|
MAY 29: GRANT AND LEE CONFRONT EACH OTHER ACROSS TOTOPOTOMOY
CREEK
During May 29, Grant advanced southwest to confront Lee across
Totopotomoy Creek. Hancock followed the Richmond-Hanovertown Road to the
creek, found Lee firmly entrenched on the far bank, and began digging
in. Warren extended Hancock's line to the left, thrusting Griffin's
division on the far side of the creek onto Shady Grove Road. Wright left
two divisions at Crump's Creek to anchor the right flank of the Union
line and sent a division northwest toward Hanover Court House. Burnside
bivouacked in reserve near Haw's Shop, and Sheridan remained far to the
left, near Old Church. The day passed with the armies contemplating each
other, skirmishing but shying from active combat.
Lee remained weak from the dysentery that had debilitated him on the
North Anna. Ewell also became seriously ill. As he had done earlier in
the campaign, Lee once again selected Major General Jubal A. Early to
stand in for an ailing corps head. Lee also renewed his pleas to
Richmond for reinforcements, Late in the day, Beauregard visited Lee at
"Lockwood" the Clarke family home near Atlee's Station. Lee requested
Beauregard to send troops, but the Louisianian protested that he had
none to spare. Lee was disappointed but remained determined. "If General
Grant advances tomorrow I will engage him with my present force," he
assured President Davis.
|
ALTHOUGH HOT-TEMPERED AND OFTEN AT ODDS WITH MEADE, MAJOR GENERAL PHILIP
H. SHERIDAN CAPABLY HANDLED THE UNION CAVALRY DURING THE CAMPAIGN. (LC)
|
That evening, Lee's chief engineer, Major General Martin L. Smith,
penned an assessment of the military situation from the Confederate
perspective. "Grant's crab movements have sidled both his and our army
halfway across the State and brought him to a position which he could
have taken at first without the loss of a man by simply landing from his
transports and marching a few miles," he asserted. "This is the fourth
position in which we have confronted him and it remains to be seen
whether he will draw off from this without a fight as he did from the
last at [North Anna]. The present indications are that he has fortified
himself strongly in his camp with a view of inducing Lee to attack him,
which I do not think will be done. We on the contrary have taken up no
line but are waiting for his columns to show themselves in the open
ground to make an onslaught upon them."
|
|