The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-05-23
FROM GENERAL LEES EHHY.
IFROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.
ARMY oF NoRrHsRs ViEGiHIA,
SuUISy iVauia T. H. Nav Is IA 1854

ARMY OF NoRrHsRs ViEGiHIA, ! --
Spolsyivania Ii, May l3h. 1861
The calm which has prevailed along the lines
since the great battle OF the -ih was broken ut
early hour this m3raing. At dawn OF day, before
any Of rs but the brave men who keep watch in
the trenches had ieit our biaukeia, the enemy
opened furious artillery IKE upon NJ tinr General
Gordon, Of Eweis corps. OF cUurs, G ~ Long
formerly OF Gen Lees staff, and now command
ing the artillery CT Ewaii's corps, h" slow
returning this early morning sa!atation oi the Fed
erai army. For nearly two hnars the r1nnontie
tquaed that ut Gettysburg. ih: enemy sertnct
to have massed his heaviest and best gdns tiiai
part OF the lines which he had assaulted sue
cesaluy on the l2th, aud all supposed that Al,
other death struggle for the mastesy was about 10
occur. Fortunately the prec tiiio:z tlkt. hy ,ur
great chfcf were wise, .i In diapo4 4i,.,.. s..
admirable that all The brave Confederate sud,,t
had 10 do wl.'.i he from his .i,e,as .,n ti.e
ground behind th;: cn:semc.a.cnt-, was 10 araeh
Oui for his ttnsty nusac,.
As YOU were informed bv my letter of HE 10th
and by Gen lees oi.c.:l dis patches, ,tic pnrn.
maved Il Po!t,0H oi his forces to the east hank of
thc NY, the direction at The Richmond .,.,,t
FTcdciick kabG;g IIiii1ad Tie opiuiuu ~, waited AT
the time thai Grant yytHg throw has army
10 the east side OF the MattlpOHi, and that ht.
Green, and possibly 10 West Point, where he would
form junction with Butler aud Smith. doubtless
he desired 10 produce this impression upon E,n
Lee, as in that event he nigh. reasonably scaled
Iatc' that the latter would make Il corresponding
movement to the east. Ii il not vet time Tor
say precisely what Gen Les did do. This much,
however, may be safely published now, VIZ That
1in Il Il exactly what was best fOr the afiny and
worst for the enemy Accordingly, when Grant
commenced the assault this morning upon what
was formerly our tight wing but IS now our lcft,
he found Eweit aud Gordon just where he lcis
them on the leh. His srataseM had failed TO ac-
c0mplish It's purpose. Lee did nCt move his whole
array To the right and away ffoiH The battle field
and thus leave the way open TO an advance, As be-
had hoped he would do. The truth T., Grant waiic
bold leader and an able cOmnian Ger, Ia no more
match 10 our great captain IN iactt;s and siaegy
than his motley followers are 10 the it,Eonzed s.te
raHs OF the South in the qualities OF the soldier
lie may march his army one way IG The day time
and c0unterm1Ich ii anOtiier way al n'ghi but at
The end Oi all his labor and ir6nbe H., viii ind no
one 50 much surprised as himself,
Hut find that failing into The sHTGT conf
mon In the army, and indeed in the wi x,ic eoutry
All OF us, Including the highest oiiieess> we'll as
the hum bltst psivates, have come 10 )0uk up To
GeR. Ice with the most implicit faith and conf
deace, and TO believe that the path nc treais mast
surely lead to victory This feeling is decreased II
not Juslihed, when we fecOl!ect how quickty ard
successfully he penetrated GranIs desis Us and an
ticipated him 1T the Wilderness, and especially
when we recall the snpcraai preseience Siiieis
Abled him Ia iatesec and provide against 1he All
vance ot tiic ffdefai army upon This Ita &C. itt
rase with which hc Dni;.Vets The hlost ItsfisG ate
combinations nt his antagonist the ias. laetiye
knowledge which he seems 10 pos sess OF all his
plans aud designs, and the certainly with wh.N-h he
miovrs his own asmy ani makes his own III posi-
tions, is tu'y Wonderful. Hut, good and gre;fS II
Our chiet Is, there u 4 greater Power ihau h e-a
Tower upon WHOM he leans, as the army e;ins pap
himself, child upon father; and One nT1isl
sometimes trenbie, lest we be gns!iY OF the mon
sIfous cline ut dtvettiRg from thai bese hceGt
Power the have aud gratitude which are so las,iy
due for the good tostane thar has literally hrea
stawettd upon Our cause aud country fttiee The
dawn Of this blessed year OF 1861. When we 70
call the disasters which attended our afIns last
year, the gloom which settled upon The hearts Of
the people during the wiateT, the miraculous IN
spiraiiOn that desccnded upon the army, and ex
tended through the county, a. tho year uniolded
i'm 0ulhiy leaves, and tho series 0f brilliant and
sussaStial, and xpeeted victories that cI0waed
0sr ARMS tn rapid ard almost beWttdeslas sacces
siSa IN every part 0S ths country, u would seem
jnp0ssihie Tar aMy dapshses Of this stsicken
lasd, be they Jes 0x Grnlils. Pagan 0s chrtseian,
" rise from lhe cDnieaplasi0n except With heart
sweiitsg with graitlalle, and eyes brimaslng with
lcsss af Joy. Heaven has beeM kjad ~ gtvthg rs
such lea1en an1 sslch avmtes, but kindcr EtiH u
leadtnG lheaa II tho path Of slctosy.
Dns W ~ sssnsa g ne baltle the lasts let ~
beps, ~ ~ bnalles 4 dooagylvanis Couyl-Hca
!; It's astaek uss heoun = seea - y was aqet
eno1Gh l9e ~ eoeNly ~ - NOW y uA4 ~