Confederate cavalry was encountered, under Hampton, Stuart's successor. Gregg's division attacked with vigor, and was roughly handled. Davies and Custer came to the rescue, and a sanguinary battle ensued, both sides fighting dismounted. The battle lasted until dark, and the losses were heavy on both sides. The enemy were driven off the field, leaving their dead behind. The army was pushed promptly forward to hold the conquered ground, which proved to be a valuable acquisition, as it controlled the road from Mechanicsville to Hanover Court House and Hanover Town. The same evening Lee was reported at Atlee's Station, evidently bent on keeping Grant north of the Totopotomoy.

On May 29th, the Sixth moved westward to Hanover Court House. No enemy was found. Hancock advanced toward the Totopotomoy; Burnside crossed the Pamunkey, and came up between the Fifth and Second. The whole front of the army had advanced three miles since morning. Lee was in force north of the Chickahominy, and covering the two railroads. and three country roads leading to Richmond. There was to be battle, or else bright games of strategy. Already the latter had begun. Lee was slipping southeastward toward Cold Harbor and in the direction of the White House, Grant's base of supplies. This diversion on his left must be stopped. Sheridan was sent with two divisions of his cavalry to watch the enemy vigilantly. Grant had ordered to his support all the troops that could be spared from the south side of the James, and these, under Smith, were expected by way of the White House. It was therefore imperative that this point should be protected.

On May 30th, the Federal advance continued, with a slight shifting of positions. Lee lay behind the Totopotomoy, his lines extending from Atlee's Station, on the Virginia Central, well down toward Cold Harbor, which is half way from Richmond to the Pamunkey, and not far from the Chickahominy.

The Sixth swung from Hanover Court House close up to Hancock's right. The two corps then pushed to the Totopotomoy creek; Burnside crossed, and Warren moved on the Mechanicsville road. Skirmishing was brisk all day. In the afternoon Warren struck Early near Bethesda Church. It was Lee's right. Early attacked furiously, in order to turn Warren's left. Grant saw it, and ordered Hancock forward as a relief. He advanced and carried an important line of rifle pits, which the enemy could not recapture. Warren recovered from his first staggering blow, made a spirited advance, carried Early's position, and drove him back a mile and a half. All the manoeuvering and fighting of this day may be regarded as preliminary to the great struggle which both commanders knew to be close at hand. Positions were being developed and fronts ascertained. It was evident that there was a gradual shifting of scenes southeastward-Lee, in order to turn Grant's left and endanger his supplies; Grant, in order to circumvent it and get nearer to the James, his destination.

On the same day (May 30th), Halleck was ordered to have engineers and bridges sent to Fortress Monroe for use on the James; and on that date Smith arrived at the White House. He was ordered to march promptly up the south side of the Pamunkey, and join the Army of the Potomac. The Fifth now held the left of Grant's army on the Mechanicsville road; the Ninth was next; the Second next; the Sixth on the right, six miles south of Hanover Court House. Thus Lee's front was covered. The two armies fully confronted each other. The direction was northwest to southeast, the respective fronts extending about nine miles. Each commander was on the alert.

On May 31st, Cold Harbor became a conspicuous objective, a pivot of the respective wings of both armies. Sheridan advanced upon it with two divisions, and found it strongly defended by Confederate cavalry and infantry behind breastworks of logs

and rails. He attacked, and after a severe fight drove them out. But they returned the attack with such vigor as to cause him to think it best to retire. Just then word came to him from Grant to hold Cold Harbor at all hazards. He immediately re-entered the contest, fought dismounted, turned the enemy's breastworks against them, and by nightfall was in full possession of the place again.

On hearing of this, Grant, who had expected an infantry battle for the point, ordered the Sixth from his right to Sheridan's support. Smith, now coming up the Pamunkey, was ordered to the same point, and to take position between Warren's Fifth and Wright's Sixth, the latter now being on the extreme left. The Sixth marched all night. Lee saw the manœuvre, and sent Anderson's corps from his left to his right at Cold Harbor. Thus, on the morning of June 1st, the two armies again confronted each other, and the lines were so close that the slightest changes could be detected, and even the giving of orders heard.

At a very early hour (June 1st), the Confederates renewed their assault on Sheridan in Cold Harbor. They were driven back twice, and Sheridan held on. By nine o'clock, Wright's Sixth put in an appearance, and Sheridan's conquest was made secure. Anderson's corps of Lee's army was now seen sweeping toward his right, past the front of the Fifth. Warren was ordered to set upon its flank. It was regarded as a good opportunity to destroy it. But Warren attacked only with artillery. Wright was to meet it in front, by swinging his left round. There was a loss of precious time, and the enemy took advantage of it to fall back and fortify, after withstanding a severe fire for a time, and losing a number of prisoners, as soon as they saw that Cold Harbor was effectually lost to them. Their lines were felt, and found to be strong. Grant was much disappointed at the results of the day thus far. It was well on in the afternoon. He had fully expected to thwart Lee's move

ment of Anderson to his right, by having Warren attack it in flank, and Wright and Smith in front. But the opportunity was lost. Smith was not even up yet, with his ten thousand troops. He had marched to New Castle, hugging the river, instead of to Cold Harbor. The wrong name had been inserted in the order by the dispatching officer. However, he did his best to recover lost time, and came upon the scene at three in the afternoon, after a rapid and hot march of twenty-five miles. Lee had further extended his right by posting Hoke beyond Anderson. At five, Grant felt that his left, since the accession of Smith, was stronger than Lee's right. There was an open space in front, and Hoke and Anderson were not closely joined. Therefore a hopeful point of attack was presented. Wright's and Smith's forces were disposed and ordered to advance. They swept the open space in the face of a galling front and enfilading fire, and dashed upon both Anderson and Hoke. Wright captured the works in his front and five hundred prisoners, and sent back word that he hoped to extend his lines to the Chickahominy. Smith carried the line of rifle pits in his front, and captured two hundred and fifty prisoners. But both officers were now met by a second line of breastworks, which they could not force.

As a set off to these demonstrations the Confederates had made a determined attack on Warren's Fifth, and also on Hancock and Burnside. But all these corps held their ground solidly and administered terrible punishment to the enemy with grape and canister. Lee's efforts to regain the lost ground on his right, and if possible turn Grant's left, did not cease at nightfall, but were kept up till well toward morning. They however amounted to nothing in the way of conquest, and that skillful leader was forced to face the grim fact that he had permanently lost Cold Harbor and valuable ground beside. The gain to the Federals was momentous. They had saved their left, which Lee would have given half his army to have