With such fearful and almost incredible odds against him, General Beauregard, from the 15th to the 18th of June, maintained a successful barrier to the Federal advance—a feat of war almost without a precedent, in which the courage and the endurance of the troops, no less than the skill with which the commander used his small resources, were fully as conspicuous as the good fortune that lent itself to such a result. Life of Beauregard, vol. II, p. 227.General Badeau, in his military history of General Grant, offers this explanation of the failure of the great army to dispatch Beauregard: ‘Then, indeed, when all their exertions had proved fruitless, when, having out-marched and out-maneuvered Lee, the soldiers found themselves again obliged to assault intrenched positions —then they seemed in some degree to lose heart, and for the first time since the campaign began, their attacks were lacking in vigor.’ As Smith moved forward, on the 15th, his first opposition came from a slight redan and works held by Graham's battery and a small dismounted cavalry force under Dearing, ‘a young brigadier of high and daring spirit, and of much experience in war.’ Dearing made a resolute fight to delay Smith as long as possible, and then sullenly withdrew inside the main works. At this time General
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of staff of the army of the Potomac, 16,100 men. Hancock's corps immediately followed Smith, and in his attack rendered him material assistance by relieving his men in the captured works.
At the opening of the assaults on Beauregard's works around Petersburg, thee men holding those works numbered only 5,400.
These were gradually, by the arrival of Ransom's brigade and Hoke's division, and a few other troops, increased to 11,000 effectives.
General Grant continually added to the two corps in front until, according to Colonel Roman's figures, at least 90,000 men were pressing daily against Beauregard.
Colonel Roman says:
Atlanta, Ga. 1899.
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