and not permitted to return. This humiliating punish ment was carried out in the most offensive manner possible, and Mr. Cropsey, after having been escorted through the camp on horseback, bearing the offensive label, was sent back to Washington.

On the morning of the 5th of May, Lee came out of his intrenchments and was immediately attacked. The Wilderness, from which the ensuing two days' fight took its name, was a dense jungle of low pines, intermingled with scrub oaks. The paths through this forest were narrow and few in number. Artillery and cavalry were out of the question, while infantry could scarcely force its way through the tangled mass of vegetation.

General Lee fell back on Spottsylvania Court-House, where skirmishing was continued for four days, at the conclusion of which General Grant sent back to the War Department for recruits, saying: "We have ended the sixth day of very heavy fighting; the result at this time is much in our favor. Our losses have been heavy, as well as those of the enemy. I think the loss of the enemy must be greater. We have taken five thousand prisoners by battle, whilst he has taken from us but few, except stragglers. I propose to fight it out on this line if it takes all summer."

A wonderful contest ensued, in which the Union troops steadily advanced and the Confederates were as steadily pushed backward, contesting every inch of ground. The fighting on both sides was fierce and deadly, and at times the Stars and Stripes and the Stars and Bars would be seen on opposite sides of the same earthworks. General Sheridan was, meanwhile, riding on a raid around Richmond destroying the railroads and rations, and Custer had dashed in behind the outer defense of Richmond, capturing one hundred prisoners. Finally Grant reached

the rebel works at Cold Harbor, which he unsuccessfully endeavored to carry by storm, and transferred his army by flank marches to the south side of the James River, which he crossed over pontoon bridges two thousand feet in length, with an immense wagon train, without losing a man. General Grant had thus directed the march of the Army of the Potomac from the Rapidan to the James, and commenced a systematic investment of the city of Petersburg. He lost between the 5th of May and the 12th of June six thousand killed, twenty-six thousand wounded, and seven thousand missing. The losses of

the Confederates have never been definitely stated, but our army took over ten thousand prisoners.

Meanwhile, Grant received daily despatches from his different subordinates, and by the time he had reached Petersburg, Sherman had driven Johnston back and was on the march to Kenesaw Mountain, a distance of fifty miles, while Hunter had reached and invested Lynchburg. The Confederates perfected their fortifications, while the Union troops advanced by covered ways until the pickets of both armies were scarcely over one thousand feet apart. The artillery fire was kept up on both

sides, and the sharp-shooters were fatally vigilant. A Pennsylvania regiment in General Burnside's division carried a mine five hundred and ten feet long under the enemy's works, and made eight magazines, each one of which was charged with a thousand pounds of powder. When the mine was sprung a yawning crater was formed in the midst of the Confederate fortifications, through

MOUTH OF THE MINE BEFORE IT WAS EXPLODED.

which the assaulting column endeavored to pass, but so much time was spent in forming the troops that the enemy rallied, "and thus," said Grant in his report, "ter. minated in disaster what promised to be the most suc cessful assault of the campaign." The loss of this bloody day amounted to five thousand killed, wounded, and missing, nearly all of them belonging to Burnside's Ninth Corps, which was not properly supported.

CHAPTER XII.

CONFEDERATE ATTACK ON WASHINGTON—SUCCESS OF GRANT'S PROGRAMME-EXPE. DITION AGAINST FORT FISHER-GENERAL BUTLER'S STATEMENT ON THE EXCHANGE OF PRISONERS-GENERAL GRANT'S PLANS-DESCRIPTION OF HIM AT CITY POINT-HIS PERSONAL HABITS-REMINISCENCES OF GENERAL HOWARDPRESIDENT LINCOLN'S ADVICE-THE WINTER'S REST-SPRING WORK-CREDIT GIVEN TO SUBORDINATES-THUNDERING ALL AROUND THE HEAVENS.

Τ

HE Confederates "fought, like brave men, long

and well." General Lee, wishing to send General Grant back to the defense of Washington, ordered a corps under General Early to attack the Union capital, which was thought to be guarded only by a few regiments of heavy artillery and by a home-brigade of quartermasters' clerks and employees. The advanceguard of the Confederates, commanded by General Breckenridge, came within the defenses of Washington, where they were, to their surprise, confronted by the veteran Sixth Corps, under General Wright, and after a few volleys had been exchanged they precipitately retreated. As a counter-diversion, General Grant sent General Sheridan on a raiding expedition after General Early. "In pushing up the Shenandoah Valley," said. General Grant in his orders to Sheridan, "it is desirable that nothing should be left to invite the enemy to return. Take all provisions, forage, stock wanted for the use of your command; such as cannot be consumed, destroy. The people should be informed that so long as an army can subsist among them recurrences of these raids must