Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-06-30
fCorrespondenee of the Ncw York News
W.sut~cro~ Jupa ~ Isl


of those terrible engagements has yet TO be writ
ten. and that when il is written tru,hfully the
country will be appalled, at the frightful sacrifice
Of life which thew involved
The Secretary Of War in bis incoherent aud
ungrammatical official bulletin" Of Saturday
morning last. in which he gravely announced
the capture OF Petersburg, (the capture of Pc
tersburg by negro troops, too describes the
conquered lines, as be calls them, on the au-
thouty OF bis official informant, as "of the very
strongest kind, more so. indeed, than the works
on Missionary Ridge" lie calls these works.
too. "the principal line of the enemy's works. F"
Now what will the intelligent people of the cOun-
try think, when they come TO learn that the
works thus described by Mr. Stanton constituted
merely the outer line of the enemys defenses;
that they were the weakest, and by far the weak.
est of the works by which Petersburg is defended
that 1.-The principal line of the enemy's works"
has not been even reached and that all the
really hard fighting in front OF Petersburg took
place after the Secretary informant went over
/ the conquered lines?"
These are the facts. Would 1t not DE well for
Mr. Stanton TO take some intelligent boy of
twelve years of age. and employ him hereafter
1 TO get up these official bulletinsI"
! The terrible fighting of the 10th, 18th and 18th
of June has developed the real strength of the
enemy's position at Petersburg. 1t is evident
! that Grant is butting his head there against a
stone wall. with about the same results that usu-
ally attend such performance. Ii is question:
/ bic too whether after all. il would not have been
better for Grant TO have moved on Richmond
from HarrisOn's Landing, when his army was
there on the 18Th. by way of Malvern Hill and
the Charles City road, rather than have crossed
the James river az all. True, the whole strength
! of the Confederate army would have been in his
path and a terrible battle would have taken
! place. but the battle could not have been more
sanguinary. attended with greater loss than
have been the actions before Petersburg Grant
must meet and defeat the Confederate army some
where before he take Richmond: and he
had better opportunity to do that between Nal
vern Hill and the Confederate capital than he has
where his army is now.
| Ii he had been victorious, he would certainly
be much nearer the capture OF Richmond than he
is to day. II he had been repulsed he would
have been better off than he is TO DAY, for he has
been repulsed now, not only once, but on four
days in succession. Besides he has now got To
take both Petersburg and Richmond By NOV
ing in the direction indicated above, there would
have been no Petersburg in his path Indeed,
he seems to have carried the thanking business a
little too far this time, and 20 have rushed
against IN obstacle which there was no need for
him to encounter at all And find that many
/
has demonstrated to his satisfaction the fact that
Petersburg is too hard nat TO crack, he will
"change his base" again, and, crossing his army
TO Harrisons Landing, commence from that
point new campaign against Richmond.
In the meantime, find it to be the opinion of
many of the officers that this attack on Peters
burg desired and expected by Gen Lee, for
the purpose OF involving our army in a tedious
and protracted attempt TO take the place, an
attempt which he knew must fail. and in the
course of which our assaults must be attended
with terrible loss. And this view is confirmed
by intelligence which has reached this city from
Richmond up To the Doth instant. 1t will not
escape the attention of the intelligent readers of
the News. that the check which we have expert
enced before Petersburg, has afforded to Gen
Lee the time and opportunity to carry in execu-
ton certain measures for the defense of Rich
mond, which he could not have had, if General
Grant had not crossed over to the south side of
the James river.
Ii these measures prove successful, it is not
too much to say that they will absolutely prevent
the capture of Richmond at this time. They
are measures directed against Gen. Hunter,
toward the defense of Lynchburg, and toward
the defense and preservation, and the continued
availability of three lines of railroad running
from Richmond, namely; the one to Danville
and Columbia in South Carolina (which by way
of Burkesville, is the most direct route TO
Lvnchburg,) the one to Lynchburg by the cir
cuitous route of Gordonsville and Charlottesville,
and the short line TO Petersburg. 1t is very
evident that the measures directed against Gen.
/ Hunter have already involved the troops under
that officer, as well as those under Pope and
Crooks in great peril, that it is entirely beyond
their power to engage in offensive operations,
and that il they succeed in getting back to Win
chester in safety it Is all that be expected of
them.
As regards Lynchburg the place may be con
| sidered absolutely beyond the reach of capture at
present. The large force already there under
Gen. Nichols has been reinforced since the 10th,
by a large detachment from Gen. Lees army,
which was sent to him by the Burkesvil,e rail
road, the distance from Richmond being ia
miles. II is very strongly fortified and, although
it might be taken by well appointed force of
fifty thousand troops, it certainly cannot be by
| the troops under Hunter and Pope. It Is under
stood AZ Richmond that large detachments OF
Gen. Lees army have been sent to certain points
on the Danvle railroad in order to defeat any at
tempt to destroy it. and it is certain that both
that road and the Virginia Central road. from
Richmond to Lynchburg. by way OF GordOnsyille,
both in full operation now.
twas at Trevalian, on the latter road, near
Gordonsville. that Gen Sheridan's cavalry at
tempted to DESTROY the track But even bv his
own reportt is evident that he failed in his mis-
/ sion He found a strong Confederate force at
Gordonsville. of which Pckets division formed
a part. He says himself. The enemy's position
was found too strong for assault. We were twice
driven from the enemy's works by infantry. Ny
/ loss in killed and wounded is 5I5 His ammu.
milton ran out. and he retreated over the North
Aana river at Minors bridge Ii was a thought
i ful provision of Gen. Sheridan TO take ambulan-
ces with him In these he brought away 81 of
/ his wounded men. All the rest of his
wounded he says he left in the hands of
the enemy. Gen Lees account of the affair rep
resented il as being complete defeat of Sheri.
dan IL i certain that he suffered great loss and
was compelled to retreat and entirely failed to
accomplish the purpose of his expedition Yet
/ the coantry has been told 10 rejoice over Sheri-
dams brilliant success.
/ Butler sent Dragging bulletin to the War De
I partment, bOasting that be had destroyed the
/ railroad between Richmond and Petersburg on
/ the 10th. Bat the barefsced talsity of the state
ment is evident from the fact that, on the 18th,
trains of cars were running on that road All day,
+ bringing troops from Lees army At Richmond TO
+ join Beauregard at Petersburg.
/ IL is reported to-day that Gen. Grant has sum
moned Petersburg TO surrender, aud threatens 20
+ shell the place unless the demand is complied
+ with Gen Grant NAV DO this; but the only eff
+ ieci OF the bombardment OF Petersburg would be
the destruction of the city and the death of hun
dreds OF non combltants. But our troops could
never occupy Petersburg. even II We destroy II.
! The Mace i completely comman ded bv the guns