Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1864-06-16
The Campaign on the ChIcka-
koFRiny.

WHY tbs WORKS ARouHD RICHMOND CANNOT
BIZ TAKEN BY ASSAULT.
IRON the New York News Own Couespondentl
MAsHIEcToS, June IL, 1864
The news which has been received here this
morning puts a very different omplexion upon
the real aspect of the military situation in
Virginia, from what the public get from the
official dispatches from the War Department
] believe "the government has reliable news
from the South (not from General Grant, up !
to the 7th inst l have news myself direct |
from the rebel capital, up to the 9Th. 1t is
evident from this news that the results Of the
battle Of the Sd Of June were not only disas-
trous 10 The extreme to General Grants army,
but also that in consequence Of the losses he
sustained then, and the information he then
acquired as TO the strength Of the Confederate
works ION that line, the extent and formid
able character Of the immediate defenses Of
Richmond and the vast number Of troops
which are at the disposal of General Lee, that
bis operations have come TO n sudden stand
still, aud that he is preparing TO abandon the
attempt 10 capture Richmond by operations
ION that line and to transfer his army TO d
point from which be can approach tue Con
federate capital from different direction
1t is well known at Richmond that General
Grant is digging and intrenehing on pretty
large scale But the Confederstes do not re-
gard this as an indication of the commence.
ment Of siege operations. 1t may be General
Grant intention to induce them to believe So
but they do not believe it. If General Grant
really intends to approach Ric Nmond from
the north or the east, and to besiege it from
either of those directions, the Confederate
leaders know that the best and most available
manner in which he can do 80, is to cross to
Bottoms Bridge and approach it from the
east; and they know that General Grant knows
this also. Fortunately for him, he has with
him some, although not all, Of the best engi-
neer officers of General McClellan's old army.
This is no nsw business to them. They know
every step of the way. They know the fea-
lures favorable and unfsvorable, OF all the
different approaches TO Richmond They
know that by crossing at Bottoms Bridge the
army can be brought to the outer line OF the
Richmond defenses without the loss OF man.
and that the army can be brought the same
poiut by the way of Cold Arbor, Gainesville,
New Bridge and Mechanic vile Bridge, if
/ General Grant is willing to sacrifice twenty
thousand men in order TO bring the army there
by that route
1 The Confederate leaders believe, therefore,
/ that by this time General Grant thinks he has
]
and that sooner than force their line Of works
on the Upper Chickahominy at tie enormous
/ expenditure of life that that would cost him,
he will move his army to Bottom Bidge aud
cross there. Indeed they believe that his
movements are directed 10 that end now.
The Confederate leaders are impressed with
the belief that General Grant will be obliged
to follow General McClelans plans in every
respect They say that he has done so hith-
erto, and that he must continue TO do so, be-
cause by those plans alone can Richmond ever
be approached They expect to see his army
next, then, endeavoring to reach Richmond
by way Of the Seven Pines, and failing to
make any impression on their strong works
from that direction, they expect to see the
army striking for the James River. If he at
tempts the latter movement, their determine.
ton is to attack him in flank and rear, and 10
hurl the whole strength of their army on the
Union forces while the latter are crossing the
White Oak Swamp II they can once gel
General Grants whole army engaged in rea
siege operations east of Richmond they will
be well content That, it is said, will at once
, relieve General Lees main army from the
necessity Of taking any further part in the de
fense Of the city, and will enable them to make
an offensive movement toward the North.
There is one idea of which the popular
mind must be disabused 1t is that the works
around Richmond can be taken by assault, a
, great sacrifice of life perhaps, but still tha
they can be carried Never was there greater
error know the valor of our troops, for
Z have seen it at Williamsburg, at the Sever
Pines, at Savage Station, at Malvern Hills, a
D South Mountain, at Antietam. know tbt
eallantry of our officers and the skill Of ou
generals know from the fearful losses tha
? have attended this campaign, that Genera
= Grant does not regard the lives of his soldier
6 when any advantage is to be gained, and tha
- he speaks of the loss of 5000 soldiers in al
= engagement, including six colonels, as mo
}, serious.
But know something Of the strength an
y extent of the forti6catons around Richmond
y and know that no troops in the world coul
. carry them by assault Look at Frederick'
burg. Look even at the attempt on the Sd q
June 10 carry the enemy's position. Look, o
the other hand, at Gettysburg, and see ho'
fruiIless was the attempt Of the rebels ther
k to carry our position Yet at fredericksburg
10 the whole strength of the army OF the Pott
mac failed to carry the position by assault %
/ At Cold Arbor, on the Sd, the whole strengt
n Of Meade army was unavaiing TO carry Il
II enemys position y assault Even the fr'
- line Of outer works could not be held, because
Of from second and stronger line, the enem
>. concentrated their ERE upon us Yet h
rebel works at Fredericksburg and Col
L Arbor, and our works at Gettysburg, wer
J. only impromptu affairs The works aroun
j., Richmond have been constructed fortwo yevr
- All the engineering talent in the Coniederac
L L = Al D..