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

SCI ttu ny tie ferpleXiiy OF the problem, AMI the
COZ id,n he CummanJer, that adds peCu-
lsr iutcr x to the operations last week nlti tea
To HpLrvCiate properly the operations OF So ur-
day, they 81 Ould Je AIKEN 10 cInnection with the
ope'atoI Of the three previous DAYS, with which
they are related much more closely than may
appear trom the sjointed repors which have
thus far reached u. Indeed, the execution Of
Gtn, raj Grants present plau against Petersburg
may o said 10 have begun on W. dlesday, when
Geueras Hancock and Sher dan crussrd the
James TO make a demon-tra ion towards Rich
mOud.
But 30 great has been the Misrepresentation
with regard TO these operations, that what wtsJ
o. v Ously designed a. a ieiut ha- been mistaken
for the main movement. IL is not wlndefful,
hOwcyCr. that distfnt observers shOu d be mlsled,
since the successful ecutiou of General Grants
plan presuDpOsed that Lee himself should he
deceived by the somOauce Of A formidable move
ment on Richmond 10y a line Of march ghch
would compel him 20 make large detachmeuts
from the army az Petersburg.
General Grin's design has been throughout
TO pierce the lues in his imme tAte front but tor
this purpose it was absolutely necessary IN
the garrisons should ne greatly reduced. The
division Vt force made by the absence Of the
Rehrl coiumu in the Shtnindlth valley fur
thercd this design, and a manWuyre that would
draw Oft additional important detachments %
she Uotth bank Of the James wsud afford Ouplr-
tunity for assaults that would have been both uu-
wise and inprac icahle against works manugd by
their full Implement OF Lees veteran troops.
recitod.
General Foster, with his command, has, rs is
wei known for some time, held cOiyne Ofvhntage
at ID, ep Bottom on the north INK OF the James,
and ten miles from Richmond. The advantage
Of this corps de place was TO observe the roads
Leading from Richmond, Ia case the enemy
should attempt ttukng movement by this line
while ut the same time IL ati lrded fortified d.
boucher for the passage OF columns designated
either to demonstrate or operate az inst the Rebel
capital from the northern side
At this point the I'd Corps, under command
OF Central Hancock, and tue l,t and 2i Diyi.
sious Of Cavalry, under Sheridan, passed the
river on Tuesday night, and ol Wednesday
morning engaged the Rebel force holding the pO-
sitOn IN font of Foster. A skifully executed
! tlaukug movement by NJ les Brigade, LIST D..
vision, I'd Corps put us in poss ssiOu Of this
! outer lnc-the enemy retiring TO a strongly for.
| tined line in the rear held By KerShaw's Diyi-
| sion of Longsrreet's Corps, with force OF
| cavalry aud artillery. This stronghold WIS not
assailed, hut energetic dem Instra ion, we're male
| during the day as it for that end, while cavalry
! mauUuUed on the Rebel itit flank.
These demonstrations were kept up the follow
! ing day Thursday, aud every stracigem en-.
| piuyCd 10 induce l. c TO believe that K chmOld
| was mei aCed IN force Among these WAS tue
I sudiDg of the wagun-train of the 9Th Corps over
! the poitoon b idge across the j ,me-, thus n-
| ducing th, impression that this whole corps was
moving in that direction.
| These ieiuts were completely successful.
! During Thursday and Friday trains were
| husiy engaged conveying troops from Petersburg
| 70 Richmond, and thence TO the threaten d
| 20 mt ,und this rttSe is said 10 have succeeded in
| calling oil at least fifteen thousand Of Lees
| troops.
Having secured this desired object, Hancock $
| Corps was, during Thursday AID Friday nights,
secretly recalled across the James, and retra in Z
| lis Steps, repisssd the AppOmattOX at PDiut Ot
Rock ana took position on the ri 5ht OF our line,
| relieving the 18th Army Corp, which WAS seat
to the support of the 9Th.
The disposition of our troops on the line south
| of the Appom'ItOX became, therefore, as fol
lows II he 2d Corps on the right, the 9th IN the
| centre, with the 18TH supporting and the 9TH on
the left. The plan Of attack contemplated the
forcing of the Rebel line in front of our cen re,
ana II was for this reason that the 9th Corps was
reinforced by the whole of tie 18Th Here was Il
point which has long been regarded as the key
to the Rebel system of defense, comm anding, ~
il does, and eDtiladng their whole line.
OF tactical operations, mlrking the commence
ment Of the attack including the sprngng OF a
mine in Bnrnside's front; and the preliminary
artillecy firing along the whole line TO cover a
general assault, the Times special correspondent
spe k in detail. IL is OF course vain 10 SpecLa
reg rdinR the sequel Of these successful prel mi.
nary operations hut the view OF the situation
above presented authorizes the most hopeful al
tiCpatOns. WILLIAM SwGNTON,
Of the v. \. Tunes