CHAPTER XVI.
AFTER being foiled at Cold Harbor, General Grant determined to change his base to the south side of the James, and break the Confederate communications with the South. This plan had been previously proposed by McClellan, but rejected. Its danger to the Confederacy is shown by General Lee’s assuring Richmond friends, some time before, that the people of that city might go to their beds without misgivings so long as the Federals assailed the capital from the north and east, and left undisturbed his communications with the Carolinas. Those sources of supply and reinforcement were now to be attempted.
From June 4th to 11th Grant s army was engaged in its mobilization on the banks of the Chickahominy. Wilson s well-organized cavalry corps and Warren’s infantry corps were to threaten Richmond directly, and thus mask the movement on Petersburg. By midnight of the 16th of June, the army with all its artillery and trains was over the James. General Smith’s corps was given the right of way over all other troops. On the 14th he reported to General Butler at Bermuda Hundred. Butler directed him to attack Petersburg at daylight. His corps was strengthened for the attack by the addition of Kautz cavalry and Hinks negro division. These additions gave Smith, according to General Humphreys, chief
