May 20, 1864, evening - Union general Winfield Scott Hancock marches his Second Corps toward the east of Confederate lines around Spotsylvania Court House. The move is part of a plan by Union general-in-chief Ulysses S. Grant to lure Confederate general Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia out of its trenches by exposing a single corps as bait.
May 21, 1864, 12:30 a.m. - Union general Winfield Scott Hancock and his Second Corps meet up with cavalry under Alfred A. T. Torbert, who proceeds to screen, or hide, the Union march from the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia.
May 21, 1864, 6 a.m. - The Union Second Corps under Winfield Scott Hancock clears the Confederate right flank in a move intended to bait Confederates to leave their trenches around Spotsylvania Court House.
May 21, 1864, 9 a.m. - Union general Alfred A. T. Torbert's cavalry encounters Confederate infantry at Milford Station. These Confederate troops are part of General George E. Pickett's division, which is making its way northward to join the Army of Northern Virginia.
May 21, 1864, 9 a.m. - Upon receiving reports of Union infantry and cavalry activity beyond his right flank, Confederate general Robert E. Lee determines that Union general-in-chief Ulysses S. Grant is once again attempting to move the bulk of his army beyond the Confederate right flank. Lee orders Richard S. Ewell's division to begin a march to counter Grant.
May 21, 1864, 10 a.m. - After intercepting several of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's dispatches, Ulysses S. Grant sees that Lee has moved more quickly, and in greater force, than he anticipated. Accordingly, Grant sends General Gouverneur K. Warren's Fifth Corps to support Winfield Scott Hancock and his Second Corps.
May 21, 1864, 11:40 a.m. - Confederate general Robert E. Lee orders George E. Pickett's division to Hanover Junction. He decides to concentrate Confederate forces there, and has them dig in behind the North Anna River.
May 21, 1864, 12 p.m. - Union general Winfield Scott Hancock's Second Corps, on a march designed to draw Confederates out of their trenches near Spotsylvania Court House, crosses the Mattapony River (also known as the Mattaponi River).
May 21, 1864, 4 p.m. - The remaining Sixth Corps of the Army of the Potomac under Union general Horatio G. Wright and Ambrose E. Burnside's independent Ninth Corps march eastward. Their move is part of a campaign designed by Ulysses S. Grant to draw Confederates out of their trenches around Spotsylvania Court House.
May 21, 1864, 5 p.m. - Confederate general Robert E. Lee launches an attack to test whether the Army of the Potomac still remains in force in its own entrenchments at Spotsylvania Court House. Despite receiving a stinging rebuke, Confederate troops manage to take sections of the Union earthworks. Lee realizes that Ulysses S. Grant is once again on the move.
May 21, 1864, 9 p.m. - Confederate troops under A. P. Hill begin to march east in pursuit of Union forces that, by now, have successfully lured Robert E. Lee's army from its trenches near Spotsylvania Court House.
May 22, 1864, 8 a.m. - The lead elements of Richard S. Ewell's Confederate corps reach the North Anna River in pursuit of Union troops under Ulysses S. Grant.
May 22, 1864, 4 p.m. - The last Confederate units reach the North Anna River, foiling Union general-in-chief Ulysses S. Grant's attempt to sidle around the right flank of the Army of Northern Virginia.
May 23, 1864 - Union general-in-chief Ulysses S. Grant consolidates the Army of the Potomac and Ambrose E. Burnside's Ninth Corps in order to attack the Army of Northern Virginia.
May 23, 1864, afternoon - The Union Fifth Corps under Gouverneur K. Warren crosses the North Anna River near Jericho Mill along Confederate general Robert E. Lee's left flank. The Union Second Corps under Winfield Scott Hancock approaches Chesterfield Bridge on Lee's right.
May 24, 1864 - Union general-in-chief Ulysses S. Grant orders a general advance against Confederate forces along the North Anna River in the morning. Initially, it goes well, with little Confederate resistance.
May 23, 1864, 5:45 p.m. - A Confederate division under Cadmus Wilcox assaults Union general Gouverneur K. Warren's men along the North Anna River near Jericho Mill before being driven off. Wilcox retreats to entrench.
May 23, 1864, 6 p.m. - Union general Winfield Scott Hancock and his Second Corps drive off Confederate defenders near Chesterfield Bridge. While Hancock remains on the north side of the North Anna River, he is in perfect position to cross the river the following day.
May 24, 1864, 3 p.m. - After crossing the North Anna River, Union general John Gibbon's men on the Union left wing encounter a line of well-defended Confederate trenches near Hanover Junction. Their advance is stymied.
May 24, 1864, 4 p.m. - Union general James H. Ledlie attempts to take the Confederate lines at Ox Ford, where his men are promptly mauled by the hard-hitting veteran Confederate division under William Mahone.
May 24, 1864, 6:45 p.m. - As fighting for the day ends, Confederate general Robert E. Lee's line becomes apparent to Union forces—a strong inverted V–shaped entrenchment with its apex at Ox Ford across the North Anna River. Contrary to reports from the morning, Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia remain in the area.
May 25, 1864 - Foiled in his attempts to dislodge Confederate forces under Robert E. Lee along the North Anna River, Ulysses S. Grant orders his men to destroy rail lines.
May 26, 1864 - Union cavalrymen begin to move eastward from their position along the North Anna River in order to begin clearing the way for a general movement of Ulysses S. Grant's men the following day.
May 27, 1864, 12 a.m. - The Union Army of the Potomac once again begins a move eastward, ending the Battle of North Anna.