CAPTURE AND DESTRUCTION OF THE WELDON RAILROAD.
When General Lee became aware of the position of the Federals on
the north bank of the James, he drew the troops heavily from Petersburg
to the defense of Richmond, and on the 18th, the 5th corps under
Warren moved south of Petersburg and struck the Weldon railroad
only four miles south of the city. In doing this a gap was left open on
his right and into it Lee at once thrust Mahone's division, which succeeded
in forcing Wright farther south, and in capturing 2,000 prisoners,
but it was finally obliged to fall back. The next day another serious
engagement took place, but Warren held his position, and in three days
succeeded in destroying seven miles of the road, but it cost him a loss of
4,543 men. From this date until the close of the year, a continued
series of engagements, sorties, raids, advances and retreats took place,
a recountal of which is not necessary to our plan, and would from their
similarity of detail scarcely interest the reader. Therefore we proceed
to the consideration of the momentous events of 1865, which was.
