I then, on the 14th, took a steamer and ran up to Bermuda Hundred to see General Butler for the purpose of directing a movement against Petersburg, while our troops of the Army of the Potomac were crossing.

I had sent General W. F. Smith back from Cold Harbor by the way of White House, thence on steamers to City Point for the purpose of giving General Butler more troops with which to accomplish this result.  General Butler was ordered to send Smith with his troops reinforced, as far as that could be conveniently done, from other parts of the Army of the James.  He gave Smith about six thousand reinforcements, including some twenty-five hundred cavalry under Kautz, and about thirty-five hundred colored infantry under Hinks.

The distance which Smith had to move to reach the enemy’s lines was about six miles, and the Confederate advance line of works was but two miles outside of Petersburg.  Smith was to move under cover of night, up close to the enemy’s works, and assault as soon as he could after daylight.  I believed then, and still believe, that Petersburg could have been easily captured at that time.  It only had about 2,500 men in the defences besides some irregular troops, consisting of citizens and employees in the city who took up arms in case of emergency.  Smith started as proposed, but his advance encountered a rebel force intrenched between City Point and their lines outside of Petersburg.  This position he carried, with some loss to the enemy; but there was so much delay that it was daylight before his troops really got off from there.  While there I informed General Butler that Hancock’s corps would cross the river and move to Petersburg to support Smith in case the latter was successful, and that I could reinforce there more rapidly than Lee could reinforce from his position.

I returned down the river to where the troops of the Army of the Potomac now were, communicated to General Meade, in writing, the directions I had given to General Butler and directed him (Meade) to cross Hancock’s corps over under cover of night, and push them forward in the morning to Petersburg; halting them, however, at a designated point until they could hear from Smith.  I also informed General Meade that I had ordered rations from Bermuda Hundred for Hancock’s corps, and desired him to issue them speedily, and to lose no more time than was absolutely necessary.  The rations did not reach him, however, and Hancock, while he got all his corps over during the night, remained until half-past ten in the hope of receiving them.  He then moved without them, and on the road received a note from General W. F. Smith, asking him to come on.  This seems to be the first information that General Hancock had received of the fact that he was to go to Petersburg, or that anything particular was expected of him.  Otherwise he would have been there by four o’clock in the afternoon.