Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1864-11-10
FROM GRANTS ARMY.
The ReCOnn0issanCe- Fall
Campaign not Ended.

The correspondent of the Philadel
phia Press with Grants army writes
as follows, under date of Oct. 30:
The accounts of the recent engage
ment on the South Side road, which
have been received, are somewhat di-
verse, and to certain extent irrecon-
cilable. 1t is scarcely to be expected
that the case could be otherwise, for
the affair was of such an impromptu
fashion, and was so quickly over, (last>
ing less than an hour, that there wGs
hardly time for it to assume any special
character, or to shape itself in any COM
binations requiring particular notice or
description. 1t was, as / have hereto
fore indicated, nothing more than a
general reconnaissance in force, end
ing in heavy skirmish. There were
three gallant charges made by the Sec
| ond Corps, which managed to eXtricate
itself from the tolls of a wary enemy,
and the mazes of an almost impassable
wilderness, in a manner to reflect fresh
brilliancy upon the fame of its com
mander, General Hancock. There was
obstinate and impetuous gallantry, too,
evinced by the Fifth and Ninth Corps,
which, however, bore q less conspicu-
Gus part in the affair. There was n
very high degree Of skill displayed in
the rapidity with which SO compare
lively large a force was transferred
safely to new base of operations, and
retired to its original position upon the
same day. Beyond these features there
was nothing to distinguish this recon
noissance peculiarly from others, and
but little field for fine descriptive wri-
ting. Yes, there was one exceptional
| fact which deserves to be remarked,
and that was the steadiness with which
the new troops, some of whom had
smelt gunpowder for the first time
stood up to their duty. So much fol
sition press, that the recent leyies have
only added to the army a set of bounty
jumpers, deserters and substitutes, who
cannot be forced to fight, but will in
variably skulk .....
Although mere reconnaissance, |
was optional with General Grant to say
whether or not the recent encountc
should be prolonged to general en-
gagement. Whatever the general opin
ion may be, those who know best ar,
of opinion that he did wisely in deci
ding the question negatively. Upo
what special grounds this opinion i
based, it is, of course, contraband T.
speculate in print Suffice it to sa,
that the movement just recorded is no
the final, but the initial one of the fal
campaign, if there be any CORRECTNESS
in the popular estimate Of Grant per
sonal energy and genius for "hammer
ing away" What of Butler? Wha
of the iron clad fotilla on the James
These may be respectively dcsi9nate
the right and center of the forces ope
rating against Richmond, and their OF
fensive powers are shortly to he pu
to the test, doubtless in conncctio
with the Army of the Potomac, or lei
wing of our forces.
1t does not initiate in the leas
against this promise of continued ac
tivity that portions of our troops ar
making themselves comfortable agains
the variations of this variable weather
against the perspiring, dusty days
when the canteen becomes sine qu
non, and the damp, chilly nights, whe
a double thickness of blankets i
quite as indispensable.