General Grant's Campaign

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          After the battle of Friday, June 8, in which it was decided that Richmond could no longer be approached with advantage from the north, preparations were made to transfer the entire army to the south side of the James River. The movement was commenced Sunday night, the 12th, and was completed by Wednesday morning a distance of fifty-five miles having been traversed by four of the army corps during that time. The Eighteenth Corps proceeded by water to Bermuda Hundred, reversing the route which it took a few days before to reinforce Grant's army. The remaining corps crossed the Chickahominy at James Bridge and Long Bridge. These points are below Bottom's Bridge, the latter being the extreme right of the enemy's lines at the time of crossing. From rebel journals it appears that Grant was not expected to cross the James but only to reach Malvern Hill, or some other point, the possession of which would flank the rebel right. Wright and Burnside crossed the Chickahominy at Long Bridge, six miles below Bottoms, Hancock and Warren crossing five or six miles farther down at Jones's Bridge. The army crossed the James in the neighborhood of City Point, Wright and Burnside just above, Warren and Hancock ten miles below at Fort Powhatan.

 

 

 

 

THE CROSSING OF THE JAMES.

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          Our artist has contributed a sketch on page 429 of the pontoon bridge over the James, across which our army was in steady motion from Wednesday morning till Friday.

          Says the Times correspondent: " As we approach the pontoon bridge we see distinctly the huge bodies of infantry, cavalry, horses, artillery, and wagons moving across the pontoon. They extend across the entire length of the bridge, and can be seen winding along from far away up the east bank of the James, enveloped in a dense cloud of dust, while on the western bank is a part of the great body which has already effected its crossing. The army has been steadily marching for fifty hours. A brigade of infantry with possibly a thousand cavalry horses and a battery of artillery has just gotten over, and at this moment not more than twenty men are marching in units or couples across the bridge, now comes a man leading a horse; now a cannon ; now a dozen teamsters ; now a battalion of negro soldiers. But a heavy body of troops of all arms is passing out of the woods filing on to the bridge, and besides the column of infantry there are immense numbers of horses, long trains of wagons, numberless pieces of artillery and caissons.

          "Now another body can be seen emerging from the woods on the river bank, and passing on to the pontoons--a long procession of beef cattle. They are in little detachments of four, five, or half a dozen each, every detachment preceded and followed by two or more negro soldiers. Meridian is an hour gone, and about a mile up the river a heavy volume of dust is sweeping southward. Forward marches the long, long line of cattle, All the afternoon they advance and pour over the river. The movement is slow. I am told that in this whole mass there are but 2500 head, or some six days' supply for the Army of the Potomac."

          Below the bridge may be seen a fleet of transport. which have been accumulating, waiting for the bridge to be removed before they can pass up to City Point, the new base of supplies. It should be mentioned here that Warren's Corps protected the crossing of the trains.

          Our artist has also contributed (on page 429) a sketch of Fort Powhatan, which was just below the pontoon bridge over which Warren and Hancock crossed.

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