R. E. Lee: A Biography, Vol. III by Freeman Douglas Southall;

Author:Freeman, Douglas Southall;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Golden Springs Publishing
Published: 2016-07-19T04:00:00+00:00

Proceeding with the troops, Lee was soon joined by Major Jed Hotchkiss, the capable topographical engineer of the Second Corps. Together they talked of the battles of Spotsylvania and of the struggle for the Bloody Angle. “We wish no more salients,” Lee remarked grimly.{1595} Soon they reached the hills that look down on the crossings of the North Anna. The railroad bridge to the left and Fox’s Bridge on the Telegraph road were both intact. A small Confederate garrison held the works that had been erected to protect the wooden spans.{1596} The race to the new position had been won. If Grant was headed in that direction, he would find the stream between him and the Army of Northern Virginia.

Lee left orders for Ewell and Anderson to pass to the south bank and to take position there, without destroying the spans or evacuating the bridgeheads. With his staff he went on to Hanover Junction, three miles southward, and there he established headquarters in the south-west angle of the crossing of the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac and Central Railroads.{1597} At 9:30 A.M. he had the satisfaction of telegraphing to the Secretary of War that the Second Corps was arriving, that the First was close up, and that Hill was expected to come in on the right.{1598} The day was hot, but the breeze was pleasant,{1599} and as the troops came up they were loosely disposed in the fields on the south bank, Ewell on the right and Anderson opposite the bridges. It was the first time since May 4 that the army had not been in sight of the main body of the enemy.{1600}

The afternoon of the 22nd passed without the appearance of any Federal force on the north side of the river, but Hampton reported that the Army of the Potomac was marching by Milford and that its objective seemed to be Hanover Junction. Lee hoped that it was. Now that he had occupied the Junction, he felt himself in position to move after Grant, whatever his adversary’s line of march. He was anxious for Beauregard to join him, if possible, for an attack on the Army of the Potomac, because, as he wrote President Davis, “it seems to me our best policy to unite upon [Grant’s army] and endeavor to crush it.” At the same time, he did not think it sound strategy to permit the enemy to reach the Chickahominy before the Army of Northern Virginia was reinforced by Beauregard. It was as easy, he thought, to assail Grant after he had crossed the Pamunkey as to take the offensive on the Chickahominy. “His difficulties,” he said of Grant, “will be increased as he advances, and ours diminished, and I think it would be a great disadvantage to us to uncover our railroads to the west, and injurious to open to him more country than we can avoid.”{1601} In short, if he could meet Grant where the larger numbers and the superior artillery of the enemy did not

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