. Grant and his campaigns: a military biography . nd after a severeaction, with all the terrible but magnificent concomitants of anight-battle, he was driven back. During Sunday, the 5th, we continued the work of intrench-ing. The lines were very close,—so close, that the sharp-shooters did excellent work on both sides, by picking off theofficers and men in the trenches. At half-past eight, withcommendable activity, the enemy sallied out and assaultedSmyths brigade of the Second Division of Hancocks corps ;but being manfully met with firmness and steel, he was againcompelled to retire discomfi
. Grant and his campaigns: a military biography . nd after a severeaction, with all the terrible but magnificent concomitants of anight-battle, he was driven back. During Sunday, the 5th, we continued the work of intrench-ing. The lines were very close,—so close, that the sharp-shooters did excellent work on both sides, by picking off theofficers and men in the trenches. At half-past eight, withcommendable activity, the enemy sallied out and assaultedSmyths brigade of the Second Division of Hancocks corps ;but being manfully met with firmness and steel, he was againcompelled to retire discomfited to his own lines. It shouldhave been said that Burnside was withdrawn from the extremeright on the 4th, and posted between Warren and Smith. Soalso on the 6th, while we still continued intrenching on ourleft and centre, Warren was withdrawn and massed in rear ofthe centre. A night attack on Burnside was again repelled. The result of the hard fighting of the few past days was FEOM SPOTTSYLVANIA TO THE CHICKAHOMINY. 343 ■ ■ _ ■ JUNE 7r. now painfully manifest in the great number of unburiecl deadand suffering wounded lying between the two armies. After acorrespondence between Grant and Lee, dictated by humanity,an armistice of two hours was agreed upon, during which thedead were buried and the wounded removed. Again the operations of the army became problematical;and while considerable re-enforcements were reaching thearmy, Grant digested the details and co-operative portions ofhis new plan. He had seen that in the entire movement fromthe Rapidan, the enemy had been upon the defensive, willingto risk nothing, assuming occasionally a dashing but epheme-ral offensive, and always falling back, when pressed, behindwell-selected and thoroughly prepared intrenchments. Tobeat Lees army, therefore, as had been his desire, north ofRichmond, he found was impossible, without greater lossesthan he was willing to incur. He therefore determined tohold the ground which he then occup
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