The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-11-10
FROM GRANTS ARNY.
the Reconnaissance Fail Cam
paign net Ended.

/ The KeCOHnOisance-Ihe Fall Cam
paign not ENDED.
The correspondent of the Philadel-
phia Press with Granite army writes 4,
follows Glide
The accounts Of the recent engage
ment on the South Side road, which
have been received, are somewhat di.
verse, and to s. certain extent irrecon-
cilable 1t is scarcely to be expected
that the case could be otherwise, fol
the affair was of such an impromptu
fashion, and was so quickly over, (last-
ing less than an hour that there was
/ hardly time for it to assume any special
character, or TO shape itself in any
eombinationsrequiring particular notice
or description. twas, as l have here
tofore indicated, nothing more than a
general reconnaissance in force, ending
In a heavy skirmish. There were three
gallant charges made by the Second
Corps, which managed to extricate
Itself from The tolls of wary en-
envy, and the mszes of an almost
impossible wilderness, in a man
ner To reflect fresh brillisncy upon
the fame of its commander, General
Hancock There was obstinate and
impetuous gallantry, too, eyinced by
the Fifth and Ninth Corps, which, how
ever, bore a less conspicuous part III the
affair. There was very high degree
Of skill displayed in the rapidity with
which SO comparatively large force
was transferred safely to,a new front Of
operations, and retired to its original
position upon the same day. Beyond
these features there was nothing to
distinguish this reconnaissance pecu-
liarly from others, and but little field
for fine descriptive writing. Yes, there
was one exceptional fact that deserves
to be remarked, and that was the stead
mess with which the new troops, some
Of whom had smelt gunpowder for the
first time, stood up 10 their duty. 50
much FOR the assertion 50 common with
the opposition press, that the recent
leyies haye only added to the army
set of bounty Jumpers, deseFters, and
substitutes, who cannot be forced 10
fight, but viii invariably skulk
Although mere reconnaissance, it
WAS optional with Gen. Grant to say
whether or not the recent encounter
should be prolonged to q general en-
gagement Whatever the general opin-
ION may be, those who know best are Of
opinion that he did wisely in deciding
the question negatively. Upon what
special grounds this opinion is based, it
is of course, contraband to speculate in
print Suffice il to say that the move
ment just recorded is not the final, but
the initial one Of the fall campaign, if
there be any correctness in the popular
estimate OF Grants personal energy aud
genius of "hammering away. What
of Butler? What of the iron-clad lo-
tiila on the James2 These may be res.
pectiyely designated the right and cen
ter of the forces operating against
Richmond, and their offensive powers
are shortly 70 be put to the test, doubt
less in connection with the Army of the |
Potomac, or left wing OF our forces
1t does not initiate IN the least !
sgainst this promise OF continued ac-
hYiiy that portions OF our troops are |
making themselves comfortable against |
the variations OF this variable weather;
a gainst the perspiring, dusty days, when 1
the canteen becomes sine qua non, and |
the damp, chilly nights when double |
thickness OF blankets is quite as indis (
pensable.