Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1864-04-28
gailg empire.
FROM WASHINGTON.
Necessity Of the Abandonment
of the Red River EX-
peditiOn.
Serious Disagreement Between
General Grant and the
President.
Lincoln Insists on a De-
fensive Policy.
IMPOssIBILITY OFA PRESENT ADVANCE
ON RICHMOND.
OLD ABs'S JUGGLERY FOR THE NEXT
PRESIDENCY.
Especial Correspondence Of Tho chicago Times
WAsnINoroN, April 2.

WASHINGTON, April ~.
1t is understood here, in the best informed
military circles, that the disaster which our
forces have suffered on the Red River, in
| Louisiana, Ia of the most serious nature,
amounting, indeed to the total route Of the
Union troops and that the result must be the
entire abandonment OF the expedition. An
attempt will be made to lay the blame Of the
defeat upon General Stone and it is sal that
orders for his arrest have already have been
telegraphed 1 he latter assertion may be true
| enough The administration has never been
slow to fnd scapegoat for its own Delinquent
ces, aud General Stone has been compelled
TO sutfer,in that capacity once before. In
| this case, when the facts come to be known,
| it will be seen that the blame for this shame
iul defeat of our forces, and for the entire ex.
| pedtjon indeed rests upon Abraham Lincoln
| rhe expedition was planned, aud the orders
! for twere given, without consultation with
| General Grapt and in opposition TO his well
known wishes. No military object could be
| accomplished, even II the expedition succee ed
od, land General Grant knew that the expe-
dlion could not succeed while at the same
time, the withdrawal OF so many troops for
service in Louisiana (abont so 900 10 ALL
| weakens the other armies to such an extent
that General Grant finds himself paralyzed in
consequence Z
But this is only one point on which there is
diversity Of views between General Grant
and the President There are no less than a
dozen important subjects, relating TO the
campaigns of this spring aud summer, in re-
gard to which Mr.. Lincoln and the General
in Chief are at variance; aud to such an ex-
tent, too, that harmonious action between
them is impossible Among these subjects
are-frst, a movement on the part of the Ar
my Of the Potomac second, the route or
routes to be taken by that army in It's march
10 Richmond third what General shall lead
that army when it does march to Richmond :;
fourth, whether the campaign on our part
during this year, is to be offensive or defen-
sive fifth, the concentration Of our forces
for great efforts sixth, the retention in
office Of Stanton and Halleck seventh, the
status Of General Butler and, eighth, the
continual appointment OF unworthy men to
be Brigadier Generals, s,-appointments made
from political considerations aloue,-whle
many worthy and deserving Colonies, who
have been acting rs Brgadier Generals for
months and who are in every way worthy OF
the position, are passed over with silence and
contempt
On every one OF these points the diversity
Of views on the part OF OLD Abe and General
Grant is so wide as to amount to an opeu
rupture Ia regard 10 every one Of these
subjects General Grant insists upon the adop
tion OF a certain line Of conduct which the
President positively refuses to accede to an
uouncing, on the other hand. his firm determ
ination. TO pursue another and an entirely
different course. Thus all harmony and con-
cert OF action is at an end, and nothing but
defeat and continued disaster can be looked
for
II is impossible 10 say whether or not Mr.
I Lincoln really believes that the Confederaies
intend TO invade the North on large scale.
this summer, II he does believe il. common
sense would Indicate that he should prevent
that invasion by attacking and defeating the
rebel armies. lie pretsnds 10 believe Il, how.
ever, But, instead Of adopting the measures
which would prevent an Invasion, he is actin.
ally pursuing measuroa which will invite and
render easy such an invasion In other
words, while General Grant is striving with
might and main TO concentrate the armies,
and 10 get them in motion in order 70 strike
blow at the rehe power which shall render
invasion on their part impossible, Old Abe is
-inisting upon il that the true policy is for US
TO lie still, 10 act on he-delonsiye, and TO an.
noy the enemy and distract their attention by
huuUtt Oi uttaChcu eN NedltOna 70 dliferen ut
parts Of the Sonth. General Grant wishes 70
concentrate 2OO,OOO troops, and with them,
and an adequate naval force, TO advance on
Richmond Al once. The President has SO ar.
ranged matters that General Grant finds that
! be cannot get even 100000 men; that these
are separated in three widely different local.
ties, and that he is not allowed TO combine
: them IN one column aud that be cannot get
the positive assurances Of any adequate aid
from the navy. All this is done 10 prevent
, General Grant frem moving on Richmond at
all. Mr.. Lincoln knows that General Grant
will not begin TO move towards Richmond IN
al he has an adequate force for that purpose,
and the crafty eK-Rail-Spliiter has been care.
ful that he should not have such a force.
II General Grant had been willing 70 make
an overland campaign against Richmond,
there would have been no objection on the
part Of the Executive, aud, indeed, in that
, case, all the ADMINISTRATION organs, having
! their cue sent to then from The White Honse,
would have been bAWling "Ou 10 Rich.
a mond, lohg ago, why1 Simply because
among the few things Nc, Lincoln knows is