, 1864-05-09

River, again holding that almost circular position
cslled tic Township Of the Bermuda Hundreds.
Entrcnched here, with both TANKS Of the army
protected by suAboats, We can bid defiance 70 Less
cohorts II Grants sharp pressing drive them down
upon ns. The position In considered admirable
for setious3y threatening Richmond.
Lees army IL now between two fires, and
should our cavalry raid seriously impair his CON,
municst1ons south, starvation will be added to his
other troubles.
The Times special says the portion Of tho COM
pFehensive Plan assigned Gen. Butler was to ad-
vance upon Richmond By the James River, get
ioothod as neaz the city as possible On tho soath
bank Of the stream, seriously interrupt the
communications Of the rebel capital southwark,
and eventually compel the evacuation by Lees
army OF their strongly fortified position on the
Eapidan, thus forcing the rebels to give great bat
tie, presa rapidly rearWard to the walls Of their
capital.
LUG n1Fl stcp 10 o1san'zaton WIS Haue some
Weeks SINCE ny Inc concentration at YORKTOWN
trom Inc faf.oas posts IN the department Of NORTH
Caroitna anu virginia, the great bulk Of the 18th
army torpe-
10 Inc command Of 1nese troops was assigned
ha) zen. ". =. smith, IN addition 70 these war
woFn heroes rom inc COAST ol No1fa Carolina and
.e+ ae "oa ~ " a nea,5 III ne osave anu ga
l.nt 'eno"s ol lae 1otn army corps under aiat.
Gen. Gilmore were cent to Gen. Bntlcr to partici-
PATE IN the nent, forming their encampment
al Hloneester Folht opposite Yorktown.
Ihat YORKTOWN ant Gloucester Point both at
ING NOUN Oh tne forE nrcF, should hare been
feiectea 1oe 1ae RENDEZVOUS OF these troops, natns
ally led to the supposit1on that the advance WIS In
tenaed 10 oe mnde up the Peninsula. That the as
6ufance OF their deception might DO made doubly
sure, brigade Of Federal troops was dispatched
by Gen. E2tles, eseu as late as yesterday, to the
White uouse, landing there at sunset. When we
Inst ta1d from them they were sedalouslr engaged
In telling timber and constructing wharf as If
preparing to facilitate the landing Of 1arse army,
To aid In this scheme OF mysttdcahon all the
light draft steamers were keps until the last mo-
ment at Fortress Monroe, whence early yesterday
morning the3 were dispatched to York River, and
the WORK or embatAng tho troops, whose arrange
ments for the purpose had been already made was
begun promptly.
Gen. Bntlet's orders TO his subordinate Generals,
made it incumbent for them to repair to Hampton
Roads us quickly rs possible after dark, where they
we're to anchor for the night.
at dnEbreak the order commanded IN advance
Of the troops up the James river, conveyed by
three Amy sunboats, under Bfigadier Gauerai
Graham, azd naval force combating of five moai-
t rs and eleven gunboats under Rear Admiral
Lee. ET5S5
The c:raify branch OF the expedition is COM
nanced'.; brieadler General H. '. Kantz, who
with Int boty OF sevc:2l thousand white troops
lrft sIhoik, Va. tt daylight yesterday morning.
Tho rt Int 1t which be ANS principally to strike
IL Hicksford, town On the Petersburg. Richmond
aid Weldon Railroad. The railroad br!dre there
which is strong one about 800 feet long. ,51l be
destroy ed, II possible and then the horscuaeu mi,
do other damage to the enemy's mean. or snnn1v