Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1864-06-20
Hon. Secretary of War {:

June IA, le64-9k 1Sst
Hon. Secretary Of War; Ths. q
SIR: The force Of the enemy msntn H@
my last dispatch as being on the LongS
road, disappeared during the nigh - TIM
probably adVanced to cover the Z kln
the main body, most of which, as -, 80
lesrn, crossed the ChickAhominy ct Ia -, Is N
and below, and has reached james, ia
Westover and Wiloox's landing. f'Si
A portion Of Gen. Grants army, ups 1g,no No
ing our front at Cold HAIbor, is reported tTe
proceeded to the White House and EMBARK AP
that place.
Everything is said to have been removed b
the depot ct the White House brokepup, ~.
The cars, engine, railroad iron, aRd B. ~
timber that had been brought to that point, u u
also been shipped. e'iol
Very respectfully, etc, ASs,1l
r E. LEE, General W,
The fact ths! Grant is sndsavoring to so far
fsnk Gen Lee as to place the river between bis
left and our right-thst be has broken up bis
depot ct the White House and moved swsy ev-
Orythipg collected there in the last few weeks
is virtual acknowledgment Of failure; ard
though he may rot confess defeat, il is more
than likely that it will SO be Fegsrdsd at the
North. We, thereforsfore, look with confidence
70 bis early recall, and the appointment of some
general in his place who has not yet trodden
the hazardous psth that leads ION to Richmond" !"
Il is stated that, for several days past, the
Yankees have been engaged in repairing Viii
cox's wharf, in Charles City county, and also
the wharf known as SWinhards, on James
river. The distance between. the two is
about half mile, and the enemy's operations
indicate that continuous wharf is to be built
the entire distance. These localities are nearly
opposite Fleur de Hundred, in Prince George,
and afford water of sufficient depth for vessels
of the heaviest draft information has also bean
rscsiVsd that the enemy had q large number Of
negroes busily employed, fcr several days past,
in throwing up bTeasswoLks to the west, facing
Richmond These works extend for distsaee
Of four OF FIVE miles, and are few miles east of
Malvern hill. They are probably intended IS q
blind to cover Grants resl purpose and destinA-
ton.
We have nothing further from Sheridan s
gang Of raiders, save e report, seemingly vel !
authenticated, that they have crossed the Pa
munksy at Piping Tree ferry, and gene 70 loc
for Grant. The pressure of HsnptOn's cayal,y
was moro thsn4hey could stand, and the "most
beneficial expedition of the war" alluded to by
the Northern papers, has probably been given
up.
THE FNESIY's ADVANCED FORTIFICATToNs ia
HANOVER
When the enemy crossed the Psmunksy At
Hanovertown and New Castle ferry, il was sup.
posed that they msditstsd an advance upon
Richmond, by the Meadow bridges, and conse-
guently forti6es!ions were thrown up by our
troops on the south Of Potstomoy creek, to in
tercspt such movement; but instead of that
they stretched their line in southerly direction,
their right wing resting ON the creek above
named, and their left on Cold hsrbor A gen
tleman, who has been ever the ground occupied
by the enemy, since their departure informs Us
that their fOrtifeations consisted of SIX parallel
lines, inteTsected in some places by transverse
lines, as if they expected an attack IN sll dirsc-
tions. These fortifcAtio1s were strengthened by
logs, and the timbsrs, doors, windows, and evon
furniture of houses they had sacked and torn to
pieces.
La erecting the breastworks the negroes Of
the vicinity were pressed into seyice, their ops-
ratoDs being superintendsd by Yankee officers
Wherever there WAS a crest of hill or a elump
of woods, the circumstance was taken sdvsnt-
age Of, the for!ifcaiions being 80 constructed as
TO wind around for the purpose Of protecting
their front The fields in advance of the forlifi,
cations arc fall Of pits dug fer the protection Of
shaTpshooters. Each of these pits is of sufi
eent Dimensions for one man to enseonce himself
in, the front and fsnks being guarded by breast
works Of earth and fence rails Ia the farm
bitches numerous excavations are to be seen,
In fact, everything shows that it was Grants
purpose TO eight it out" on that line, relying
upon reinforcements from Buffers army; but
the 'liOn in his path" and the demeraliz ation Of
bis men compelled another change of base, sni
hencs the strong works were abandoned Thin,
however, seems to have been accomplished very
leiSureiy, the enemy taking away every mova
bls thing with them, and baTricadiDg the roads
in their rear as they proceeded.
Our informant says that the report that Gil
mans mill and Bethesda church were burnt is
erroneous; but Psle Green church and another
were set on fire and destroyed. "a ~sTs ssse ah=
houses Of several eiazsns. MRnY baiidines
were pulled down, and all the inhabitants saf-
tered more or less from the depredations of the
Yankees. The whole country hss been rem
dsTed q desert, crops destToyed,i fruit trets
cut down, and the people stripped of everything
they possessed in the shape Of provisions Ths
Yankees displayed their natural greed in search
ing fer money, aud we are told that guided By
negroes, they succeeded in finding a consider
able amount of specie in various Localities. As
an excuss for robbing tbs Inhabitants of their
provisions, Grant alleged that they were hard
pressed for something to eat, which was 10 doubt
The truth.
DEMONS TRATI0E AGAINST PETERS
RURG.
Various rumors were in circulation vssterdav
relative TO another advanes Of the enemy upor
Petersburg. We learned last night that At aEl
sarly hour yesterday morning force sspreeekscI
Petersburg by the City Point read; were en-
gagged during the day with cur troops at Dear,
ng's farm, two miles distant from the city, and |
we're driven back. On application ct hssdausr
erS to learn the situation Of affairs we failed to
obtain any information wha8vsa but though Il |
acks official confirmation, the reader msy rely /
lpon the correctness of the sbOve statement /
Runner mngnifsd thi8 affair into direct attack /
lpon Petersburg, the capture Of the second line |
If fortifeations, and gave high o0loring to the 1
picture generally; but runOF in this instance was
decidedly st fault We may receive further In.
ormaton by telegraph before tho hour of going
% press.
It is stated that the enemy's transports, nam
,eTing ten to twelve, aseendsd James river on
tuesday, and landed troops at Bermuda Hun
led. If this be 80, the troops were probably a
,0rtion Of Baldy Smiths fores, shipped from the
VhiIs House back to Butler.
AFFAIRS AROUND LYEcHBURe.
The only information received yesterday from
bis quarter was = report thst the enemy had /
urni the court house of Campbell county,
Which is confirmed by the letter which we give
elOw:
CONCORD DEPOT, June IA, 2 PM.-I left
.ynchburg this morning ct 9 o'clock, and
cached this place, which is on the SOuthsids
abroad, thirteen miles frem LyRchburg, ct
oen. A raiding party, about $50 strong,
rossed James river last night, q short distance
elew Galts mills, which IS fourteen miles be-
w Lynchburg, and reached this depot at 2 4
clock this morning They burned the depot I
ere, c9mmisssTy building, and the agents {
Zoe xvataF fanks wood hOuaa aaa sFafn af /. L