The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-06-28

Spirit Of the Press--HOw ,sss situation
Is Regarded.

easf8ae1
From the London star, June c.
Grant is fifteen miles nearer Rich
mond. Lee has abandoned his en-
trenchuents on the Pc, and fallen back
to the South Anna river. II i
is quite possible that Lees retreat from |
Spottsylvania was rendered necessary
by the difficulties Of obtaining supplies, |
and that Hancock g advance was nothing !
but a reconnaissance in force. In either |
case it is indisputably q confession Of
weakness. Il shows an inferioFity Of
resources, either in men or suppl
too considerable to allow OF the ~ :;
another battle; for it is not 20 Ok Oh
posed that so able a command oe sup
allow himself to be outAaRk er ho ~
Grant would risk the OF Gu not 'iia'
lines to the east if he W .olision o. us
of superior force. " re no1 e = !
ry, the fact must b Jass.el siie tii'oe
disastrous signi9 ADMITTED 70 be OF
80 III NJ s-s canoe to the Confede-
rae lne! ave been obliged to sur
renuet ., Si'0 .ner belt Of Virginia soil
She son '0r which they have hitherto
looeW with stubbornness that threat
sLiSd to wear oGt the patience of the
north From Fredericksburgh to the
/ position reached by Grant, is fully TWEEN
4 ty-iive miles, or nearly half the distance
TO Richmond.
We may be sure that Lee would not
have defended that twenty-five miles in
such fierce succession of battles, and
1 with such heavy loss to himself as well
4 as to his adversary, if he did not know
it to be well worth the effort and the
cost It is foolish and disingeauous 10
attribute the surrender to a strategical
purpose Or a transparent trick 1t Is
obviously true that the ablest com
mander in the Confederate service on
this chosen and peculiar battle-ground
of the Confederacy is unable TO keep
the field against a General who, with
ability and resolution equal to his own,
has superior resources. 1t is none the
less probable that there may be other
sad even yet more desperate battles to
be fought before the prize is relin-
pushed. Much must depend upon the
operations Of Sigel and Butler. OF the
former we have no information this
mail; but of the latter we learn that
he holds his intrenched position on
both banks of the James River against
every attack SO long as he does this,
it Is impossible for Beauregard to rein
force Lee, or for Richmond to feel Sc
cure against an attack in the rear. In
Grant apd Butler the Union has Com
manders of rare energy and pertinaci-
ty; and every step that brings Grant
nearer to ButlerF renders more complete
the investment of the Confederate
Capital
Prom the Manchester Examiner, June s.
Beyond doubt, it was flank move
ment. and if Lee moved first il may
also be called pursuit; but it would
be nearer the mark to describe the
movements Of both armies as simulta-
neolls, or nearly so. The conditions of
! the contest were obvious, and both Gen
erals OWNED each others plans 1t
was the old race from Charlottesville
to Spottsylyania Courthouse repeated,
and with substantially similar results,
saving the important exception that the
end of the second race briGgs both
parties twenty or twenty-five miles
nearer Richmond These details will
not be deemed wearisome by any who
take an interests all most surely do
lin this great conflict. The simplest
tribute we can pay TO General in the
field, to whose skill the lives of thou
sands and the destinies of q great cause
are confided, is TO try to do justice to
his proceedings; and the sympathy in
spired by the sufferings and the heroism
OF soldiers in the hour Of battle cannot
but awaken an interest IN knowing
whore and how they died.