Operations against the rebel position at Hatcher’s Run were among the most important incidents of the siege of Petersburg. Their object was to extend the National lines on the left, and, of course, to sever railway communication with the beleaguered city. An attack on the enemy’s works at this point was made on the 27th of October, 1864, the Second and Fifth corps participating. But the battle was comparatively trivial in extent and in attendant losses. The rebel pickets and cavalry were driven inside of the main work, and the National forces captured seven loaded teams, and between seventy-five and one hundred prisoners. Each party lost about two hundred men. The result of this engagement was to extend the Union line from Armstrong’s Mill, along the south bank of Hatcher’s Creek, to a point where Hatcher’s Creek intersects the Boydton plank road.
To beat the rebels back from this position, and to destroy the Southside railroad, was an object with General Grant throughout this campaign. That railroad was, as it were, the main artery of Lee’s army. Many attempts were made to destroy it, some of which, as has been heretofore shown, resulted in doing it temporary injury.
A further attempt to carry the rebel works at Hatcher’s Run was made on Sunday, the 5th of February, 1865. The Fifth and Second corps, as before, were engaged, the entire movement being led by General Warren. Early on the morning of the 5th, being Sunday, the march began. General Gregg’s cavalry led the way, followed by the troops of the Fifth corps, along the Halifax road, in the direction of Reams’s Station. At the same time a covering movement was commenced, to blind the enemy as to the advance of the Fifth corps. This consisted in an advance of the Second corps, preceded by the Third Pennsylvania cavalry, Major Hess, along the Vaughn road towards Hatcher’s Run. It was an uncommonly bright and beautiful day, and the spirits of the soldiers seemed correspondingly cheerful.
The first object of the march of the Second corps by the Vaughn road was to cover the movement of the Fifth corps. About midday the head of the Second corps column reached Hatcher’s Run. Finding the enemy intrenched, the Third Pennsylvania cavalry essayed to carry the ford, but found the enemy too strong, and was driven back. The First brigade, Third division, was next ordered up and deployed, facing the ford. The Ninety-ninth Pennsylvania, Colonel Biles commanding, immediately advanced across the Run, scattering the enemy and driving him back under cover of the wood. The cavalry now gave pursuit, followed by the infantry, and the line of the Third division was advanced about a mile, occupying the summit of a hill, upon which they commenced the erection of fieldworks. During the progress of these demonstrative operations on the part of the Third division, the Second division struck off through an untravelled road to the right, towards Armstrong’s ford. The head of the column, composed of the Nineteenth Massachusetts, encountered the enemy near the run, and, with the assistance of the Tenth New York, compelled them to withdraw across the stream. This success effected a junction of the two divisions, and the whole line of the Second corps was arrayed in order of battle to meet any offensive movement on the part of the enemy.
Late in the afternoon the rebels opened a brisk fire of artillery, without, however, eliciting a reply. Emboldened by this silence, their infantry, preceded by a heavy skirmish line, advanced in line of battle.
The National troops permitted them to come within easy range, when they opened a severe fire of musketry, which caused the line to fall back in considerable disorder. The enemy, not disheartened, repeated his attempt to dislodge the Federals, and met with a similar repulse. The flank movement was then attempted, with no better success. Colonel Matthew Murphy, of the Sixty-ninth New York, commanding the Second brigade, held the right of the line, his own right flank resting on a swamp. As the enemy approached he greeted him with an effective shower of bullets, which caused him to break and retreat out of range. Soon after dark, having been thwarted in every effort to break the continuity of the lines, the enemy withdrew to his fortifications. The Second brigade of the Second division and the Third brigade of the Third division bore the brunt of the day’s fighting. The officers and men throughout bore themselves nobly. General Humphreys in person superintended the operations of the corps. Among the wounded was Colonel Murphy, commanding the Second brigade, Third division. The sum of the day’s losses, in the Second corps, was about ninety.
While the Second corps was thus engaging the attention of the rebels, on the Vaughn road, the Fifth corps pressed on toward Reams’s Station. After a march of six miles the advance reached Rowanty creek. Videttes and flying parties could be seen hovering mysteriously on the front, taking observations, and then suddenly disappearing. The troops, however, had, thus far encountered no opposition. The Rowanty creek is about twenty feet wide, and not conveniently fordable. The old bridge was no longer in existence. The column was accordingly delayed for a short time, while the pioneers constructed a temporary bridge. The men worked with difficulty, and, though covered by a detachment of light infantry, the sharpshooters of the enemy harassed them from the cover of the wooded banks. Their impromptu bridge having been completed, in order to secure a lodgment beyond the stream and protect the construction of bridges for the passage of the whole force, the Third brigade, Second division, Brevet Brigadier-General Gwynn commanding, advanced in column, on a trot, across the bridge. The opposite bank was steep and difficult of ascent, and, a short distance beyond, rifle pits obscured a line of riflemen. Undaunted by these uncertainties, Gwynn urged his men forward. A scattering fire ensued, and, in a few minutes after, the patriots occupied the rifle pits of the enemy, and quiet was restored. General Gwynn lost but one man. The enemy lost several, besides twenty-two prisoners.
In the mean time, the cavalry of General Gregg, piloted by a negro, had ridden onward, and entered Dinwiddie, capturing a rebel train and mail. From Dinwiddie the cavalry returned and took position in the rear of Warren’s forces, two miles from Hatcher’s Run.
The losses, on the first day, were about two hundred. Both corps had secured a position beyond Hatcher’s Run.
Thus affairs stood, on the 6th inst., when the conflict was renewed. The positions were: Second corps on the right, Fifth corps on the left, cavalry parties in front. The lines were covered by hasty breastworks, timber, and the roads filled with mud. The morning was spent in strengthening the defences and corduroying roads. Generals De Trobriand and McAllister, of the Second corps, made a reconnoissance and developed the fact that there was no force between the new lines and the old works below Petersburg. The Fifth corps passed the morning in taking positions of attack. General Meade was on the field. Early in the afternoon the enemy disclosed a column moving towards the right.