New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-05-25
THE CAMPAIGN.

All men have understood that during the last
few DAYS the campaign in Virginia has been I'M
dergoing change. The nature Of thi, change
has not been clearly made known, owing to the
opinion in the War Office that its success might
somehow be impcriled by premature publicity
given to the movements Of the army. But as
the march began last Friday, and rs there Ina,
been a disclosure of It's direction, We print this
morning some dispatches concerning II, and
which were stopped by the Secretary of War on
Sunday.
ANY mapo Virginia will show the three points
held on Monday by the right, center and left Of
the army, Guiney's Station, Bowling Green and
Milford. The latter place Is twenty miles south
of Fredericksburg and fifteen miles southeast
of Spottsylvania Courthouse. Ii occupation
BY Hancock's corps indicates one Of two thms,:
that Gen. Grant Ia. undertaken a flank move
ment very daring in its charact,S; or that Lee
had previously abandoned,,o begun to abandon,
his intrenched position on the Pc, aud was fol-
lowed by his adversary. We deem the latter
the more probable theory.
never been able to receive any portion OF his
supplies by help Of the Fredericksburg and
Richmond Railroad north Of Milford. The Vir-
gnia Central has been his only other line. and he
has had depots at Beaver Dam and at Frcdericks
hail. from which all provisions must have been
transported by wagons to his camps The de-
pot at Beaver Dam was burnt by Sheridan.
From either station there were about fifteen
miles of roads which had to be trayersed before
n pound Of bacon or bread could be delivered to
the Rebel Commissariat. Within his camp,
meanwhile, supplies Were VIGOROUSLY short, and
it is probable that from the time when Lee
marched out Of his intrenchments on the
Rapidan to assault the passing columns of
Gen. Grant down to the present
there has been no day in which
the question Of continuance Of supplies has
not anxiousy pressed upon the Rebel com
mander Admitting this state of facts, it be-
comes possible to account for Gen. Grants last
movement on either of the two theories above
He may have considered it I'M
possible for Lee TO advance, and therefore,
have been willing to expose, to some extent,
his communications by maneuyer, having for
its object to turn the Rebel position. On the
other hand, the deficiency which prevented
Lees advance may have caused his retreat and
in the daily increasing difficulty of keeping up
his supplies he ma, have preferred to abandon
his strong hold on the Pc, bring his army closer
to the Virginia Central, and assume the North
Anna line. In either case, it Is to be
remarked that the army Of Gen. Grant
line Of battle fronting west,
on the Fredericksburg road, and occupying
that road so far to the north as to leave to Lee
no opportunity Of attack except in front, or ex-
cept by movement so far to the north as to be
imneasurably hazardous to himself. That line
Gen. Grant would naturally preserve until the
purpose Of has enemy became deciSyely lndl-
Gated. Were Lee to move north, the advance OF
Gen. Grant at Milford, constituting apparently
his extreme left, would be swung round to reen-
force his right at Guiney's Station, and Lee
would find himself fighting outside of bis abattls
and rife pits at Spottsylyania, but still confronted
by the undivided strength OF Gen. Grant. But
if retreat behind the North Anna were the
alternative adopted, Gen. Grant has simply to
push his advance directly toward Richmond.
Although retreat may have been imposed