Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-06-23
Wore about sswhat they think m
Richmond.-
BALTIMORE. June II. 1864
WY GENERAL LIN DID NOT OPPOSE GRANTS MOVE
MEST TO THE JAMES RfyER

have learned some facts 10 day ~hlcn thto"
light upon the question why Gen. Lee
did not attempt to impede or prevent the march
OF our army from the Chickahominy 20 the James
river Il will be seen from these facts tina. Il
was not through Ignorance on his part of Grants
movement: he fully aware OF the actual
progress OF the movement from day 20 day. Nor /
was IL owing 20 the weakness Of his forces. he 1
rebel losses in this entire campaign. as ! have
ascertained from the very best authorities, have 4
not exceeded twenty thousand men Gen. Lee, 4
il must be remembered. has now Longstreets
entire corps with him. and has been reinforced
besides bv troops from South Carolina and North /
Carolina and from the West, under General
Beauregard. General Breckenridge. General
Hoke and General Picket. His actual effective
force can be positively show to amount 70 fully
one hundred and twenty FIVE thousand troops
According 20 what ] have learned to-day, there
was a reason, and good one. Why General Lee
held this large force IN reserve, as u were. and
c0ntented himself with merely watching Gen
Grants march across the Peninsula.
IL must be remembered that Gen. Grants
army TO day Is only just where it might have
been a month ago, without battle, without the
loss OF a man. No opposition would have been
made then. on the part Of Gen. Lee, 70 move
ment OF Gen Grant which would have landed
the Union army at Windmill point. Why then
Richmond BY way of Bermuda Hundred and
Petersburg as open month ago as Grant
finds il now. Beauregard's forces were there, it
is true but they would have only acted a. a mere
corps of observation, aud would have retired 70
the defenses OF the city proper on the approach
of large force, as indeed they did do when
serious attempt was made by Gen. Gilmore to
attack the outer line of the southern defenses of
Richmond, of which Fort Darling is one.
WHY LII OPPOSES GRANTS ADVANCE ONLY FROM
THE NORTH AND EAST.
Every step Of Grants progress toward Rich
| mond from the north or east has been marked by
the stubborn and decided resistance which Lee
| has made TO that advance. Wherever Grant ad-
vanced in whatever direction he turned be found
himself confronted by the full strength Of the
! Confederate army There two lines of con
duct open to Lee when the Federal commander
opened the campaign One was 70 retire with his
army to Richmond at once; the other was To in
fict as much loss upon the Federal army as pos
/ sbe To make the advance Richmond cost Us
"a many of the lives of our soldiers rs possible.
Grant could have brought his army TO the walls
of Richmond. by the proper route, without II
being in Lees power 10 inlure hair OF ms head,
so to speak. But when it was in his power to
cripple him TO the extent of eighty thousand OF
his soldiers, should he not do itl When Lee saw
that the Federal army was making for the james
Il river these considerations ceased have any
weight A hostile army moving on Richmond
from the north will attack that city either from
the North or the east. Ii must be crippled before
il reaches a point from which il can attack the
rebel capital from the east because it is feared
that at that point the defenses are Vulnerable
But no such fear exists in regard to the defense:
on the south side II Grant had forced the pass
age of the Chckahominy at Bottoms bridge. he
would have found the whole strength OF the rebe
army waiting at Seven Pines to receive him
There the boodiest battle of the would have
been fought For there the ground is open anC
level, the soil is firm, and large masses OF rebe
troops would have been hurled on our advancing
columns.
GRANTS HARD WORK JUST BEGUN
Grant has avoided that bloody conflict. but HI
has gone where he will have to engage in NOR,
than one battle, equally as sangunary II is oh
,ervablc that no portion of the army, excep
} Smiths corps. crossed James river above the Ap
pomattox. The four corps composing the army
proper crossed a considerable distance below llar
, rison's Landing.
REBEL ACCOUNT on TIM MoyLMENr TO ruE JAMIE
RIVER
The account of General Grants movement t.
the James river which prevails at RchmonC
states that Il had been aScCrtanod that Il wa
not General Grants design TO cross the river a
all, or, at least, not until he had attempted {,
reach the city by the Central and New Marke
roads leading into Richmond from the direction
of Malvern Hill II is claimed by the rebel au
thorties that after moving across the Chicka
hominy General Grant did not move at once To
wards the James river. but caused u recOnnols
sance in force to be made from the Long Bridg
towards the Quaker road, aud that smart Skin
mish took place on the 18th of June near th
; point where the Charles City road intersect
the Quaker road, about mile or TWO south @
the White Oak bridge cover the White Gal
, creek They claim further, that that recon
, noissance disclosed TO Grant the fact that th
rebel forces held not only the Quaker road, bu
also all the other roads south of the White OaI
I swamp by which Richmond could be reaches
from the southeast and that 1t was not until h
. had convinced himself that he could not reac
Richmond by those routes without series q
battles. in which the rebels would have all th
advantage OF position. that he turned the head
r of bis columns toward wilcoxs wharf.
POSITION or rnE REBEL ARMY DURING THE MOVE
MEST
= II this is not all true, there is certainly som
: truth in It, IL is certainly true that General lie
knew that il was Grants intention to move To tn
James river as early as June 10; that by the lit
Y all the forces had been withdrawn To the sout
t side of the Chickahomuy; and that on the l2t
the position of the rebel army was "a follow:
The whole army facing toward the east; the lei
! wing holding the newly erected fertilization o
the south of the Chickahominy, near Bottom
E bridge the main body holding tho White Ga
Swamp roads: General Hills corps forming tn
} right wing holding the Quaker road and IA
head of the Charles City road, with his cayar
thrown out 10 the south toward Malvern Hill.
WHY GENERAL LEE ASSUMED THIS POSITION.
If General Grant did make any RECONNAISSANCE
on the 18th or l4th that was the position
which he found General Lees army. II my II
= formation in regard TO the great strength OF On
rebel works on the south side OF the James rave
be correct, as | believe it TO be. and II the reoe
! succeed in their plan for the defense OF the Dan
vile railroad, as there is reason to believe the
will. then il will be apparent that it would hav
: been better for General Grant to have moved q
: rectly on Richmond from the Long bridge an
:. the Quaker road
! That was certainly what Gen. Lee feared th'
he would DO, and what he was endeavoring
prevent. True a terrible battle would have Ell
: sued. But it Is equally true that Gen. Lee wa
u apprehensive of the result.
: From all that l learn it l. pretty evidet
r that il Grant had attacked Hills corps at th
= head of the Quaker road. the 18th. and ha
e vigorously pressed tue attack till he had bf0ugt
on general engagement the whole rebel arm
$ might have been defeated. aud. il there were n
c further obstacles. Grant might now be m Ricl