Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-06-04
The ~Ifunflon.


The telegraphIc news appears favorable 70 the
Federal cause. and such has been lie character
since the commencement of General GRANT's
campaign 10 Virginia Richmond NAV fall IN
short time predicted but judging by past events
twill not without a struggle more sanguinary
than any which has occurred during the war IL
General GRANT with an army more powerful than
any which has taken the field was unable to over
come Ike sixty miles from the base Of his sup
Plies and If be could gain no decisive results al
ter eight days hard fighting. it is not TO be exPec-
ted that the enemy will be more easily overcome
when be is at the base Of his supplies and within
the entertainments Of the rebel Capital
In saying this We 90 not intend to be under
stood as predicting the defeat Of GRANT. but
only TO state. what every sensible man should
readily appreciate. that the capture Of Richmond
will require Tot only time, but sacrifice Of
blood fearful to contemplate.
The telegraphc news. even from official
sources, canno. be relied upon The country
has been deceived by the reports Of Mr.. STANTON
from the beginning. in regard TO the Virginia
campaign. This deception may be policy. and it
may be justified b. the art of war, but we believe
il il always better that the people should always
know the truth. We believe in the old adage
that honesty is the best policy" The war to-
day would present far different aspect if the
people had been advised Of the true condition Of
affairs as il progressed
That the reader may be able 20 understand the
value of teegraphie information we present the
following digest of the report Of Dir. STANTON,
prepared by a contemporary from the 9Th to the
ODD of May:
1. Nav 9th, he telegraphed, Grants dis
patches are not fully decphered yet, bat he il
'on 20 Richmond The rebels are IN full retreat
for Richmond on the direct road Our head
quarters at noon yesterday twenty miles
south OF the battle field
Now there Is not word of truth in any part
of IL. Lee was not in retreat. but having forced
Grant to- "change his base" moving To
commodate himself to new situation Grant
was not "on to Richmond" and his headquarters
tiers were not twenty miles south of the battle
fed.' nor three miles.
2. On the 10th. Stanton teegraphed in the
name Of Is. +. Butler, tina" Gen d. II. Hill had
been whipped at Petersburg. that Beauregard
was cut of below that city, and that Grant would
to Lee from Beauregards forces"
Now IL IL very we'll known that Butler never
whipped anybody Except in New 0reans) aud
never cut the direct line OF railroad betw cen
Richmond and Petersburg, and that ''Beaure-
CARDS forces" passed up to the latter place with.
out interruption. after Buffers advance
3 On the 10th, Stanton telegraphed that But
Ter had been attacked by the rebels. but had re
pulsed all assaults. and then "leisurely retired to
his intrenchments" Now, il was we'll known to
Stanton that Butler had been drive back in con
fusion TO Bermuda Hundred. six or eight miles.
and with loss of from :, 900 70 1000 in killed,
wounded and prisoners. There he has been ever
since, in what is nearly equivalent to state of
siege.
4. Stanton telegraphed that Sheridan had made
q grand raid around Lees rear, done immense
damage, taken the first line OF entertainments at
Richmond, and joined Butler with a loss OF but
few horses aud only $50 men. lt now trans
pred that the damage done by Sheridan was re-
paired within forty-eight hours, and that he lost
4 large number of horses aud nearly 900 men
killed. wounded and missing
,. On the 18th. Stanton autographed a great
victory thousands of prisoners. forty guns
taken, Lee in full retreat, and Grant in hot pur-
suit. The whole country now knows that no
victory was gained at that time, that, with the
exception of Hancocks brilliant dash at the
opening of the battle. the whole a series of
of bloody repulses all day. and that Lee re-
manned seven days in the very spot where the
battle was fought: that on the 18th he repused a
general attack upon his line. the 18th sent
portion Of his troops within three-quarters of
mile of Grants headquarters
3. On the 22d Stanton telegraphed that on the
10Th Grant had commenced an important thanking
movement for the purpose OF compelling Lee
10 eyacuate bis POSITION and he specially en-
joined upon all newspapers, even in the far " est
not TO publish anything in relation to the move
ment. lest Lee. who supposed to be within
easy musket snot of Grant, should get wind OF
II from Detroit or Chicago
Ii now turns out that Lee moved first and
without the knowledge of Grant. who simply
followed Grant, for obvious reasons, again
changed his base from Fredericksburg TO Port
Royal point on the RappahannOck, 30 miles
east, not south of where he crossed the Rapldan
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