Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-05-16


The Herald in its dosble leaded leader Of the 10th,
gales il readers with the following tissue Of fabrica-
tioas To- caption is "The Virginia Oampaign-' The
Work Goes Bravely On:"
We sre 'out of the Wilderness" TIE army ofGsn.1
Lee bsled aad beat.n az every point is in in retreat
towards Richmond pursued by the incompatible cid
| Army OF the Potomac. We are confident that what
the Secretary o Var elegrsphed to General Dix yes
terday as the belief" in Washington, is absolutely
true to wit that Lieutenant General Grant is achev'
| ing complete Vic.ory"-meaniug no lub. victory
which will be crowned with the destruction or disper-
sion Of the army Of JEFF Davis, the occupation OF
his capital, and bis ght as outlaw from his explo-
ded confederacy.
We are DOLLY spprehensive now that, moving rapidly
| for Richmond, aud des Dying the bridges behind him
over the streams bis route, General Lee
nav reach the ciy with the main body OF his army in
season TO make good his retreat into North Carolina
There are however, substantial reasons for the hope
at even this ast alternative oil safety Will be denitd
| him. We have positive Information that Gen. Butler
| Yesterday, from the south side, was marching upon
Richmond and that ho within ten miles of the city.
| He commands powerful army OF veterans aud we
not aware Of any rebel force within call or OF any i'm
pedments to prevent his gaining the bridges which con
meet the city wish the south eide of the river Whether
quick enough 70 secure those bridges for our entry into
the city, or too late prevent their destruction b. fire,
tue great objects will be achieved OF cnt ing of the
treat Of Lee at the James river and OF preventing the
removal of the heavy artillery and the magazines OF am-
nun ton from the fcrs, or any OF the valuable stores
and materials Of war With which the factories and ware
/ hou.es of Richmond are filled.
The dangers in his 'front.' not less than the pursuing
army in his rear will compel General Lee TO push back
TO cjm nd fast MS railway trains and the legs OF
his soldiers will carry BIN. II he reach the city IN
advance cf Gen. Butler cross the river, pouuce
upon Butler and cut him TO pieces considerable rem
nant OF the rebel army of Virginia may escape with
booty into North Carolina. But the comb nations
of General Grant have been arranged to meet all conn
gencies and from the developments already made, We
may reasonably anticipate not only that Richmond will
very soon be ours, bus that hardly Of Lees
defeated, exhausted and demorazsd legiOns, Gs
ganized body, will be lett TO tell The story.
Mean ime, we have no doubt that JEFF. Davis, his
Cabinet and Cl ngress, clerks, DC, rOate by
way Of the DanVle Railroad for Columbia South Caro-
lima and we expect that they will reach there just in
time hear that the same disasters that will have fallen
upoa General Il in Virginia have been iph cted upon
Jo Johnston IN Georgia and that IN bre the terrible
usurpaton of the "s0-cIed Confederate States" is at
an end.
The Herald's correspondent, speaking of the opera
tons on Friday, says:
The contest on Friday was unsatisfactory to many
officers IN the army Who despondugly feared LIE would
in some manner manage TO defeat ant he often
had his other adversaries Slpsi6 al observers might
coustrue our reyuscs OF that day INFO deea but
such forabod found resting place in the minds OF
resource that ChsIacerzes General Grant The advsa
hges OF the day verified their hopes eQd exprca
| tons more.
While the amy became huge floating mass, serered
from aH connection NTH any base a. the came time 1t
vas in position, in of disaster, to fall back upon
Fredericksburg and the line of the Rappahannock.
| GEE BUTLERs CHAMPIONSHIPS RATTLE AT PORT WALT
HALL JUNCTION.
A correspondent of The Nsw York Herald gives the
following account of the battle Port Walthal June
tor, on the lO;h instant:
Five brsades we're detailed to push forward AID seize
the road az the proper point After the command had
| be u united by Gen. Brooks just without works
| Onderdonks regiment sent ahead TO feel the way
and develop the enemya position, il It should be on our
line of march. IL took the wrong road, aud had ad
| yauced some distance when il came across rebel
picket which it captured without fri0g shot Soon
discovering its mistake, the rtgment vas brought
back the right road, and the column started on IN
the direction of the proper poin, General Burnham's
| brigade followed closely after. The column moved
ouiey forSafd acd without inteuup ion for dis
taucs oyera commcn road winding Over hill aud through
sWamps rsvnes, under hot sup, withOu; finding
trace OF the enemy; bat when within two miles OF the rail-
road the cavalry advance upon the re6cs ensc0ns
ed in a strong position in The underb u'h either side of
| the road from which they opened sharp fire, which
the mounted IS returned The enemy fire increas'
ing in strength aud rap dty, the mounted rifles fell
back TO the infantry line which depoyed skirmsbers
and slowly advanced with strong sul port in line OF
battle TIE enemy bai very lAvOTaols position, and
made "a stubborn resistance 10 advance; bus they
we're stead " driven back with loss TO them
well a. 10 OlrstyeS aud after share skirmsh OF about
an hcu- they rerea,ed 20 their main line, in front of
the railtosd where they hsd their linespf battle and
artillery. Our forces row io7med in line of bat
te with the ar ilery in the centre, and began ad-
vance slowly aad cautiously towards the railroad ready
to meet any force the enemy might have in position
before them
Our SIX rp ishers again met the rebels, aud this time
in strength this side OF the railroad with their fir ut
mostly protected by swamp aud their line well
streDg hened by artillery. No better position could
have been selected for a sturdy defence than that chosen
By he rebels.
Our tkismisbers were soon engaged with them aeng
their entire line and main force into 3ction
the rebels opened fire from Fix eghs pieces and Wig
orously shelled lines and the woods in which
reserves were forming. Our fire quickly became rapid
from tbe infantry, and the engagement soon sumed
the character OF battle. The woods n ng with the
rating FIRE cf the ekirmsberS aud the regular voleys
Of the battle lne above all the din the rapid
reports of the easmJs guns aud the bursting shels.-
The impedments which The enemy had thrown in the
way of advance were one by ODE successfully over
come anu the line stead y advanced driving the envy
slowly before il. Oar rght strengthened by fresh
brigades, and tbs enemy gave way Tor while before
Il; but Rglment after regiment of rebels sent in
against IT, and the buGt OF the battle shifted fom the
centre the right and ragged with intense fury Pioneers
we're sent forward clear place for artillery, aud
Gus ly, l. cut Hon. general Of artillery succeeded in
pu ting two OF rAs Iieces in pos ton our left
aud opened upon the rebd batteries, which aunoJ
ing our men considerably They compellsd to shf
their positions repeatedly by our artillery fire. and at
times almost slenced The gtouud in front of the
my was most unfavorsble for attacking psry. twas
billy and trAversei rregulaIy by ravines, and every
advantageous position naturally seized and tens-
cously held by the rebels, who were almost completely
hidden by the dense growth o! young pines red
dsrs, dogwood atd underbrush. Still our men pushed
forward Sighting sharply at every STEP though falling in
their tracks here aud there along the eurgGg line and
Wrestling fro the rebels every strong point one after
another until at about FIVE o'clock the rebels driven
from their strongest position benin the railroad
baGkment which they held for long time. TIE rail-
road yatpad and I,et nv ia tvo mr. thraa