Editor’s Note: This article was transcribed by Jackie Martin.
LATEST OFFICIAL WAR GAZETTE.
Important Movement of the Army of the Potomac—General Grant Across the James
River—The Movement Effected Without Loss or Accident—News from General
Sherman—The Rebel General Polk Killed—General Sherman Making Arrangements to
Repair the Disaster to General Sturgis.
WASHINGTON, June 18, 7 A. M.—To Major-General Dix, New York:—The movement of the Army of the Potomac to the south side of Richmond across the Chickahominy and James rivers, has progressed far enough to admit of the publication of some general facts, without danger of a premature disclosure.
After several days’ preliminary preparations, the movement commenced on Sunday night [June 12, 1864]. The Eighteenth Army Corps, under command of General SMITH, marched to the White House, and then embarked on transports for Bermuda Hundred.
General WRIGHT’S Corps and BURNSIDE’S moved to Jones’ Bridge, where they crossed the Chickahominy and marched thence to Charles City, on the James River. HANCOCK’S and WARREN’S Corps crossed the Chickahominy at Long Bridge, and marched thence to Wilcox’s, on the James River. The James River was crossed by the army at Powhattan Point.
A despatch from General GRANT, dated Monday evening [June 13, 1864], 5 ½ o’clock, Head-quarters Wilcox’s Landing states that the advance of our troops had reached that place and would commence crossing the James River to-morrow (Tuesday) [June 14, 1864], and that SMITH’S Corps would commence crossing at City Point that night; that no fighting was reported during the movement except a little cavalry skirmishing. Yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon, at 1 o’clock, General GRANT was at Bermuda Landing.
In a despatch from him dated there, of that date [June 14, 1864], he says, “Our forces will commence crossing the James River to-day. The enemy show no signs of yet having brought troops to the south side of Richmond. Our movement from Cold Harbor to the James River has been made with great celerity, and so far without loss or accident.”
An official despatch, dated at head-quarters, 5.20 P. M., says that SMITH’S Corps was coming in, four thousand having already landed.
[SOPO Editor’s Note: A portion of this article not pertaining to the Siege of Petersburg has been excised.]
No other military correspondence has been received by this Department since my last despatch.
E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War.1
Source:
- “Latest Official War Gazette.” Philadelphia Inquirer. June 16, 1864, p. 1 col. 1 ↩