The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-06-11

WASHINGTON, June 3-Mr. Swinton, the
correspondent Of the New York Times,
sends the following report to that paper to-
night:
HEADQUARTERS ARMY Potomac
In the field, near Hanover Town, Va,
Tuesday, May 81.
BY one of those odd condolences OF
which the history Of the Virginia campaign
is SO full, General Grants headquarters are
this morning at the very point which form
ed the extreme right wing of the Army OF
the Potomac in the peninsular campaign
two years ago. Howe's Shop, near which
we now are, four or five miles southwest
of Hanover Court House, was then occupied
by the 9Th regular cavalry, as an outpost,
and it was here just two years ago, that
Stuart, moving from Hanover Court
House, to make raid around Mcclellan g
lines, struck our right flank.
Draw a line of five or SIX miles inlength,
from the Pamunky near Hanover Court
House, where our right now rests, almost
due south to the Tot0patomoy Creek, three
miles south of Hanoverton, and you will
have our line of battle as it now stands
Five miles west Of our line runs the famous
stream Chick ahominy. Along that river.
in front of, and covering that of the Vir-
ginia Central railroad, from Atle's Station
to Shady Grove, five miles north Of Rich
mOnd, the rebel front is formed midway
in the interval that divides these two points.
The skirmish lines of the two armies meet,
and to our ears the morning air brings the
crackle of musketry, like the spattering of
q caldron, while now and then comes the
boom Of guns, whose reverberations are
easily heard in the capital of rebellion.
Gaines Mills and Mechanicsville are
within an hour ride. Fair Oaks you can
reach in q two hours stroll. Richmond is
ten miles off. 1t il there that history re-
peats ITSELF The present position of this
army is the result of that fine turning
movement, which, commencing on Thurs
day last, in two days planted our corps
across the Pamunky river, rendered use-
Anna, and secured rs communication with
York River, the Chesapeake, and the am
ple resources which those waters float. OF
this movement have sent you such re-
ports rs it has been possible to send with
such unfreqnent opportunities of commu-
nication as are offered.
It appears to be conceived that this move
ment 10 understood to be q following up of
the enemy. who is supposed to have fallen
back from his lines between the North and
South Anna-x conception which does in
Justice to the generalship Of our c0mman-
der. It was not Lee but Grant that took
the initiative. Lee would gladly have re-
mained in his line along the South Anna,
and would willingly have awaited battle
v00Fes Out W09 1OIVSU OOt O4 MS C0CA ASACN
position just as he was compelled to evac-
uate the lines of Spottsylvania, by an Often
sive movement, threatening his communi-
cations-a movement bold in conception
and mastery in execution. 'Grant," says
the Examiner, of Saturday, the 18th, ''has
definitely declined battle at Hanover juno
ton. Perhaps we should say that his ar
nv has saved him the trouble Of declining
II. It is certain that both armies are NOV
ino.. Two stories have lately prevailed Of
the direction which Grant is going. One
account represented large body Of Yam
KEGS at Negro Foot in the upper part Of
Hanover, but it has not been confirmed and
is unlikely. The more probable statement
line before the Junction to prevent an At
tack from 0en'l Lee, and then returning to
the northern bank Of the North Anna, pas