Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1864-05-09
General Buffers Plans--Army mOve-



NEw YoRK, May s.--A special to the Tmss
from James river, 9th inst gives to General
Butler the credit OF the plans be is now work
ing out he proposed TO make feint by
concentrating troops at Yorktown and Glou-
csster Point, then suddenly made dstour
Uia Fortress Monroe, go up James river, land
as near Richmond as possible on the south
side Of the river, and cut the rebel eommuni-
cations, proposing by this to alarm Lee, and
forcing him to fight Grant or fall back on
Richmond The 18th Corps under General
"Bady" Smith, Gilmore's 10th Corps, and
other troops from Virgin 10 and North Caro-
lima wers thus concentrated, and to promote
the feiut brigade was sent to White House
on the Pamunky river to build whsrves for
the landing of troops and stores. It was
supposed this would lead the enemy to sup
pose that Batter would advance up the Pc
ninsula.
This brigade was left at work and the light
transports were kept at Fortress Monroe
until early on the 4th, when they we're dis
patched to Yorktown, received the troops
who we're prepared and returned to Hamp
ton Roads, whence they moved up James Riv
er on the morning Of the 9th, conveyed BY
monitors and eleven gunbosts, Brigadier Gen
eral Graham, and Rear Admiral Lee in CON
mand,
The cavalry of the expedition is command
ed BY Brigader General A. ID Kautz (former
" OF the Second Ohio Volunteer Cavalry
ard numbers several thousand white troopS
1t left Suffolk, Va, at daylight same day
Kautz has q rovIng commission, and was 4
strike 6rst ct Hickford, town on the Peters
burg, Richmond and Weldon road, wher
there is q rairsad bridge three hundred fee
long. General Ksuts will then probably pre-
eeed South TO cut railway communication
and may not be heard from for q month--go
ing perhaps TO Weldon. .Anothsr cavnlrl
force went up the Peninsula from Williams
burg to reeonnoiter and make a diversion.
Colonel West would try to cross the Chick
Ahominy at Bottoms Bridge, and make hi
way to the main body on the James, the mai
body taking the advance. General Butler
boat reached Wilson 0 Wharf, about thirty-6V
miles below Richmond, where regiment {
GeAerAl Wild's negro brigade have affected
landing, aud are buSily engaged in maxim
preparations to hold the place.
From this point up the river to Fort Pow
hatan lie clear, straight reach Of seven mile
which it would never do TO leave in comman
Of the enemy, who could fOrtify the bluffs, an
smbarrass our water communications Gel
Butler takes command OF both these stron
positions City Point has become ours viii
out struggle, and the Union forces are O
eurely planted in advantageous position
within fifteen miles Of tie rebel capital
is now three o'clock, and before night Ii
greater part Of the army will be disembArke
Our line will stretch across this narrow STR
Of land, the left resting upon James Rive
and then passing over the Appopottoma.
The position OF the line will reach to Il
James again holding that almost insular p
sition called the Township of the "BermuC
Hundred" Entrsnched here, with both hanl
Of the army protected BY gunboats, we ca
bid defiance to the enemy, If Grant shou
drive them down upon as. The position
considered advantageous for seriously three
- sning Richmond