Hancock, with two divisions of the
2d corps, reached Smith, and, waiving his precedence in rank, tendered
to him the service of his troops. Smith declined the offer, but
requested Hancock to hold the captured works.
Another terrible assault was now made on the batteries from nine to
twelve inclusive, which were defended by the division of General Hoke,
whose heroic troops, after having repulsed three successive assaults,
charged over their works and compelled a large portion of one of Smith's
brigades to take shelter in a ravine, where they surrendered to the 64th
Georgia regiment.
The engagement continued throughout Friday, the 17th, without decisive
results. On the 18th an attack was made along the entire line,
and during the day three desperate assaults were made—one at four in
the morning, another at noon, and a third at four in the afternoon.
Each was repulsed, and the attack finally abandoned. Grant's loss in
the four days before Petersburg was 9,000 killed and wounded. He,
concluding that it was impossible to carry the works by direct assault,
determined to resort to "mining," a plan which had worked so admirably
at Balaklava and Inkerman Valley during the war of the Crimea.
