New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-06-04
THE CAMPAIGN.

A number of special letters and dispatches
from she Army of the Potomac will be found i'll
other columns. They indicate, as Mr.. Stan
tons official dispatches of the last few days
have indicated, that no general engagement is
sought on either side but that there has been a
series of detached actions such as naturally
occur between two armies which are gradually
taking position on new line. The ad-
vance of corps brings it into collision with
Rebel force making similar movement.
reconnaissance from our side meets recon-
noissance from the Rebels the fight which
ensues is not in itself of great consequence, but
the general result OF half dozen such goes far
to show the relative condition, spirit morale OF
the two armies. SO far the result is largely in
our favor. There is scarcely an instance since
the crossing of the Pamunkey in which the
Rebels have not been thoroughly beaten in these
preliminary encounters.
The work which the cavalry hos done de-
serves special acknowledgement. Their duty is
the most constant, the most irksome, and the
least uuderstoodsby the people for whom they
heroically fight. Under Sheridan the cavalry
has been put on its mettle, and, perhaps, for the
first time has been able to show that it can dc
all the duties which belong to this arm. 1t
operations on the flanks of tsc army since
last Saturday have been precisely thosC
which cavalry alone can accomplish, anc
of which the Importance to the safety Of
the army is quite Unreasonable. They have
repeatedly proved themselves superior to tbs
enemy, and as one of our correspondents sa-
gaciously remarks: "The Rebel cavalry have
learned better than to fight as cavalry They
make no stand except disnounted, and fighting
as infantry.
The latest official dispatches give little
additional information. The disastrous repulse
of Ewel by Warren's corps is again referred to,
and it may now be deemed settled that the Rebel
demonstration for the possession Of the White
House road was very earnest one. If EwelFs
men had fought with anything like the obstinacy
which marked their assaults in the Wilderness
after the crossing of the Rapidan, the effect on
our uncertain and hali-iOrrned line might have
been very serious But the retreat has taken
halfthe heart ont Of them. They fight now ss
defending losing cause.
II is obvious that the maneuyers Of the two
armies have about reached that point when n
struggle is TO come for some position essential
to the integrity Of the line Of either. The ad-
vance toward Cold Harbor, the holding Of that
poin. first by the cavalry and then'by Wright,
the steady swinging Of the army down to the
south, the arrival of Smith by the Newcastle
road, and tho necessities which the position of
White House as a base imposes upon Gen. Grant,
all tend TO show that the decisive movement is
to be against Lees right. But it is idle to specu-
late On the probable movements Of q campaign
which is now narrowed almost TO the limits Of
a battlefield, and the course Of which depends
on Typographical features Of the country, on
tho exact positions Of Rebel forces, and on the
extent of defensive works-neither Of which can
DO known. They are necessarily to great
extent obscure even TO the commander of the
army, and because they are, there is certain
sedateness Of movement which may DO i'm
patiently misinterpreted into delay or hesita-
ton, but which no energy or courage can
accelerate. Let us trustfully bide the time
when Gen. Grant chooses 10 strike.