The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1864-07-13
WAsutEaToN. June u.

- rt WAsHiEaToN, June 27.
The developments Of the last seven
days have confirmed the news stated in
my last letter, that an advance on Rich
m nj from the south side of the james
hiyer, and the destruction of the Danvi'e
Railroad, were imprncticahIe 1t cannot
b. denied, however, that General Grant
has gone to great deal of unnecessary
trouble, and has sacrificed some 10000
more men ncedlessly; because what he has
lear led at Petersburg at such frightful
cost, no might have learned much nearer
Richmond; but as it is now, he will have
to learn over again, between Petersburg
and Richmond, what he has now learned
south of Petersburg.
This is the way his whole campaign has
been conducted. If there wero two ways
to accomplish an object or to reach GER
tain point, one involving immense loss
of life and the other by which all loss
could lie avoided, Gen. Grant has invari-
ably chosen the former. 1t is no wonder
;hat the Richmond papers say he is the
man for them. because he leads to fruit
less slaughter so many of their enemies.
On reaching the James River with his
army, on the 10Th it was in Gen. Grant S
power to select whatever point he chose,
as the base OF his subsequent operations.
He could have (IsD landed the whole arr
MY where Gen Smiths corps was lauded,
ut Bermuda Hundred, and marched direct
on Richmond from the South; or {2d) he
could have taken the troops to ths New
Market bend Of the river, (the next bend
Iabove Turkey Bend) and, landing them
OH the north side of the James River, at
a point four miles west of Malvern Hill,
he would have found his army within
twelve miles of Richmond. Either of
these movements faould have been pro-
tccted by the oichsd vessels. No neCes
sity in the world existed for the capture
of Petersburg. 1t did not lie i'll his +,
to Richmond at all. If he had left it be-
hind him, and left it alone, he would be
day much nearer the capture of ai'h-
TT md than he is now. Hecun never take
Richmond until ne gets undisputed pos
,ss o. of the Danville Railroad cit is
n 1T necessary to destroy it, nor would its
destruction effect the object.l
He could have got full possession Of
that road by making his base at Berniuda
I Hundred. and advancing with his army,
first to Chesterfield junction on the Pc
tersburg Railroad, establishing his right
wing there. and then moving 10 miles
north west TO point ON the Danyille Rail-
road 6 miles west of Richmond, ard estab-
fishing his left wing there. lntrench-
ments on both wings, that coald have
been thrown up in single night, would
have rendered these positions inpreena-
ble Such could have been Gen. Grant
position on the 10th Of June, for on that
sfay his army arrived in front of Peters
burg The distance from City Point to
Chesterfield junction is 20 miles, the
same as the distance from City Point to
Petersburg. Besides; Gilmore's csrps
was already at Bermuda Hundred when
Smiths corps landed there on the 14th
and that point is only 20 miles from
4 Chesterfield junction.
J lie would have met with no Opposition
from Lee. Beauregard corps was al
4 ready in Petersburg. They had passed
I Chesterfield Junction on the 18th, and
reached Pctersberc that highse all Che
rest OF Ices arnry feinainedaf Richmond
till the lTth. On slras day Gen. lee re-
paired she little damage that Butler had
dono to the railroad bat it was not till tina
18th, that the whole OF Lees alwy moved
from Richmond To Peters hr7rgf So
Cor Grant, howcvef, dstsrmfned to
take Petersburg eforeadvancirg to Rich
moud ju as he bad determined to take
Spottsylvana and Lees position at Coal
Earoor lie believed that be could ia ke
Petersburg just as he belfeFed he could
ke Spots ylvania ard Lee S position neaI
Coal Harbor He has butted his head
against the stone wall at these two places
He has sacrificed more meE befose Peters
barg than he did either at Spots ylvania
or Coal Harbor He has demons trated
She impresnability of Petersburg, just as
he did that of the two former positions
And aow he had abandoned tire attempt
to force Gen Lees positions at Spottsyl-
vania and near Coal Harbor.
: But after committing the great blundel
of attacking Petersburg when it was not
in his way at all, when its capture would
accomplish any end that could not have
been attained without it, and now being
compelled to abandon the attempt to cap
ture it---after all this, Gen. Grant has now
committed still greater blundsr. Il
was still in his power to make his base al
:, Bermuda Rundred and to advance on
Richmond from the south, and to gain
possession of both the Petersburg and the
Danville Railroad. Instead Of doing this
! Gen. Grant has made flank movement
to his left, and to the south Of Petersburg
which has resulted in placing his army in
a position of great peril.
This movement was made en- the 2lst
and 22d It was not made with the whole
but with the half of his army. He sent
three corps. those of Hancock, Wright
aud Warren, to tear up the Wilmington
Railroad at Reams Station. ten miles
south Of Petersburg; most silly GRAND
The three corps had to march with theil
flank exposed, Petersburg being directly
on their right flank.
:; Gen. Lee waited till they had got to a
, point where they were ten miles from the
:. other 3 corps. '6thuse of Smith, Brooks
: and Burnside, left east of Petersburg and
, then he threw a heavy column of $4,000
; troops right on their flank. The wonder
. lis that thew were not oyerw heln ed at once