The same day that Rosecrans started from Winchester, Tenn., for Chattanooga, Burnside with the Army of the Ohio (Twenty-third corps) left Lexington, Ky., for Knoxville, Tenn. (q.v.), his Ninth corps being still with Grant near Vicksburg. He reached Knoxville 2 September. Being ordered to assist Rose crans at Chattanooga, he was held by demon strations of a small force from making the junction. (See ROGERSVILLE ; CAMPBELL'S STA TION ) . On 4 November Bragg dispatched Longstreet's corps from Chattanooga to besiege Knoxville. On the 29th he assaulted Fort Saunders and was repulsed with serious loss. Sherman, who was sent by Grant from Chatta nooga after the success there, now approaching, Longstreet retreated to Virginia. On 16 De cember Burnside was relieved and ordered to recruit the Ninth corps, which was assembled at Annapolis.
Throughout these operations both Union and Confederate forces in Charleston harbor had been engaged in formidable attack and most stubborn and brilliant defense. General Gill more, who had reached Charleston 12 June, immediately undertook engineering and siege work of unprecedented character as to success at long ranges; and finally, after several severe repulses, forced the evacuation of Fort Wag ner (q.v.) 7 September, and soon shells reached the city from his long-range guns. While some of these fell in Charleston 31 August, the regular bombardment began 16 November.
On 28 Jan. 1864, General Rosecrans was ordered to relieve Gen. John M. Schofield in Missouri, the latter being assigned a little later to the command of the Department and Army of the Ohio at Knoxville. General Rosecrans repulsed the invasion of General Price, and, then sent troops not needed to General Thomas at Nashville. On 20 February an expedition sent from Charleston to Florida by General Gillmore under General Seymour was dis astrously defeated by General Finegan at Olustee (q.v.). From February to December 1864, General Forrest was active throughout West Tennessee and northern Mississippi and Alabama, performing much brilliant cavalry service, to the continued disturbance of Union commands in those regions. See Foal. PILLOW ; GUN TOW N ; TUPELO.
Early in the spring of 1864 Banks, supported by Admiral Porter's fleet, was ordered to ad vance up the Red River (q.v.). (See also SABINE PASS; STERLING'S PLANTATION ) . At Sabine Crossroads (q.v.) 8 April, he was de feated and driven back to Pleasant Grove, and thence to Pleasant Hill 13 April, where A. J. Smith, from Sherman's army, reinforced him. The fleet narrowly escaped capture by the fall ing of the river, and altogether the campaign was a decided failure. (See YELLOW BAYOU) . The defeat of Banks enabled the Confederate general, J. F. Fagan, to force Gen. Frederick Steele, who was advancing to co-operate with Banks, back to Little Rock (See MARKS' MILLS; JENKINS' FERRY; POISON SPRING1.
M R.
Banks was relieved 12 ay by Gen. E. .
Canby.
On 12 March 1864, General Grant, who had been commissioned lieutenant-general, that grade having been revived by Congress, was placed in command of all the armies. Early in April he had formed a plan for a combined movement of the armies to begin toward the last of the month, and had communicated the same to Meade with the Army of the Potomac, Butler at Fort Monroe, Sherman at Chatta nooga and Banks at New Orleans. The main
Confederate armies were those of Lee, at Orange, with Longstreet at Gordonsville, con fronting Meade in the vicinity of Culpeper, and Johnston at Dalton, Ga., facing Sherman in the vicinity of Chattanooga.
Grant's general plan was for Gillmore, from South Carolina, with 10,000 men, to join But ler at Fort Monroe, giving him 23,000 troops for a move up the James to capture City Point, threatening Petersburg and the rear of Rich mond. (See Ric H MOND, UNION CAMPAIGNS AGAINST ) . Burnside, with 25,000 men as sembling at Annapolis, was to join Meade, and the Army of the Potomac was to advance toward Richmond by Lee's right. Sherman, with three armies, the Cumberland, under George H. Thomas, the Tennessee, under Mc Pherson, and the Ohio, under Schofield, aggre gating nearly 100,000 men, was to move against Johnston's army at Dalton and follow it. (See also MERIDIAN, EXPEDITION TO; YA ZOO Ow). Banks was to leave the Red River country to Steele and the navy, abandon Texas and move against Mobile with his 25,000 men, reinforced by 5,000 from Missouri.
Grant established his headquarters with the Army of the Potomac, Meade having the full direction of the army under Grants general orders. The Army of the Potomac moved toward the Rapidan in the early morning of 4 May, and by night all the troops had crossed.
Grant's force was about 119,000, and Lee's about 62,000. Lee pushed rapidly to his right and struck Grant's advance in the Wilderness (q.v.) 5 May. Terrific fighting followed till the night of the 6th. (See TODD'S TAVERN). Lee pushed on to Spottsylvania (q.v.), reaching it in advance of Grant and interposing on the line to Richmond. Both armies entrenched, and from the 8th there *as bitter fighting until the night of the 20th (see Po Rim), when Grant started for North Anna (q.v.). From Spott sylvania 8 May, P. H. Sheridan (q.v.), com manding Grant's cavalry, made a raid around Lee's encountering and defeating J. E. B. Stuart at Yellow Tavern 11 May, where Stuart was killed. Sheridan spent a day within the outer defenses of Richmond, and joined Butler on the James. (See RICHMOND, SHERIDAN'S RAID ON COMMUNICATIONS WITH). Grant pro ceeded to move to his left, everywhere opposed by Lee, fighting heavily at North Anna and Bethesda Church (see also HAWES' SHOP; the rear of Richmond was defeated. Lee oc cupied the Petersburg lines. Grant attacked the works several times unsuccessfully from 15 to 18 June. On 30 July an attempt on the works was made by exploding a mine. The explosion was a great success, but the assault to follow it was a failure. This was the battle of The Crater.
From the establishment of Grant's lines be fore Petersburg frequent and .heavy fighting continued until about 1 November, but with little permanent impression on General Lee's lines. (See JERUSALEM PLANK ROAD; DEEP BOTTOM ; GLOBE TAVERN ; REAMS' STATION•, POPLAR SPRINGS CHURCH ; HATCHER'S RUN