After the fighting at Spotsylvania Court House, Grant continued his Overland Offensive against Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. He was brought up short on the North Anna River by Lee's widely studied "hog snout line," which forced Grant to divide his army into three parts in order to attack. On May 23, 1864, one of A.P. Hill's divisions assaulted the V Corps which had crossed the river at Jericho Mill, resulting in bloody see-saw fighting. On the 24th, Union infantry was repulsed at Ox Ford (the snout) but advanced to near the Doswell House on the Confederate right. Lee hoped to strike an offensive blow, but he was ill, and the opportunity for defeating an isolated part of the Federal army passed. Once the threat of Lee's position was revealed, Grant withdrew both wings of the army back across the North Anna River. Grant outflanked the position by moving downstream and continued his advance on Richmond.
Result(s): Inconclusive
Other Names: Telegraph Road Bridge, Jericho Mill (May 23); Ox Ford, Quarles Mill, Hanover Junction (May 24)
Location: Caroline County and Hanover County
Campaign: Grant's Overland Campaign (May-June 1864)
Date(s): May 23-26, 1864
Principal Commanders: Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and Maj. Gen. George G. Meade [US]; Gen. Robert E. Lee [CS]
Forces Engaged: Armies
Estimated Casualties: 4,000 total
Source:
Anticipating another Federal move to the southeast, General Lee's 55,000 troops left Spotsylvania and headed for the North Anna River, arriving on May 22. Grant and Meade attacked Lee on May 23, and seized Telegraph Bridge over the North Anna. Other Federal troops crossed the river near Jericho Mill, and repulsed a savage assault from A. P. Hill. Despite being ill and bedridden, Lee planned a unique, inverted V-shaped line that separated the Federal crossing points. On May 24, the Federals sustained heavy losses at Ox Ford, and failed to unite their lines. Unable to breach Lee's defenses, -the Federal army abandoned the North Anna on May 27, and again ventured to the southeast.
Source:
Last Updated 07 May 2002
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