The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1864-06-30
The Situation.

The Washington Star of late date has
trustworthy and highly interesting infor-
nation from the eront, bearing principally
upon the existing state of military affairs.
The gist of it is as follows:
General Grants army occupies a posi-
ton or positions in Piney woods upon the
outskirts of Petersburg, which were not
long since in, the possession Of the rebels,
including all their works On the south
side of the Appomattox river, constructed
previous to the advance Of our army to
these points. These positions entirely
command the town OF Petersburg and the
railroad communication through Peters
burg-the only one between Richmond
and Weldon, the town being also COM
manded by the enemy's works on the
north side Of the river, and therefore. not
to be occupied by Us SO long as those
works remain in the hands of the rebels.
Nevertheless for all practical purposes
the command which our guns hold of the
town and the railroad there stops all con-
tinuous communication by rail between
Richmond and any points south of Peters
burg. Gen. Butler has effectually de-
stroyed about three miles Of the road
between Petersburg and Richmond,
twisting the rails SO that they must be
recast or re-rolied before they can be used
again, which they are not doing now. So
long as Gen. Grant elects, he can hold the
enemy thus by the throat at Petersburg,
his camps being perfectly healthy, with
good and abundant water for the use of
his men, and entirely secure communica-
tion with his base of supplies at City
Point. From his present position he can
move at will toward the south with say
twenty days supplies, compelling Lee to
follow him, and risk heavy engagements
on unfortifed ground, as he must, if pos
sible, prevent the eventual total destruc-
ton of his rail COMMUNICATIONS with
Weldon.
Son the north side of the James river
Hunter and Sheridan have effected results
of immense importance in their bearing
upon the balance of the campaign; hav-
ing SO effectually destroyed Lees railroad
communications north-the railroad to
Lynch burg and the Virginia Central Rail
road-as that he cannot make them again
available this season. They have also
consumed and destroyed all the supplies
remaining IN Virginia in the valley be-
tween the two Annas and Washington,
which, together with the destruction Of
the railroads above referred to, readers it
impossible for Lee to send any respectable
force Iorthward.
''The rebels in and around Richmond
are restricted to the use of the Danville
road, OF the destruction Of part of which,
by Hunter, we may hear at any moment,
we appreaend That railroad is Of differ
ent (broad) gauge from all other Virginia
railroads, and therefore no machinery ad-
apted to them can be used uponi it, Thus,
any damage it may receive in the loss Of
cars or locomotives will be irreparable fer
months to come.
''The meaning of all this is, that Grant
by his move south Of the James has cut
Lees railroad communications in all di-
rections except via Danvil.e, which as yet
are incomplete and cannot be available for
the receipt of supplies for his army from
any considerable region Of country. In
achieving this important result, he has
placed Lee In situation In which he
must not long hence come out from be-
bind his Notifications and risk battle on
fair field, or abandon Richmond and
Petersburg, where he cannot much longer
obtain supplies.
eve have the authority of Assistant
Secretary Dana, who arrived last nj ght
direct from Gen. Grants headquarters, for
stating that up to the moment he left there
on Wednesday, our entire loss in killed,
wounded and missing, since crossing the
James, has not been more than ten thou
sand while there is but little reason to
doubt that the rebels loss has been pro-
portioIably as great as ours"