It had all along been General Grant’s desire to outflank the enemy, and force him to abandon his strong works, rather than to compel his retreat by falling upon him, and, in order to do this, all his movements had been made against the enemy’s right. He now determined to change his mode of operations, and to make a bold assault upon the enemy’s left. With this view, preparations were made on Tuesday night, under cover of the darkness, and batteries and troops were moved up for the assault. The new Union line was formed before morning, and ran direct from right to left. This line was composed of four divisions, commanded respectively by Hancock, Burnside, Warren, and Wright.
With the first dawn of day, on the morning of the 18th, the assault was made. The enemy’s skirmishers were driven back at the first onset, and again the loud, reverberating roar of cannon echoed back from the surrounding hills. The air was filled with splinters of shell and whistling shot, flying along on the wings of destruction. The rebel left was found to be much strengthened to meet the attack against it, for General Lee, suspecting Grant’s movement, had made preparations to receive him. Charge upon charge was made upon the rebels, and first one and then another of their lines of rifle-pits were captured, together with many prisoners. With cheer upon cheer, the Union troops pressed on, until suddenly they came upon a dense, impregnable abattis, behind which lay concealed a long line of riflemen; while behind these again were stationed a heavy, frowning array of batteries. To advance was to bring certain, inevitable death upon a countless number of the brave Unionists, while, at the same time, the prospect of success in the charge was very dim. The troops were therefore ordered to retreat, and fell back in good order, under a destructive fire opened on them by the enemy. Brigadier-General Barlow, commanding the First division of the Second corps, is entitled to honor as a brave man and a thoroughly competent officer, for the admirable behavior of his troops under severe fire.
It was now clear that the enemy’s position at this point could not be carried except by an incalculable loss of life, and the attempt was, therefore, for the time abandoned. The Union loss during this short but sanguinary conflict numbered twelve hundred.
Both armies remained quiet for the remainder of the day, but kept a constant watch upon each other’s movements.
During the night, General Grant, having ascertained the enemy’s strength and precise position, sent off a detachment of troops, in command of General Torbert, to a point on the Richmond and Fredericksburg road, called Guinea’s Station, situated about ten miles southeast of Spottsylvania. By this movement the Unionists gained a position in the enemy’s rear, and destroyed much valuable rebel property along the railroad. During the next day reinforcements for Grant’s army arrived from Belle Plains, and a considerable portion of the day was occupied in receiving and arranging the newly arrived troops. A portion of the National troops moved toward Guinea Station, but no fighting took place between the hostile armies, who were at that time within artillery range of each other, but remained so quiet that not even a gun was fired.
Between four and five in the afternoon, however, firing was heard upon the Fredericksburg road, which turned out to be from a strong division of the rebel General Ewell’s corps. The enemy had fallen upon the Union baggage train as it filed along in rear of the right flank, but were gallantly met and repulsed by General Tyler’s division of heavy artillery, armed as infantry. These troops were mostly new recruits, and, though thus unexpectedly called into action by this sudden irruption of the rebel raiders, they acquitted themselves with great credit, and succeeded in checking the enemy’s advance. They were warmly commended by General Meade. Before the rebels could make a second charge, or follow up any advantage they might have gained by dint of superior numbers, Colonel Tannatt’s brigade came to the assistance of Tyler, and Ewell’s men were effectually brought to a halt. Another brigade came forward at this point, and the enemy was driven in great confusion back into the forest.
Again, at five o’clock, the rebels, with the desperation of starving men, made a second attack on the baggage-trains, but were speedily driven back.
During these brisk, but deadly conflicts, the Unionists lost upwards of six hundred men; the rebel loss was not so heavy. For the remainder of the day, and during the night, the baggage-trains were closely watched, but no further attempts were made upon them.
From the 20th of May onward, the movements of General Grant contemplated forcing General Lee to abandon his position at Spottsylvania, and fall back towards Richmond. Continued efforts were, therefore, made to flank the rebel army. Nor were these efforts unsuccessful. On May 23, General Grant’s army was in a position facing westward, extending from Guinea Station to Milford, while the enemy had fallen back beyond the North Anna river.
A fight took place at Taylor’s Bridge Ford, on the 23d, in which General Birney’s division behaved with great gallantry. The bridge, of course, was the point at issue, and both parties contested the prize with desperate valor—the rebels striving to hold, and the Unionists to take it. About five hundred men were killed on each side. The National troops succeeded in obtaining possession of the bridge, but it was repossessed by the rebels during the night, and again taken by the Unionists in the morning.