The New York herald., 1864-08-18
NEW YORK HERALD THURSDAY, AUGUST Is, 1854.

eItire military reputation staksd upon the success OF
his present entepviss rhs more probable solution s
that he preparing fee another .briant movement,
Designed 10 astonish the world put which, hope, may
result as disastrousy TO him as the last Silence with
Grant mischief and lot those who kindly attribute
gress Of events and they viii seq they viii
but whatever may be the plans q the enemy we have
the utmost confidence that they Will be penetrated by
sagacty OF General Lse, and successfully thwarted.
me Petersburg tain due last evening at half past six
O'Clock, bad not arrived up late hour We learn how
ever. that shells thrown the city yesterday
ana with The exception o some artillery practice
side everything was quiet along the lines.
The columns OF smoke observed yesterday IN a south
ery direction were caused by the burning woods
Richmond and Falling creek.
FIaHrIEa DOWN rHx RIVER.
Our pickets were driven 10 yesterday morning between
Malvern Hill and New Market, north AIDE Of the
day particular advantage either party Grants
entire force OF cavalry was crossed 70 tho north side Of
heavy firing down the Saturday was
caused by engagement between tho gunboats
and our ironclads In which our land batteries parc'
patsd. The enemy, appears had commenced cutting
canal across the narrow neck OF land formed bend
In the James, and known Dutch Gap and the object
being supposed to be to flank our P,ron at Howies.
determined interrupt their digging operations
The engagements was spirited one, the firing on both
that the Yankees finally driven away from their
work at the Ono OF our ronclads received shot
the water ue but not injured. Our casualties In the
Land batteries were one killed and Eve wounded
Another account states that the Yankees were erecting
battery at Dutch Cap and had landed three brigades
there Our feet opened at seven O'Clock A. M and WAS
feet attracted BY the nrng up TO the gap took
part u the engagement The Yankees were driven from
O'clock P. There Were no Casualties on board our
gunboats, and the only damage sustained by the
smoSesaE The Vessels engaged on our side wero the
iron clads fredericksburg Virginia and Richmond, and
the gunboats Hampton, Nansenfond ana Drcwfy.
The heavy aring heard yesterday supposed to have
been caused by q rcnewa Of the engagement
[Trom tne Richmond Dispatch August 49,
The Yankee newspapers hive been busy apologi2'ng
3Oth ever since occurred. Probably they have not
done the business well as might be done for the sage
hiring Yankees that shere no earthly why
lthe sprngng OF the mne "shouId not have been
said conpoe surprise of the rebels, and only needed
obedience TO his orders TO have routed the entire
rebel army" The rebels, IL soems from this. were
| badly whipped; but they are inc0rrigibly stupid,
| and did not find out that they were whipped They
gained one OF the most triumphant victories OF the
whole by stupidity fighting on long after II they
had bad the they born with they should have
voted themselves defeated and surrendered them
selves their works their arms their coors the city or
Petersburg and the road TO Richmond to Grant and his
white and black negroes. It very base In General
Lee to cheat Grant OF his hard won aures in this unpro
Il fessonal style
But Grant does not tell the true reason why Petersburg
talen-we should rather say reasons for there
| were several Eirs.-rhe conception Of blowing up
earthwoks under an army in the fed and in line OF bat
deserved could lead to There always
positions in the rear commanding that in 'front.' and rom
sSs sy unlike that Of vailed town which raj breach
be made IN the masonry, there is nothing to prevent
its seizure by q rush Secoud--Grant had mot the
hold position thus seized against troops those
ne had before him-troops which had beaten his in
every encounter they had had with them from the begin
ming OF the campaign to that day He put the negroes
this service because the white soldiers had been
often beaten, and had become SO utterly demorazed,
that they could not be trusted The negroes to be
sure very fra dependence but the white troops were
worse II bunder this Of the negro troops,
thaip lanhohI
Yankee public vociferously assert II was matter Of
necessity II the negro troops or nobody The whites
last reason for the failure was, that General Lee
\ knew perfectly we'll what Grant was about and
perfectly prepared for what he expected to happen
il was, indeed. secret. 1t was openly discussed
in the streets and the newspapers here and a Peters
troops tho river Deep Bottom Lee knew
that he designed some movement on his let He sent
over enough to prevent this body from stealing into
Richmond but he Kept more than enough the line
before Petersburg TO repe any attempt Grant might
Yankee papers console themselves for the tremendous
chastseren inflicted upon them on the 30th by pointing
cbarac,srize as mssterpece Of strategy. Thew are
kryecome TO whatever comfort they can derive
did Grants strategic movements may be, they always
result in disasie. The same credit has been claimed
in succession for every operation be has attempted
from the beginning OF the campaign, and the result
has every instance been che same. But the fact IL,
have seen, there no novelty in this movement
syvania House Cold Harbor which consisted
in making demonstration on his right while he was pre-
pairing to attack with his left IL is the only maneuvre
he seems TO understand. He always puts II In practice,
and Lee already has by heart He knows Grant much
better than Grant knows himself and always c0ntrves
TO make MIN slaughter hrs own men TO no purpose
A defeated general, attempting 70 account for his
disasters by laying the blame upon his subordinates,
presents a humilating spectacle To the world Grant
would be much more highly esteemed If be were
to initiate General Lee, and say-as no doubt he
could say with great truth"it was all my faalt."
Apologies for fau form but very poor substitute for
success and OF all the people in the world the Yankees
the least willing TO accept such apologies in paymen
for services due. "Resoutions do not build railroads."
and not take cities II would be honora
bic In Grant release his subordinate and take the
blame on hir1solf His case is that Of many much
greater than himself He did not take petersburg
the very that Pompey did not beat Caesar
He did defeat Lee, because Lee defeated nim Let
him initiate magnanmity OF Beau Brummell's vnlet,
who, far from claiming iDallibity for his master d.
rooted the attention Of visitor 70 bushei two OF
pied cravats lying the hoor ard exclaimed with
true grandeur OF soul, "these our failures" Tho
Wilderness Spotsyivana Court House. Cold Harbor Sher
dams raid, Kautz raid, Huners campaign, Grants
failures, and lei him say 80.