Grant had ordered the Eighteenth Corps (Smith’s) by way of the White House to Bermuda Hundreds, and this corps had crossed the narrow neck of land between the James and the Appomattox, crossing the latter river on a pontoon bridge, and was at the moment firing on Petersburg with a force under his command of twenty-two thousand, with nothing between General Smith and Petersburg but Beauregard’s two thousand men of all arms.  Kant’s Cavalry and one division of negro troops, under Hinks, had joined their forces with Smith after coming to the south side.  Hancock’s and Warren’s Corps crossed the Chickahominy at Long Bridge and the James at Wilcox’s Landing, and with Grant at the head, all were pushing on to Petersburg.  Wright (Sixth) and Burnside (Ninth) crossed by way of Jones’ Bridge and the James and Appomattox on pontoon bridges, pushing their way rapidly, as the nature of the ground permitted, in the direction of Petersburg.  Beauregard in the meantime had been reinforced by his own troops, they having been transferred temporarily to Lee, at Spottsylvania Court House.

Hoke’s Division reached Petersburg at twelve o’clock, on the 15th of June.  Hagood’s Brigade, of that division, being transported by rail from the little town of Chester, reached the city about night.  Bushrod Johnson’s Brigade was ordered up from Bermuda on the 16th.  Beauregard being thus reinforced, had ten thousand troops of all arms on the morning of the 16th, with which to face Meade’s Army, consisting of Hancock’s, Smith’s, and Burnside’s Corps, aggregating sixty-six thousand men.  Meade made desperate and continuous efforts to break through this weak line of gray, but without effect Only one division of Federals gained any permanent advantage.  Warren, with four divisions, now reinforced Meade, bringing the Federal Army up to ninety thousand, with no help for Beauregard yet in sight.  From noon until late at night of the 17th the force of this entire column was hurled against the Confederate lines, without any appreciable advantage, with the exception of one division before alluded to.  Lee was still north of the James with his entire army, and undecided as to Grant’s future movements.  He was yet in doubt whether Grant had designs directly against the Capital, or was endeavoring to cut his communications by the capture of Petersburg.  Beauregard had kept General Lee and the war department thoroughly advised of his peril and of the overwhelming numbers in his front, but it was not until midnight of the 17th that the Confederate commander determined to change his base and cross to the south side of the James.  It was at that hour that Kershaw’s Brigade received its orders to move at once.  For the last few days the army had been gradually working its way towards the James River, and was now encamped near Rice’s Station.  From the manner in which we were urged forward, it was evident that our troops somewhere were in imminent peril.  The march started as a forced one, but before daylight it had