Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-11-09
[Frsm the NsV York Ne'Os
WARRINGTON CORRESPONDENCE
THE REAL OBJECT AND COMPLETE FAILURE
OF GRANTS LATE MoYEMRNT-TORhIDABLE
CHARACTER AND GREAT EXTENT OF TIE
ENEHY's FORTIFIOATI0NS.
From Our Special Correspondent ]

From Our Special Correspondent
WAsHIEsfoH, OCT. 81, 1864.
The Fort to mhlead the public By representing Gen.
Grants late movement complete success turns OUT
to be complete failure The sbsurdy oil gaining sDe
moyem mt reconnaissance in force 90 papaole thst
none will be deceived by II. was long
prepared for carefully planned, and Initiated Win al
the ability at the command Of those to whom It's oree-
ton was iutrused. The statement that movement Id
which two large armies engaged was nothng more
than onnoissancs b simply preposterous and may De
looked upon gratutous insult to the com mon n.eu
1epce Of the people II designed with view 70 turn
Doth tanks of General Lses long line and would cave
been to that end but for the vigilance OF the
Oonfsdera,e commander and the energy OF his roope
The result another pro- Of what mas otter oeen
tod that the Confederstes prepared and fully de-
termued 10 resist TO the last every attempt 10 force
them from Petersburg. The Importance OF holding
that place may be apparent to as, but 1t IL 10 ~ u
6ersood BY the enemy and the proof OF Is to De
found in the that they cling to 1t With greater 70
uacy than they did to any position previously held o'
them.
General Grant made every preparation to conduc.
the movement on the largest toale. Three days we're
occupied In these preparations. TIE hospitals were
smpied of their flick and wounded, all Of whom we're
sent 10 the rear. Eve days raons were sued to the
troops AL supel huous or unnecessary baggage was
sent TO the rar wiki the traius The army was put in
wbat is called light marching order. In fact nothing
Gas left uldoue 10 ipeure the Of the undertal.
nR During the night preceding the movement nesrly
ali the troops were withdrawn from the breastvorks on
both sides Of the james and msssed some staros IN
the rear ready to march forward at daylight Gun
we're mounted to csver Grants communications with the
case at City Point, in the enemy should take poo
se sion Of the trenches had and every ndi
cation pointed design to abandon the ns before Pee
tsrsburg, and take possession OF the souhsde X I'll
road.
Asscure position once obtained on that line the baae
could be transferred from City Point to Norfolk from
whence railroad runs TO What would be The right o.
the new line while the left could be extended to rea
en- BltkesvA, the point ct which the Danville road
and the Southsids Lypohburg road interseot each
ather This was evidently the design Grant had in view
on the south ri e of the James, while IL Ia 1ally
dent that Butler the north side designed extending
mia right TO the York river railroad and establishing
base at White House. Tee james river fotils could
,tl hold City Point, ready to be occupied In
that should become sssy and the armies could
at least try TO get posse of chmond by operating
simultaneously from North and South. There Is nc.
thing rsv3gsuL in this hypohesia for 1t Is fully
tsned by all the pr,limnaries If the movement, as
v, Il az by the theories advanced and discussed in mill
tsry circles during the last two months.
TIE movement 90 the left Was under the immediate
direction of Major General Meade. although Lieut..
Gen. Grant the gtound during The greater part
of the day. The latter r,ds over from City Point
early 10 the morning, accompanied BY bis stt IT, and
furpis he'd With thsee days rRtons. This latter crcum
itself enOW6 tlRb ne something
mole than q TeoonE distance; for who heard
of sp army or general carrying three five days
tons for Reconnaissance requiring march Of i've or
ten miles A. daylight the troops we're in motion to-
ward the Southside railroad. They advanced in three
ines the q corDs the left, the the right and
the 9Th in the CENTRE Portions OF each aud were
held in reserve be moved 10 any point where their
seryic. might DO required As the advance moved
forward to the Boydton Pisnk Road the enemys pick
ora and skirmshers encountered, and lively IRE
f musketry was kept up sill the morning. When the
B,ydton Road reached the enemy was found
strongly intrenched AZ every point. II thought
that by making wide deour these intrer ohments
could be taken in INK and the enemy forced back to
Pate Tsburg but nhen the left q 4neock) reached
popt below where the enemy's works supposed to
terminate, they we're found to OF end considerable
distance in the dire elton OF ony Greek, aud their Gp
pearanca was 90 formidable that il deemed impTu
dent to attempt to carry them.
Dining HancOck's march towards what was euloI oed
TO be the CT RENE right of the enemys ine gap oc.
cued between his night and the left of the Fifth OOTp
and thia being perceived BIZ the enemy they threw
divs,n of infantry (Mahoues) with great force on
Gbho-s division OF the Second Corps driving IL back
inward of mile, oducing come confusion end nAic =
| ing considerable osR. A. the same time the enemy
thra4 A large body of cavalry in the road in Han-
cocks rear aud very fight took place, lastpg
An hour or more. RsnforcemeOts cnmiog to Gibbonl'
support the enemy fell back toward THAR work, and
Usre followed to the BOydton road by Gibbons but
there they stood firmly and successfully resisted oil
fors 10 drive them from Il. Hancocks oss in this en-
paRement was much heavier than appeared In the first
esnort Il is admitted that he los at least Eve huuded
IN killed wounded and captured. Warrens Corps Q
Ffh) was engaged in navy skirmishn during the day,
apd his loss il estimated at three hundred The nth
Oorns Gen. Parke, not severely engaged and Il is
asid that HUNDRED will cover the oss in tha, COM
mend. Thus the total loss in the days operations q
timated at one thousand but Il lie probable few hun
! a,ada M be sdded TO these figures.
Finding the Conederstes strongly fortified along the
Rovdton road and also on both sides Of Thatcher Ion,
| ard ssepp the hopsesnefs OF attempting to break
through works fully as formidable those before Pc
tersburQ Grant issued orders for the troops to With
dtaw to their original position that is the Dtrench.
ments In front of Petersburg, and during the night
thew Tstraced their seps and ct last accounts were
| se,tlsd back In their cid camps. The design to
turn the enemys position and take possession OF the
Southslde railroad, and It plan TO the oonmonest
upders,an ing that this completely frusrated.-
Those who can regard the result in any other Eight,
must be wonderfully oredulous.
Buffers operations the north side attended
with similar results Before daylight Of Wednesday he
withdrew the Is corps from the left OF his line at
Ohafins Farm, and massed it about two mies in rear
During "Wednesday night the l0h corps also with.
draw, and By daylight of Thursday both commands
we're ready for whatever work might be required OF
them. The l0:h corps moved short distance to the
right Of its former position, and advanced to at
tack the enemys works crossing the Darby
| town and Charles City roads. When these works
| came in view, the troops were halted and
ioimsd Ia order to charge and carry the works by
saut About P n. the charge ordered, and the
troops advanced in good style The Oonederates oon-
ceaed ther strength uut Terry's men were ooss "a
their line, when they opened them terrible vOeJ
OF musk try from their riffs pitF and ct the time
poured into the tanks an enfladng fire of artillery
The charge was quickly broken, and the men driver
back In some disorder to the point from which they
started Tho Tomb corps lost quite severely in thI
charge, cut tie numbers have yet been rsported.
point and the remainder OF tho dsy spent 10 heavy
skirm shing. TIE lo's in Tsrys corps will probably
Approximate six hundred.
The Is Corps neral Weiz ], had more impoFtsn
wo;k ia hand. BY A H., this corps marched hrcu i
woods and by b -paths ,OEsrds the York River rail
road, crossing the old battle ground OF the Oniokahom