New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-05-30
TIE CAMPAIGN.

| During last Thursday night Gen. Grant With
drew his army from beyond the North Anna.
Saturday noon he was across the Pamunkey
at HanOvcrtown, sixteen miles from Richmond.
| Within about thirty-six hours the army OF
the Potomac had marched over thirty miles,
crossing two rivers III the face Of the
enemy, and transferring itself from q
position directly in front of the R>Sel
! forces to position far on their flank.
South of the North Anna Gen. Grant had be-
tween him and Richmond two considerable
rivers and twenty-five miles of ground. South
Of the Pamunkey he is nine miles nearer the
Rebel capital. ha; avoided Little River and the
South Anna and, if he chooses to advance
sraigh; forward, has 10 stream but the upper
waters Of the Chickahominy to cross Having
cut loose from the bases on the upper Rappahan-
mock at Fredericksburg and Port Royal, he re-
sumes communication with Washington byway
of the York River and the Pamunkcy, and is
within twenty miles Of White House on the
| latter river. safe, near and convenient depot
wholly in his rear and inaccessible TO the enemy.
When Gen. Grant first crossed the North Anna
he selected a point considerably to the north Of
that where Lee expected him. His present
movement is made at a point southeast Of every
position at which Lee was prepared to oppose
him. In both instances the Rebel commander
was fairly outgeneraled.
The fact that Gen. Grant has put his whole
army south Of the Pamunkey, leaves Lee no
choice in bis future operations. 1t appears by
an unofficial dispatch that the Rebel army
abandoned its camp covering the Junction on
the night of Grants movement, but there II no
disclosure of the direction of Lees march. Il is
of no consequence whether he expected to OPP
pose or intercept Gen. Grants operations.
/ Aware Of his appearance south Of the rivers, Lee
has undoubtedly thrownhimsef at oncebctwocn
his enemy and his capital, and probably occupies
at this moment the line Of the Chickahominy,
Inassing his force on the Meadow Bridge and
MechancSyille turnpikes And il is rcmaTka-
bic that whereas formerly the object Of all
strategy on our side has been to keep the Army
of the Potomac interposed between the enemy
and Washington, and to cover our capital from
attack, it is now Lee who is driven to protect
Richmond, and whose movements are made to
depend on the menaces Of his advancing and
victorious enemy.
Gen. Grant shows himself master OF one Of
the most difficult branches Of military science
that of moving great bodies of troops with rapid.
ity and precision. lie handles this huge army
as If it were brigade His last march is
equally remarkable in another way--the cross
ing and the strategic use of rivers Viewed as
impediments to the movement of his army, Gen.
Grant has utterly disrcgarded the North Anna
and the Pamtnkey, while at the same time he
has made both of them serve as a complete pro-
lection to Lis own flank in marching past his
enemy.
Whether Grant originally crossed the North
Anna with view to recrossing it is a question
on which there is no answering evidence nor is
it material. What Is evident is that, having
arrived on its south bank, he found Lee in
position which he did not deem il advisable to
attack, and which he has thereupOn turned with
consummate skill. Every point on Lees old
line of communication with Richmond which he
was deemed likely to defend every point
which afforded obvious and peculiar adj
vantages, is disposed Of The Virginia
Central Railroad. the great North Anna line,
the Junction, the South Anna line, ard finally
Hanover Courthouse, which was position
important in more than one respect, have been
neutralzed and put aside by this last mastery
maneuver. Grant is twenty miles southeast OF
his last position, nine miles nearer Richmond,
counting by distance, and month, measuring
by time. The obstacles which he has sur
mounted by this one march may be reckOned
equivalent to at least so much additional du-
ration Of the campaign.
Hanovertown offers an approach to Richmond
by one turnpike as far as Shady Grove Church.
At that point, seven miles from Richmond, the
road divides, and makes for the Chickahominy
in two branches, so that q column may cross at
either the Meadow Bridge or the Mechanics
ville-the latter being O trine the more direct
or both bridges may be attempted. But since
it is probable that Lee will offer no resistance TO
the advance of Gen. Grant except on the Chick
ahominy, the siege Of Richmond may be
deemed to have begun already, and tho next
gun that is fred in this memorable campaign
will be heard within the defenSes Of the Rebel
capital.
The present advance, moreover, puts new
face on affairs south Of the James, and will en-
able Gen. Butler TO resume the offensive. The
appearance of Gen. Grant south Of the Pamun-