Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-06-28


be tossed like 9 shuttlecock from one side
of the river to the other; but they forget
discomfort of this sort in the feeling that
"the rebellion must be crushed"
|
Whero Lees Troops .Are--The De-
lenses on Gen BuIIer's Line--Some-
thing About Gen. Weitzel--Gen
Kinks Suffering from Wounds, and
| to be Reneved.-HealLh OF the Ar-
my--OnIOns--ItemS, Personal and
OtherWiSe. R a.,.ef.sti
b9 Special to the New YOrk Tribune.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THR PoroMAc, 1
MAR PETERSBURG, June %, 1864
The problem of the last few days, other
than how to occupy Petersburg, has been
to locate Lees army. It is now pretty
we'll Rscertained that after gsrrisouing
Richmond and Petersburg, and holding
with slender force the line between, he
has not only detached nine. brigades to op-
crate against Hunter, but has guarded his
still unbroken railroads with large num-
bers. Meanwhile, he provisions Rich.
mond, and looks to wearing MS out should
he be driven to stand siege. We have to
take Petersburg, when the breaking of all
his roads will follow. Alter the irst city
falls, the awful wastage of the war, the
effusion of SO much precious blood, will
cease Then it becomes work of time
aud vigilance.
In company with your "Specisl,n W.
Il. K, have to. day ridden along Gen.
Buffers lines from the AppomRttox to the
James. They are immensely strong. The
defenses of Washington are not more
carefully constructed; certainly are not
more impregnable. Intended to enable a
small force to hold at bay much larger
one-tor during a full month it was with.
in Lees power to fall upon Butler with all
his own army added to Beanregard's-skill
and labor have done their utmost to that
end. am not enough learned in sugi-
neering technology to describe them With
the professional name for each defensive
device, but will eudeavor to convey some
notion ofthem to the general reader. Il is
but two and three .fourths miles from one
river to the other, bnt the continu.
Gus liue of ditch, and parapet, and
absttis cannot be less than I've. Con-
forming to ridges and raVines, eminences
aud depressions, according to the
rules of military engineering, so as to meet
the necessities of cross fire, and conceur
trated FIRE, that one point shall strengthen
another, it is bewilderingly sinuous and
zigzag, now semi-circling, now turning alb
ruptly right or left at an acute angle, and
now at an obtuse one, until with its 18TH
muses. and peninsnlas, and tortuous way,
only an engineer can pursue it and retain
auy knowledge of the four cardinal points.
The whole length is piled with sand-bags,
six or eight deep, and crosswise, forming
port holes for muskateers. Then there are
outworks, complete inclosures-I think l
heard one that looked very formidable call
ed redoubt-and inner works, whose can
II. !
toward us as we followed the line possi-
bly, there are redsns, and there are re-en
trant spaces, with stockades running from
point to point, making Enclosures; and
there are great bomb-proots, excavations
covered with logs and deep banked with
earth, designed by engineers, and smaller
ones built by the men of their own accord
for safety "When shake the hills with"
Rebel thunder riVen;" and there are sal.
ly ports, so constructed that from no Rebel
stand point can they be detected and
there are guns, everywhere, trained
upon every approach-some oblique adown
the line, some straight out into the woods;
and be sure there is no road or open ground
that is not swept by score of.them. These
lines were originally laid out by Captain
Farquahr, then Chief Engineer Of this. De-
partmept, but have since been altered, i'm.
l.
WeitZel, who seems to have expended upon
them all the devices of modern engineer
ing, aud then superadded those of his own
exhsustless contriVances, resources, aud
energy. They are pronounced by General
Barnard, and other competent authorities
who have lately inspected them, marvels of
skill and labor, impregnable against assault
no matter by what numbers, and tenable
against protracted siege in force and by
regular approaches,
Gen. Weitzel, IChief Engineer upon But.
ler's Staff, is a curious man. Endowed
with wonderful nous, located in a big head,
set on long neck, atop ef long body,
swung along by pendulum legs, be is
Godfrey Weitzel, and there is none other.
Would there were, for the sake of the
country, and every one Brigadier Gem
eral. After the glorious exhibition of the
fighting qualities of the negro last week
before Petersburg, he was heard to say
triumphantly, "This war is as good as set
tled-the negroes will fight, and Badly
SRith says So." It must be understood
that up TO that time Gen. Smith was sup
posed to distrust negro soldiers, though
now unequiVocal in their praise. During
one of the engagements on this front O
soldier cried out to Gen. Weitzel, who was
with the skirmishers, General, q Johnny
has got me prisonerI Come out here and
save me-" The General sprang out, pre-
sented his pistols, released the man, and
brought in the rebel, who begged him not
TO shoot, and was astonished beyond meas.
ure when he learned the rank of his captor.
Brig, Gen, Carr will probably be assigned
to the coIored division now commanded
by Gen. Kinks, The latter, if he would
but take advice, is united for active ser.
vice by any one Of three or four of his worst
wounds, particularly by one received aa
long age as Malvern Hill; but he insisted
upon being permitted TO lead the negroes
until they had an opportunity of showing
theiriWOrth. Having done go, he will DOW
accept other and less active duty. That