New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-06-28
THE CAMPAIGN.

A letter WHICH we print tnls 1nofHihb S'0"
clear account of the events of Wednesday ana
Thursday of last week, and the result is by no
means so calamitous as some Responding people
have feared. The same intelligence, could We
have published it last Friday or Saturday, would
have kept gold ten per cent lower, and would
have strengthened the confidence of the people
by proclaiming that the military authorities
we're willing the whole truth should be known,
in reverse as well as in triumph. Now that the
extent OF the disaster is disclosed, it seems not
to be formidable.
This is what happened: Gen. Grant under
took to seize aud destroy the Weldon Railroad
a little south of Petersburg. The 18th Corps
was sent down from Bermuda Hundred, while
the 81 and 9th were successfully thrown
to the lett in the direction Of Che railroad Tho
Rebels discovered the latter movement in time
to attack our advancing columns in flank. by
the gllring fault OF somebody, the divisions OF
the 81 Corps = temporarily under COM
mand Of Gen. Dirncy-bccame diSuni'ed, and
the Rebels struck in between on "Wednesday
afternoon. Barlows division lost l,0Oo pris-
oners McKnights battery of four guns was
captured. Gibbons division seems to have
been rolled up very suddenly, the Rebels appear
ing in It's rear, surrounding and capturing whole
regiments before shot had been fired on our side.
Nearly whole brigade went in this way, and
our correspondent Justly remarks that where
such troops "a the 18th and 10Th Massachusetts,
veteran regiments OF high renown. are taken
prisoners bodily, the lault can lie only with
the general officers, or with some one of thcu'.
Altogether, we lost about 1000 prisoners from
the two divisions, Barlows aud Gibbon's--pret-
ty heavily also in killed and wounded The 9TH
Corps, which was in advance, remained intact.
When the Rebel attack became known, Rick
etts was halted. and marched back to the sup
port of the %. Heterogeneous were brought
up also from the 5th, then holding the left Of The
intrencLed line. But the Rebels made no az
tempt to press their advantage
Thursday morning, the 9th aid 81 Corps
again went forward The 9th reached the
Weldon Railroad and went to work destroying
IL, bNt ctipEt uilCil utiif, A. htttNhSt
and driven back. The Rebel assault was SO
persistent that it was deemed best TO withdraw
TO intrenchments in expectation Of a general
engagement. The advance % the railroad
therefore, amounted TO nothing, verg little
damage having been done to the track, and the
position gained having been abandoned almost
as soon as it was taken. But the expected
engagement did not occur The two corps
maintained their line, and the weight Of the
! Rebel assault on Friday fell wholly and inefiec-
,ually on The 18th Corps, at the other end Of
the line
| 1t il evident, therefore, that @ particular
movement directed by Gen. Grant failed, and
that by a sudden assault OF the enemy We lost
about two thousand prisoners and four guns
one of those accidents which may happen to any
commander "a the fortune Of war. If you please.
I it is check to the progress Of the campaign
The movement toward the railroad was an cx.
pertinent, reconnaissance in an unknown
country. It's failure may point the
way to tho success Of another attempt
or to the adoption Of different plan, but i
does not suggest for moment anything like
serious interruption to offensive operations
We do hot deserve TO have lender like
Gen. Grant if his inexhauatblc energy and for
tility of resource have not taught US to endure
delays and disappontmon.s. There may b'
Others. There may be indccisive battles, dc
feats, losses, but there will never be disaster
overwhelming enough to shake the purpose o
the indomitable soldier who carries with hin
the fortunes Of the Republic.
CHRISTIAN pATRIOTIsM.
very interesting occurrence took place or