After all, I fear Lee’s attempt on the enemy’s lines yesterday was a failure. We were compelled to relinquish the fort or battery we had taken, with all the guns we had captured. Our men were exposed to an enfilading fire, not being supported by the divisions intended to co-operate in the movement. The 600 prisoners were completely surprised—their pickets supposing our troops to be merely deserters. This indicates an awful state of things, the enemy being convinced that we are beaten, demoralized, etc.
There was a communication for the Secretary this morning, from “headquarters;” but being marked “confidential,” I did not open it, but sent it to Gen. Breckinridge.
Pickett’s division has been marching for Petersburg all the morning.
March 27th.—Bright, calm, but cold,—my disorder keeping me at home.
The dispatch of Gen. Lee, I fear, indicates that our late attempt to break the enemy’s lines was at least prematurely undertaken.
The Dispatch newspaper has an article entreating the people not to submit “too hastily,” as in that event we shall have no benefit of the war between France and the United States—a certain event, the editor thinks.
“Headquarters Army Confederate States,
“March 25th, 1865—11.20 p.m.
“Hon. J. C. Breckinridge, Secretary of War.
“At daylight this morning, Gen. Gordon assaulted and carried the enemy’s works at Hare’s Hill, capturing 9 pieces of artillery, 8 mortars, and between 500 and 600 prisoners, among them one brigadier-general and a number of officers of lower grade.
“The lines were swept for a distance of four or five hundred yards to the right and left, and two efforts made to recover the captured works were handsomely repulsed. But it was found that the inclosed works in rear, commanding the enemy’s main line, could only be taken at a great sacrifice, and our troops were withdrawn to their original position.