The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-08-01
rnE NVAn MEwS

The news from the Rebel lines Is no more
reliable than that from our own. The Rich
mond papers recently published an official
bulletin from General Hoop to the Confede-
rate War Office, in which he reported the
achievement OF grand victory over SHER-
MAN. The despatch is said to have produced
an extraordinary state of excitement among
the people In the Rebel capital, who were
lifted, as one ofthe Richmond editors describes,
out of the deep and prolonged despondency
and apprehension that had oppressed them,
and encouraged to believe that their desperate
cause was improving.
General HoOD's despatch was short but it
was full of confidence and flourish. He said
that our forces had been repulsed In an attack
on bis fortifcations; that he afterwards took
the ofienslve that he assailed SHEBMAN's
east flank OF Decatur, which was driven back
In confusion; that the centre and west flank
of the national line we're attacked with equal
success; that the Rebels got in our rear; and
that the result Of the action was disastrous to
SHERMAN, with loss of twenty-five guns,
seven stand Of colors, two thousand prisoners,
and i've hundred wagons with supplies.
That certainly was important--if true !
But, alas for the credibllity Of war intelli-
gence, ever when officially communicated by
Rebel Msjor-Generals In the field, the des-
patch was not true, by good deal. Shortly
after ne had sent off to Richmond his first re-
port of the battle, General HOOD transmitted
a second, in which he made some very mate
rial corrections. In that last communica-
T,Ixy hao a. In
d" the engagement yesterday We captured
" eighteen stand of colors, instead of FIVE, and
thirteen guns, instead of twenty-five, as
" previously reported" This seems to have
had a very depressing effect at Richmond, as
appears from the following comment on it by
the Richmond Enquirer of July 20. That
paper said;-
Prom this 1t will be seen that the battle began
% unuer such favorable auspices on Frd ~, aud
continued 20 successfully, was not Resumed on
Saturday nor Sunday, General HOOD. IN his
(" first patch after the fight, was mistaken as
" ~ the number Of cannon captured by our
% troops. This s a small matter
''Ifhe had killed McPHEKsON, and driven SHEE-
NAN acro.s tie ChattahO0t hee, we should have
" been content without taking gun or prisoner.
A. far rs we are able to penetrate into the state
Of nifafTs the chief fruits OF Fridays operations
"ac, We infer, ihp We prevented the enemy from
y EnNtiOpiuE AtldHLd from tLo tdoL. Ills position
~ vest and north OF The town is unchanged. or, If
- changed at oil, he has pressed nearer the CITY.
" IL has been seen from the despatch, he throws
she'll into it. This is uncomfortable proximity,
OK the people OF our sister city Of Petersburg
" can testify"
The campaign In Georgia, therefore, Is not
20 be regarded as failure, but, on the con-
trary, as gradually but certainly advancing to
a triumphant conclusion. General GRANT, in
the meanwhile, has again got In motion, and
has made a change in his position that implies
much more important results than 1t would be
right at this time to publicly disclose, or even
intimate. Instead Of raising the siege of
Petersburg, as was supposed when he sent
certain supports to FOSTER north Of James
river, he has since exploded a mine in front Of
Petersburg, destroying an important fort,
with sixteen guns and number Of men, and
carrying three tiers of intrenchments.
When the account of General HAEcooK's
crossing James river reached this city, we
teltwen assured that the movement portended
IN attack on Petersburg. No ordinary move
rent IN contemplation could have made it
necessary fcz General HANoooK's Corps 70
be held In reservs foE two weeks In the rear
Of Petersburg. sla faf'sl
Remembering that General HAHoocu w.s
reported TO combine great daAh with sterling
military ability, We became convinced that
The move across the James meant utron1
diversion on Richmond, and that, unless ths
enemy proved to be on the alert, IL would be
converted into real attack. II seems, how.
ever, that HEATH's and ANDERsoN's Divi-
slons EeEs Ssnt from PsteESbuss 70 Richmond,