On the same evening the bulk of the two armies were facing each other on the line of the Po.

By the rapidity of his movements General Lee had thus completely defeated his adversary’s design to seize on the important point, Spottsylvania Court-House.  General Grant, apparently conceiving some explanation of this untoward event to be necessary, writes:  “The enemy, having become aware of our movement, and having the shorter line, was enabled to reach there first.”  The statement that General Lee had the shorter of the two lines to march over is a mistake.  The armies moved over parallel roads until beyond Todd’s Tavern, after which the distance to the south bank of the Po was greater by Lee’s route than General Grant’s.  The map will sufficiently indicate this.  Two other circumstances defeated General Grant’s attempt to reach the point first—­the extreme rapidity of the march of the Confederate advance force, and the excellent fighting of Stuart’s dismounted men, who harassed and delayed General Warren, leading the Federal advance throughout the entire night.

An additional fact should be mentioned, bearing upon this point, and upon General Lee’s designs.  “General Lee’s orders to me,” says General Early, who, from the sickness of A.P.  Hill, had been assigned to the command of the corps, “were to move by Todd’s Tavern along the Brock Road, to Spottsylvania Court-House, as soon as our front was clear of the enemy.”  From this order it would appear either that General Lee regarded the Brock Road, over which General Grant moved, as the “shorter line,” or that he intended the movement of Early on the enemy’s rear to operate as a check upon them, while he went forward to their front with his main body.

These comments may seem tedious to the general reader, but all that illustrates the military designs, or defends the good soldiership of Lee, is worthy of record.

We proceed now to the narrative.  In the Wilderness General Grant had found a dangerous enemy ready to strike at his flank.  He now saw in his front the same active and wary adversary, prepared to bar the direct road to Richmond.  General Lee had taken up his position on the south bank of one of the four tributaries of the Mattapony.  These four streams are known as the Mat, Ta, Po, and Nye Rivers, and bear the same relation to the main stream that the fingers of the open hand do to the wrist.  General Lee was behind the Po, which is next to the Nye, the northernmost of these water-courses.  Both were difficult to cross, and their banks heavily wooded.  It was now to be seen whether, either by a front attack or a turning movement, General Grant could oust his adversary, and whether General Lee would stand on the defensive or attack.