Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1864-07-01
The Situation Before Petersburg

Ork Times furnishes q COmmunlca'
ton Of very great length dated ar
my Of the Potomac, near Peters
burg, Tuesday, June o." giving a
resume Of the operations Of the pre-
ceding week, and discussing pros
poets and probabilities with much
discernment The following is an
extract from this letter:
The line of rebel works on a
commanding ridge south Of the city,
taken by Smith on Wednesday, are
but two miles from Petersburg, and
thence one looks right into the
'Cockadc City, which lies in the
valley of the Appomattox. But our
line is now advanced far beyond
those works, and in places not over
half a mile from the town, which lies
perfectly under the range Of our
batteries, and has already received
quite a number Of accidental shells.
In this state Of facts, | readily an
ticipate the question, why, then, is
the city not shelled p To any one
who has a conception of the ground,
there is a ready reply to this que8-
ton. Petersburg lies in a hollow,
and is commanded both by the
heights on the south, which are in
our possession, and by the heights
on the north, which are in the enc
my S possession. Now, the assault
which carries Petersburg must also
be prepared to push over the river
and carry the heights beyond domi-
mating it; for otherwise it could
soon be made much too hot place
to be comfortable. in any other
view the shelling Of Petersburg
would be a useless enterprise; and
| if we take the bombardment of
Fredericksburg as a measure, would
cost us much more in ammunition
than the amount to which we might.
damage the town.
If this outline of the present stu
alton be ineligible, it will have
made manifest how absurd is the
notion which has been expressed inI
the Northern press, that Peter5burgI
is i'll It state Of seige. Such a phrase
as marking a mere qualification of.
ideas, might be allowed to pass IN.
noticed but it is calculated to give
erroneous impressions,
both OF the present position and of.
the future prospects of the army
A siege, in any other than the loos-
est use Of the term, can only be APP
piled to an army investing city, h
md planted on or interrupting its
COMMUNICATIONS. Now, we neither
invest Petersburg, nor are we plant I
ID on, nor have we interrupted its :
communications.
Begin with its northern commu-
lications-thc Petersburg and Rich
nond railroad. This was seized by
Sen. Butler at Port Walthal, and
he track torn up for some distance.
But Bcauregard was able to repulseIl
Butler, and this road, as is conveyed .t
II all official dispatch from General
Lee to Mr.. Davis, has again been
put in running order. Looking to
the southern side, the communica-
tons of Petersburg arc by the Pc
and Suffolk and the Peters
burg and Danyille roads. Looking
to the western side, its communica-
tions are by the Petersburg and
Lynchburgh railroad. Il
Beginning with these in order,
the Petersburg and Suffolk road is
in our possession; the left wing Of
our army rests across it;--but it +,
forms no part Of the communications
proper of Petersburg, because the
terminous, Suffolk, has long been in :
our possession. There remain, there !
fore, the Petersburg and Weldon,
and the Petersburg and LynchburgI
roads. These are its real commu- ,
Now, we have touched, T
and i'll our present situation, can
touch neither Of these. TO tap the
Petersburg and Weldon road would,
require a development of our line
several miles to the left. To tap
the Petersburg and Lynchburg road +
is at present impracticable, and pro- +
badly it will be impossible to do
more than make it the object of Wis +
itations from raiding parties, be-
cause an extension so far to the left ,
would seriously cndanger our own.I
communications, and the maxim does ,
not allow Us to expose our ownIi
communications in operating againstI
those Of the enemy. In this condi-
ton Of things, to speak Of Peters I
burg as being under siege is mere !
abuse Of language.
With reference to the question of !
the repair Of the rebel roads, | haveIaa
recently learned fact, the truth of '
which is undoubted,- and which &C y
counts for the facility and rapidity
with which the enemy has lately i,
been able to make good all the dam : :
age we have done on their railroad .