, 1864-05-16
Ql)tca9o Gri'11ne.



A good weeks work. We begin to find
ourselves out Of the woods" There were
more than Grants brave army who emerged
from the tangled skirts of that Wilderness
on the Rapidan. With them came out upon
The broader PLAN looking toward the Conftd-
cracy, the hearts Of millions Of their coun-
trymcn. The war news from Virginia, small
at first, never in excess OF iacts has remain
cd stcadily cumulative in the past two weeks.
1t has been the purpose Of the TRIBUNE
throughout, to prepare Its readers tor such
reverse as might call every man
Of the Republic to his feet for its repair.
Gloom and doubt hung upon the
movement. It was well to say we trusted
in Grant. 1t WAS wise to give him our
hopes, still wiser to follow him with prayers
for Ills Eucccss. But for such task he YRS
ail untried. Brave soldier Is he has been,
luure)cd as his brows are with other yicto-
.ries, these NIL sink into insignl1cance beside
the task set before him when lis army
awaited the unmasking the purposes of
maddcned and desperate foe.
Had there been any faltertng In Grant, any
tardincss In his decisions, any shrinking from
the sacrifice Of legions Of brave men until the
NAV of battle was eatcd, Ill had been lost.
But Grant has kept firmly to his work. The
people give him their Sons to save the Re-
public. His has not been the cruel Kindness
to epare the army and spoil the campaign.
As the consequence Lee is beaten. BE NAV
nuke stand, but We are prepared to find
that lie docs not. He may Jet give us sharp
bnttle in Virginia, but VIC do not believe he
will Nor will lie rctreat to Richmond. lie
is not the old warrior he Is, to be driven
into corrul He eccs the trap and will avoid
it, and by dctour seek resting place in tha
heart Of the Southern Confcdcracg.
Our dispatches Of Saturday and Sunday are
chiefly oflicil, and curry forward the encour-
a=ins aspect previously developed Itseems
to be the general opinion at Washington,
and ut the front, that Lee has retreated in
in the direction Of lynchburg. Sheridan
With his gallant troopers has wrought great
havoc with the rebel communications with
the capital, and added to his achievements IN
the way OF system Of exchange Of prison.
ers that favors us rather than the enemy, for
he has recaptuEed nearly one thousand Of
our men.
If the loss to us has been heavy, that to tbs
rebels has been fatal. It has already cost
them some Of their best leaders, aud VIC now
have tic great cavalry raider General ]. E.
3. Stewart added to the list He fell In op-
posing the operations Of Sheridan. The lat
ter commander las Joined Butler on the
James Riycr, having traversed with his COM
11and the Chickahominy region. and revived
na,ncs in the dispatches that will fill on the
renders eur with familiar sound. Butleris
thus we'll reinforced, and has made good |
prcgrees in the work he has in hand.
AL is going Oh well in Virginia With but
another euch weeks work, and our brave
Eoye in blue may rest awhile, and wipe the
duet snd stain Of battle from their brows,
The view halle, ''on to Rfch1uvua,' riu
soon he in order. Our dispatches thrillingly
suggest how these ateps Of progress hive
been won. A Bay State regiment, which
went in GOO strong from Culpepper, can
muster now only TH1Rr1-x1sE- 4 Michigan
regiment, 2l7 strong ut the opening Of the
battle, Las now but SEVENTEEN men in line
The pen faltcrs and the Imagination fails in
the attempted record Of such hcroism, and
the tremendous scenes of its sacrifice. 4
1cscucd country will treasure up gratitude
for the Army Of the Potomac, the end Of
WHOSE tasks and tolls is near.
A variety Of Interesting war news, battle
incidents AID sketches by correspondents will |
be found on our second page
Sore very significant and highly impor. |
tant confessions and statements arc made In |
Intercepted rebel correspondence given else.
NIert i'll this issue.
Gullant Dick cglceby, Of this State de-
iishts the Ntw Workers ut Cooper Institute |
In r1iaa, evening by .rousing war speech.
a yely lun teleEEaphlc report is gtvcn'else- |
y her. |