Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 33.djvu/328

 324 Southern Historical Society Papers.

the i8th, with the divisions of Crittenden and Potter, and all his artillery, uniting on the right with Hancock, but could not carry the enemy's entrenchments. The artillery of the Fifth corps also opened and continued its fire for several hours."

Mr. Charles A. Dana in his report, pages 72 and 73 of records, to Secretary Staunton, says: "The report of General Wright, who has reconnoitered the ground over which our proposed attack upon the enemy's right was to be made, caused General Grant to change the plan detailed in my dispatch of last evening. Instead of attacking on our left Hancock and Wright have made a night march to our right flank and attacked at daylight upon the same lines where Hancock made his successful assault on Thursday last. We have as yet no news of the result. Warren's guns opened a heavy fire upon the rebel's lines at the courthouse at 4:30 and Hancock and Wright made their attack this morning in good style, forced the first and second lines of rebel riflepits, and for a time were confident that they had struck the lair of the enemy, but advancing through the forest each corps presently found itself confronted by heavy interior works, protected, especially in Han- cock's line of advance by impassible abatis. Barlow's division of Hancock's corps attempted in vain to charge through this obsta- cle, and held their ground before it for an hour or more under a galling fire of canister. The difficulty in storming the rebel in- trenched camp on that side being evidently of the most extreme character, and both corps having artfully, but unsuccessfully, sought for a weak point where they might break through, Grant at 9 o'clock ordered the attack to cease.

"Warren maintained a vigorous artillery duel with the rebel bat- teries around the courthouse until ii o'clock, when both parties ceased firing. Our losses by the morning's work are reckoned by General Meade at 500 killed and wounded."

Medical director McParlin, page 232 of Records, says: "On the morning of the i8th the Second corps moved to the right and attacked the enemy's works; 552 wounded were the result, and the character of the wounds were unusually severe, a large propor- tion being caused by shell and canister."

Major-General Hancock, page 337, says: "On the i7th Tyler's division of heavy artillery, Brigadier-General R. O. Tyler com- manding, and the Corcoran Legion (infantry) joined the Second corps, making in all a reinforcement of 8,000 men. The Corcoran