Bright, calm, but
cold,—my disorder keeping me at home.
The dispatch of Gen.
Lee, I fear, indicates that our late attempt to break the enemy's lines was at
least prematurely undertaken.
The Dispatch
newspaper has an article entreating the people not to submit "too
hastily," as in that event we shall have no benefit of the war between
France and the United States—a certain event, the editor thinks.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY CONFEDERATE STATES,
March 25th, 1865-11.20 P.M.
HON.
J. C. Breckinridge, Secretary of War.
At
daylight this morning, Gen. Gordon assaulted and carried the enemy's works at
Hare's Hill, capturing 9 pieces of artillery 8 mortars, and between 500 and 600
prisoners, among them one brigadier-general and a number of officers of lower
grade.
The
lines were swept for a distance of four or five hundred yards to the right and
left, and two efforts made to recover the captured works were handsomely
repulsed. But it was found that the inclosed works in rear, commanding the
enemy's main line, could only be taken at a great sacrifice, and our troops
were withdrawn to their original position.
It
being impracticable to bring off the captured guns, owing to the nature of the
ground, they were disabled and left.
Our
loss, as reported, is not heavy. Among the wounded are Brig. Gen. Terry, flesh
wound, and Brig.-Gen. Phil. Cooke, in the arm.
All
the troops engaged, including two brigades under Brig.Gen. Ransom, behaved most
handsomely. The conduct of the sharpshooters of Gordon's corps, who led the
assault, deserves the highest commendation.
This
afternoon there was skirmishing on the right, between the picket lines, with
varied success. At dark the enemy held a considerable portion of the line
farthest in advance of our main work.
R. E. LEE.
SOURCE: John
Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate
States Capital, Volume 2, p. 459-60
