Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-09-09
A GLANCE AT THE SITUATION.

The Washington correspondent OF the New York
Nsgs presents the fOlloNng views and 5p;culltious
The startling events that are taking place the
Uoper Potomac surprise one who has olreluly
s.u1ied the war a. { whole, for month past. Within
a period h has been the aim Of tue Confederate lead
ers TO transfer the seat Of active host'Gs from the
James to the Potomac river aud " make Washington,
oeead Of Riehmcnd She b,lsaguered capital. All OF
gsr Lees movements have had this end IN view IL was
mpoaibe 10 mask the design perhaps concealment VAS
neither affected nor attempted. At all events, know
now that General Grant became aware of the design
before the end Of July and that bis visit here and 10
Harpsrs Ferry on the 6h instant bad dSot reference
20 the design and Go he plan for is defeat. On his
mart all OF BIZ movements, since the beganiog OF this
month have had but single object IN view, namely
laW TO de eat this desgn Of General Lee, and hoS to
maintain bis position on the JAmes river until powerful
rainiorceme 3 reach hin.
I believe that General Grant was convinced, after
.bs failure OF his great explosion experiment on che
sO,h ut that the capture Of Richmond by his present
or5e a. out Of the question: aud that he would De
psreoty we'll content If be could maintain bis present
position unit OotObs, by which tins the Admi listrS.
:on has Promised him large re.et Placements But the
roube wa, that the COniederaes we're evidently ma
Ii arrangements TO transfer large portion OF Their
force 10 tbs North II this designs succeeded, il would
lysr tie safety Of Washington, expose Pennsylvania
20 he dangers Of invasion, aud render necessary Tor
Grant TO dsacha pOrCn Of his army Tor the defence Of
Warrington; aud Il auy considerable pOr ion OF has
.rfny we're detiched the whole would have 10 follow;
.or il would be idle to eXPec! 10 hold his potion ~
Petersburg With less than tue 10 CO which he had then.
The recent attempt 10 reach Richmond from the east,
made by the corps OF Hancock and Brney on the Is b
ms, ant and the seizure Of the Weldon Railroad by
Warrers corps on the lsh, we're both under sken In
rider TO induce the belief that the campaign on he
ia mes river is be ecnnueS and in order probably
10 convince General Lee tha. t would be dangerous for
him aud for Richmond be to send any more troops
Z IL II
be design Of these two movements they have failed 10
F.st / for the results OF thGs, two moVenen are As
folloWs:
Ia. That We have lot thereby 10 900 men, namely
8 600 in the Various engagements the north OF the
james river and 900 the tfafrs OF the Weldon Rail
road 81 That The OOnfedegates have left q. Pstsrs
mig ONLY 25 900 troops namely: Those formerly COM
nsnied there by BsauTegsrd, and the division Of Gen
Beth and General Malone, of A. P. Hills corps and
rave transferred the main body Of General Lees army
@ the Shenandoah Valley to join General Elriy. Gen
g. a. Anderson, who commands LongstFeei's corps lie
a. Winchester in ersoD; the whole OF that corps sad
70 be there also end the remaining division OF His
COLDS is said 10 have ut arrived Oupeperl on its
ay 10 the sane destination. There Is Tut little doubt
hsreoTe that the quiet which bas prevailed for come
DAYS On the Potomac Witoon be broken aud the couD.
nv NAV be prepared 10 hear at any hour that the Poo
nae has en- crossed By large rebsl army, ana thSt
me scene of aO,ive hOsthes has indeed been trans
erred either TO Aaryland OF Pennsylvania
Toe recounOisAnoes made during the las! two dave
oy Gsn Sheridan have disclosed the great seDgth OF
tbs Confederate army in his front but ty may have
failed 20 obtain any cleW whatever 10 the immeda de
,rps OF the Confederate commander. lis only shallow
osted people hoEever who eff ct to believe that the
presence OF SheTidsns army at Hsrper's Ferry viii
prevent the Conederates from crossing the Potomac
Whether il constitutes a large or a small army the
. moderate force under A. deIson aud EARLY Is com
ooled OF we'll scphned veteran solders msn capable
# making long aud rapid Marches aud OF crossing
cad IL deep aud rapid streams The rains Of Monday
nd Tuesday have Jailed to raise the Po;ousc Il Is
easily fordable a. d. places; and when the time
comes for Early 10 ooss ne will cross without SELL
GUS ODD stlon. The indications now are that that
event viii t,ke place very soon.
Officers who have just arrived here from Grants
army con6rm tie ABOVE statement that not more than
lne third Of Lees army d now eis a. Petersburg.
MALCOLM