On the 27th, the Army of the Potomac, leaving only sufficient men to hold its fortified line, moved by the enemy’s right flank.  The 2d corps, followed by two divisions of the 5th corps, with the cavalry in advance and covering our left flank, forced a passage of Hatcher’s Run, and moved up the south side of it towards the South Side Railroad, until the 2d corps and part of the cavalry reached the Boydton Plank Road where it crosses Hatcher’s Run.  At this point we were six miles distant from the South Side Railroad, which I had hoped by this movement to reach and hold.  But finding that we had not reached the end of the enemy’s fortifications, and no place presenting itself for a successful assault by which he might be doubled up and shortened, I determined to withdraw to within our fortified line.  Orders were given accordingly.  Immediately upon receiving a report that General Warren had connected with General Hancock, I returned to my headquarters.  Soon after I left the enemy moved out across Hatcher’s Run, in the gap between Generals Hancock and Warren, which was not closed as reported, and made a desperate attack on General Hancock’s right and rear.  General Hancock immediately faced his corps to meet it, and after a bloody combat drove the enemy within his works, and withdrew that night to his old position.

In support of this movement, General Butler made a demonstration on the north side of the James, and attacked the enemy on the Williamsburg Road, and also on the York River Railroad.  In the former he was unsuccessful; in the latter he succeeded in carrying a work which was afterwards abandoned, and his forces withdrawn to their former positions.

From this time forward the operations in front of Petersburg and Richmond, until the spring campaign of 1865, were confined to the defence and extension of our lines, and to offensive movements for crippling the enemy’s lines of communication, and to prevent his detaching any considerable force to send south.  By the 7th of February, our lines were extended to Hatcher’s Run, and the Weldon Railroad had been destroyed to Hicksford.

General Sherman moved from Chattanooga on the 6th of May, with the Armies of the Cumberland, Tennessee, and Ohio, commanded, respectively, by Generals Thomas McPherson, and Schofield, upon Johnston’s army at Dalton; but finding the enemy’s position at Buzzard’s Roost, covering Dalton, too strong to be assaulted, General McPherson was sent through Snake Gap to turn it, while Generals Thomas and Schofield threatened it in front and on the north.  This movement was successful.  Johnston, finding his retreat likely to be cut off, fell back to his fortified position at Resaca, where he was attacked on the afternoon of May 15th.  A heavy battle ensued.  During the night the enemy retreated south.  Late on the 17th, his rear-guard was overtaken near Adairsville, and heavy skirmishing followed.  The next morning, however, he had again disappeared.  He was vigorously