General Humphreys drove the enemy from his front into his main line on the Hatcher, near Burgess's Mills.

Generals Ord, Wright, and Parke made examinations in their fronts to determine the feasibility of an assault on the enemy's lines.

The two latter reported favorably.
The enemy confronting us as he did, at every point from Richmond to our extreme left, I conceived his lines must be weakly held, and could be penetrated if my estimate of his forces was correct.

I determined, therefore, to extend our line no farther, but to reinforce General Sheridan with a corps of infantry, and thus enable him to cut loose and turn the enemy's right flank, and with the other corps assault the enemy's lines.

The result of the offensive effort of the enemy the week before, when he assaulted Fort Stedman, particularly favored this.