Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-05-16
Correspondence of the NJ. world
BALTIMORE. May 10.

Correspondence Of the y. 7. World
BALTIMORE. May 10.
send YOU herewith a preliminary account of
the recent military events 10 Virginia. derived
from Southern sources
THE BATTLES UPON THE RAPIDAS MERELY
PRELIMINARY.
will send you in day or two a full account
Of the recent military operations of the Confede-
rates in Virginia. both on the Rapidan and else
where At present the materials for such an
account have not vet reached here The roar of
the three days battle has not vet died away. The
smoke Of the conflict still hangs heavily over the
bloody field. AL that can send to you to day
is a few detached facts, not without Importance
in themselves, and not without their value in
aiding your readers to comprehend fully the ac-
tual situation. For you need not to be told that
the Administration is endeavoring to suppress
important facts in relation TO events that have
TRANSFERRED Nc more reliance can be placed now
upon the assurance made by the Secretary of
War TO Gen Dix. that cit is designed to with
hold nothing from the public" than the assur-
feated at Charlottesville. THAT the army had
suffered no disaster, and would speedily resume
the offensive"
Ali that has vet taken place in Virginia terri
BILE and sanguinary the battles of the 9Th and
9th of May were, is only the commencement of
the great contest for the possession of Richmond
Fiercey contested as those battles were they are
not the great battle that Gen. Lee will fight be-
tween the Rspidan and the rebel capital The
battles Of the 9th and 9th. desperate they were
are indecisve. and but the preliminary Skin
mishes to that supreme conflict which the
rebel leaders have been looking forward for so
long time
GREAT ADVANTAGE or THE NUMERICAL SUPERIOR
ITY or GEN. GRANT.
The kew to all OF Gen Lees movements in
this campaign will be found in my letter of April
Is IL is therein stated that There will be a bat
tie on the Rapidan, but it will not be the great
battle" | am already in possession of facts
enough 10 show That this is the case, which are
stated below. At the same time. the enormous
number of troops at the command of Gen. Grant
has made Gen. Lees task much more difficult
one than he expected. and has caused him 10
modify somewhat his original plans. This mod
ihcatlon, however. does not involve any radical
change in those plans. which, 1t is understood
will vet be carried out The great disproportion
in the size of the Union and rebel armies made it
necessary for Gen. Lee so to maneuver his troops
as to bring on the actions that have been fought
in such positions, aud under such conditions.
that his advantage of position should counter
balance the dlspropOrtiOn of numbers and that
great loss should be inflicted on the Union troops
while the rebel troops suffered comparatively lit
tie Another object that Gen Lee had in view
make the battles Of the 9Th and 9th (pre
liminary and secondary in Importance as they
were) so fercely contested as to draw out the
whole strength of the Union forces, including
even our reserves. Both of these objects the
rebels claim have been accomplished.
sIGELs MOVEMENT IL THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY
OF NO CONSEQUENCE TO GEN. LEE.
The presence of the troops under General
Sigel. General Kelley. and Genera-in the
Shenandoah valley, gave General Lee no un
easiness whatever He ascertained the facts in
regard to that movement by means of a recon
nOissance along the Baltimore and Ohio Rail
about a week or ten DAYS ago. by squadron OF
Imbodens cavalry He learned at that time
il Is said that all the troops under the officers
above named were to be be kept stationed below
Winchester and Strasburg. in the Shenandoah
Valley. in order To prevent him from turning
Grants right flank, and that the Baltimore aud
Ohio Railroad. if guarded at all must be guard
ed by recruits. These facts gave him no
uneasiness, because the time was not vet come
for him to Grants left flank and because
when he ready and determined to do so,
these thirty thousand Union troops, more or
less would not prevent his doing it
GENERAL LEES USEAsINEss ABOUT THE MOVEMENT
ON THE PENINSULA
But what did cause him some uneasness. was
General Grants movements by way of the
Peninsula. If this movement had been really
directed by General Butler. it would have given
Lee no concern al ALL But the rebel General
understands that Buffers connection with il il
only nominal. and that it is political trick on
the part Of the President. insisted on by the
latter. not To offend Buffers radical and
powerful friends at Washington, that keeps But
Ter nOmnaly at the head of the movement
General Lee ia fully convinced that the whole
movement on the Peninsula is a part of General
Grants grand plan of the campaign against
Richmond and that it Is directed solely by him
and executed solely by General Smith And
that is why he uneasy about il Indeed it
caused hun great deal more uneasiness than
the overland movement OF Neades army The
latter he knew he could foil and defeat But
the movement on the Peninsula. If il should be
made the left bank OF the James river. and
made in sufficient force. might render it neces-
sary for him either 10 oppose it with his whole
force, AT least would render it necessary for
him to detsch such portion Of his army from
the line of the Rapidan as would greatly. per
haps fatally. weaken him there If, on the other
hand. 1t should be made on the right bank of
the James river. he knew that Gen Beaurecard
could hold 1t in check. and prevent it from en-
dangering the safety of Richmond in the slightest
degree. and this. too, although General Beau
regards forces were far inferior in number to
those under Generals Smith. Gilmore. and But.
Ter. Will merely add here that events have
shown that on this point the rebel General rea-
sOned correctly
WHY GENERAL LIE ATTACKED NEADE's ARMY.
General Meade's army crossed the Rapdan:
near Germania. on the 4th. General Grants
purposes on the peninsula were entirely unde-
yeoped strong Union force had been landed
a West Point, aud another strong body of
troops was At Yorktown, while still third hody
was moving on Williamsburg The whole. or a
great part of the Union iotlla collected in
The York river All these facts were known 10
General Lee. aud seemed 70 Indicate a purpose
on the part Of General Grant 10 use the York
river a hs line Of approach 70 Richmond And
this seemed General Lee the more probable,
because there are many military reasons whv
that Is the true line Of advance toward the rebel
capital Under these Circumstances. il was vi
tally important that the advance Of Meade's
army should be checked. and that army be de
feated. II possible. before the main BODY of
Buffers forces should reach the White House
on the Pamunkev for if they should succeed in
doing 30. the probabilities were that Meade's
left would be extended down the Nattapony
river. and Buffers right be moved up the Pa