Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1864-06-04
News from Riebnnond,

Correspondence Of the n. Y. Tribune.
WASHINGTON, May 20, 1864.
The retreat Of Gen Lee across the Nor b
Auna hes led many journalists, and tho peo.
pie generally, to believe that lie Intend TO
fail back as often as pressed 10y oar forces,
until inside the forllhcaIions of Richmond
! regret that cannot ,hure in his option
for l AIN confident that if he retired within
the deirDse OF the city, with view of stand.
Ing siege, both the city and bis army
wou soon fall into our hands.
My reasons for ieieying that the great
Rebel C,p,ain does not intend to fell back
TO his capital, or, if obliged 10 do 81, does
not 'eud TO remain there, are manifold -
la the first place, with the city beseged by
our forces, it would be imI ossble for him
TO >ubsst his immense army there for any
cons iderabe time
Secondly, the ex ensiye fortifcati tions
around the city render its cepture next to
impossible except by seige; aud forty
thousand troops, with plenty Of laborers,
cun defend 1t as successfuly-aud more 20
as they could not be sta we'd out so soon-
as an army four times as large.
Thirdly, il is firmly bel eyed by prominent
rebel officers and civil funclionaries in Rich.
moud, usually well informed in lcgard 10 The
plans Of their Geuerals, that Lee is still De
termned aud ab!o to transfer the seat of
war to the North. The evening before Mr..
Harris lef' Rlchmono he was at the Spots
wood Hotel, where there were quite a num
5er OF officers who were slightly wounded
III the battles between Lee aud Grant. in
conversation WI b eminent citizen, aud the
oplnIou was freely expressed thai LIE was
getting Grant just where he wants him -
1t Was stated TO Le Lees plan to lead Grant
Oh, and when near the South Auna manifest
deter mination 10 make q s;Snd. aud quietly
aud suddenly slip away, aud luf2 up where
least ,xpeci ed. IL was further stated that
be would throw his entire army to Stanton,
aud by forced marches up the Shenandoah
Valley compel Grant 10 fall back 10 cover
Washington, when Lee) would push bis
force into Pennsylvania aud Ohio.
Whether this IS really The plan of Gen.
Lee, or whether the parties who represent.
ed 1t 10 be such were iDdulging 10 speeuIa.
tion and conjecture, remains to be seen. It
Is, hosever, certain that fer several days
prlor to Mr.. Harris leaving Richmond, an
Immense numOer 0f cars aud locomotives
were SEM from there over the Central road
10 frederiekshall station on the road, aud
GordousVlle; aud that great nunIbet
more sent 10 Tue same points from the South
by the way OF LyuehDurg aud Gnarloltes.
Vile Az GordoDsvllle aud Frederick shall,
temporary tracks had been constructed 10
make room for The hundreds OF cars aud To-
comotiyes until they should be Iequired for
use. Wb,taer they are intended 10 convey
Lees army u d MY TO Stanton pursuant I
to 'he supposed plan have mentioned, or
to some polnt further south, we shall see in
a few days. But vt this l um perfectly
satisfied now that Lee will not fall back to
Richmoad, or, il he does, will not attempt
10 remain there.
The irou-ciads in aud about Richme nd
are expected 10 perform prominent part
IN lis defence. They are not, however. "a
numerous or SO formidable as the Northern
people have been led TO suppose. Ooe Of
your cou mporaIies, week or two ago.
) published letter from O regular CORES
J poudeul who obtained bis Information from
Rebel sources. stating that there were tel
of these vessels around the city, heavily
arnored, aud ready for action. This is 4
; g'eat mistake. There are not ten Govern
meut vessels around Richmond, Including
The Torpedo aud Patrick Henry, and YES
sells of that class, which could De Of l,tle
or 10 service AS war vessels To NV Ger
tain knowledge there are but three iron.
clads completed. aud one in an unfinished
: slate. To provide srmor for the third, II
VAS necessary 10 take up the city railroad
rack IN Main street. There sre no wos h
Ia Manchester. OF in any pars OF Virginia
"nere iron plating Is manufactured for war
! vessels. Us stated by The correspondent nl