his intrenchments. It is one of the most difficult operations in war, and especially so in the so in the presence of an able tactician like Gen. Lee; yet it was executed with complete success. But at midnight the rebels, under Longstreet, started south in the hope of interposing again between Gen. Grant and Richmond.

The two armies were again on a race, this time for the banks of the North Anna River; but, as Lee already held the shortest road, there was every chance that he would make the quickest journey.

The march was through a portion of the State which showed the great fertility of soil and the immense natural resources of Virginia. The weather was perfect, and scattered along the route were the stately mansions and broad acres of the Virginia gentlemen of the olden time. The region had not been swept by the tornado of war, and offered a beautiful picture of the Old Dominion in the days when McDowell, and Tom Marshall, and T. J. Randolph, had denounced slavery as "a curse," "a cancer," and predicted ruin and desolation for their native State unless she entered on a policy of emancipation. Their prediction was

fulfilled.

On Monday, the 23d of May, the army had reached the north bank of the North Anna; but the columns of the enemy were already on the opposite side. On the 24th, our army crossed in full force; but, after carefully examining the rebel intrenchments, Gen. Grant became satisfied that they could not be carried by storm without a loss of life which he would not incur.

On the night of the 26th, with great skill, and un

known to the enemy, Gen. Grant again crossed the river, and marched south toward the Pamunkey River and the city of Richmond. Not a shot had been fired, nor any sound made to disturb the rebel pickets. When daylight came, Gen. Lee discovered that the Union army was already on its way to Richmond.

On the 27th, our army reached the Pamunkey at Hanovertown. Thus, with masterly ability, Grant had compelled Lee to leave his intrenchments. He had placed himself within fifteen miles of Richmond, and established a new and convenient base for supplies for his army by the York River and Chesapeake Bay, and opened communication with the columns of Gen. Butler on the James River.

He held command of the peninsula without having exposed Washington, or allowing Lee to keep a quarter of our army marching back and forth to protect that city.

The places in the vicinity were familiar to the old Army of the Potomac who had served under Gen. McClellan. The slimy swamps of the Chickahominy, where so many thousands had been sacrificed; Fair Oaks, from which Gen. Hooker had trotted down to within four miles of Richmond unopposed, until ordered back; Mechanicsville, which, after a victorious and bloody repulse of Lee's army, had been suddenly evacuated by our perplexed and doubting commander ; Gaines's Mill, where one wing of the army had driven back the rebel hosts, while sixty thousand Union soldiers stood idle near at hand because their general could not decide whether to unite or divide his forces,these spots were all within a short distance, and the thunder of our cannon could be distinctly heard at Richmond.

Gen. Grant had not yet taken Richmond; but he was fighting the rebel army. He was appalled by no visions of a rebel force two hundred thousand strong, which demanded daily re-enforcements from Washington at every halt; and he never, in a single instance, telegraphed to President Lincoln as another had done, "If I save this army now, I tell you plainly that I owe no thanks to you or to any persons in Washington : you have done your best to sacrifice this army."

Gen. Grant determined to force a passage across the Chickahominy. But a direct assault on the enemy's formidable works would lead to fearful loss of life; and he therefore determined to extend toward the left, and cross the river below at Cold Harbor. The place had no harbor, but was a small inland town at the junction of several roads, and of great importance to the enemy. Lee had been re-enforced by the garrison at Richmond, and was prepared to offer the most desperate

* A governor of one of the New-England States stated in the hearing of the writer, that, soon after Pope's defeat at Bull Run, he, with a few others, was conversing with President Lincoln concerning the prospects of the war, and remarked that "the people of his State were willing to do every thing possible to benefit the government; but they were not willing to bury their sons and brothers in the swamps of the Chickahominy to no purpose." One gentleman present intimated that Gen. McClellan could not be sincere in his determination to conquer, and must be disloyal. Mr. Lincoln said, "No: I have watched McClellan very carefully. I do not think he is disloyal; but he is constitutionally an over-cautious man. This and his indecision prevent all permanent success. For instance, the rebels lately, in moving into Maryland, advanced rapidly. Gen. McClellan was urged to do the same: but no; he insisted upon moving his whole army, day by day, in complete battle-array, ready to resist attack at any moment. Nothing we could say would induce him to value time and move with speed. He was a week or more in going the distance the rebels travelled in two days. Now, the result shows, if he had only saved half his time, he would have destroyed Lee's army, and ended the war."

resistance to Gen. Grant's advance. The rebel line was about six miles in length; and orders were given to attack the whole front at daylight on the morning of June 1. The assault was made by the Sixth Corps and Gen. Smith's command, which had just arrived from Butler's army. Gen. Burnside attacked the enemy's left. The first line of works was carried and held. The record of the day's fighting was like that often given. Our soldiers advanced to the muzzles of the enemy's guns with a bravery and patriotism that smiled at death in defence of their country; and they were met by a courage as fearless as it was misplaced. Fierce assaults were made upon each of our corps not engaged in the principal attack; but, in every instance, were repulsed.

Our loss in the battles at and around Cold Harbor was numbered by thousands.

Among the killed was Brig.-Gen. Peter A. Porter of New York. His patriotism had descended to him from a distinguished father, Gen. Porter of Niagara Falls, who served with honor in the war of 1812. When the Rebellion broke out, Gen. Porter left a home of wealth and taste, embellished with every attraction which could be desired, and gave a noble life to the cause of his country. He was struck in the neck, and fell, but rose to his knees, when he was pierced by six bullets. His last words were, "Dress up to your colors!"

"If there be, on this earthly sphere,

A boon, an offering, Heaven holds dear,

'Tis the last libation Liberty draws

From the heart that bleeds and breaks in her cause."

The whole series of brilliant military operations by which Gen. Grant had carried an army of a hundred thousand men in forty-three days from the Rapidan to the James, without the loss of a wagon, compelling his able antagonist to race at his side for the safety of the rebel capital, will never cease to be the study and admiration of the military student,