The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1864-05-18
The Campaign As II Is.

Quick and sharp has been the work Of
the Army of the Potomac, and forward
has been the march of every column.
The reader who has followed the sketches
we have made of the possibilities and
probabilities of the campaign, viii rcadi-
ly see how those sketches correspond
with the actual movements We SAID
that I.KE could not defend the line Of the
Rapidan from below Fredericksburg 10
Orange Court House and would not at
tempt II if that line Of attack was the one
adopted He did not because he could
not, except so far as place his pickets 1T
all the foris, On W ednesday, after onr
forces had crossed, one or his couriers
was taken, with dispatch from one of
the officers at the fords, saying: "MsApr
has crossed the Rapidau-what shall We
do w . answered that question in our
first article, Then LES. ifa good general.
had but one thing to do with any chance
Of success, and that was only a ckancc.
lie must meet oar forces ta tie open neil
and be tlctor'otts. Such might give him
an advantage; if not, ii was the end of
the Contcieracy He did march 10
meet Us, and was not victorious
There still, however, remained two
chances more; One, that he might leave
Richmond to its fate, and by marching
along the eastern base of the Blue Ridge,
reach Lynchburg, and protract the war;
for 10 protract 1t with an ultcrior view TO
political ends, is all that is possible.
But ii seems that the moral necessity OF
holding Richmond, or attempting it, has
overcome all military considerations,
and Richmond is To be defended at all
hazards Lsk believes. and justly, that
Ii F,ll. =, A.
stantially conquered, there is an entire
aud immediate end of the confederacy.
Defend Virginia, or Weld entirely, is the
alternative. Accordingly, we find LEK,
tbeatcn thoroughly in Fridays fight
does not retreat toward Gordonsyille, or
along the Blue Ridge, but D.arehss 10 the
-i9Lf, enthusiastically, to reach hanover
Junction on the railroad before GRANT,
and on Sunday morning last was passing
Spottsylvania Court House. which HAN
COCK soon after entered. Here we must
leave thcm-LEE evidently making for
Hanover and Richmond as fast az posi-
hle, and GRANT pursuing him.
Let us now glance at BrrLER's S position,
The accounts do not define his position
very accurately This much is certain.
lie landed with largo force at City
Point below Petersburg, at the mouth
ofthe Appomatox. If he chose he could
march to Petersburg from that point, or,
do better, march between Petersburg
and Richmond, and 10y etfectuaily cutting
the Petersburg Railroad, cut of all the
railroad lines to the South except that
by Danville 1t seems that REAuREGARD
was in Petersburg but unable to prevent
this movement.
In looking at the operations in front
,F pf.1,p,n,,l SO far tive 9tunGfinps arise
Can any misfortune occur to BUTLER by
a sudden attack? And will LEE and the
rebel Government stay in Richmond to
bc besicged If BrrLsR has common
prudence he can hardly be put in any
danger. He has James river full of gun
boats and transports at his back and it
would take a very large army to do him
serious injury. Hence it is that the
west side of James river has, from tho
beginning Of the war, been the proper
mode Of attacking Richmond. VIII LIZ
90 into RichmondE The indications are
that he will and perhaps now he cannot
help it What then II so, it would
seem that Providence has put the bird in
our net. What more could we want
Richmond would be Immediately invested
on all sides, GRANT army would be
doubled and trchled, and the fall Of
Richmond an absolute certainty, and
with that fall. is included the entire sub
jugation Of the rebel Confederacy But
will there he no draw back in this There
NAV be. We all know the chapter Of
accidents is pretty large one, and we
may meet with some rebutfs; but nothing
but the final. and complete victory Of LIE
over GRANT, An Overwhelming defeat 10
Us, would do them, practically, any good.
And here let us say, that the gallant
miiitia-cvery man Of them who goes
forward-wil do As much good as the
most veteran soldier in the field. The
march Of the militia will relieve go, 900
veteran troops who will go forward 20
GRANT and SHERMAN, If necessary. 1t
will relieve the very men who may be
necessary to the siege Of Richmond.
Turn now to the West We find the
Army of the Kanawha in full march, the
advance having reached Princeton. This
point being on south westerly line, III
dicates that they may intend, after do
stroying the Virginia and Tennessee
Railroad, to turn through Abingdon, join
ScHoFIELD, and operate on JOHNSTON ;
right In that event JOHNSTON must
evacuate Atlanta, or be cooped up there
as LIZ would be in Richmond
In looking to the contingencies Of the
case. il i much more likely that LEE will
fight again and have better chances. than
that JOHNSTON will One thing, which
we have endeavored TO set forth, is now
apparent Notwithstanding all their
boasts and brags, the rebel Government
las not been able 10 get anything Ike the nun.
Ter ot they faited cf. The yesouroes If
Tie South are erkdusted and nothing but
miracle can save them. The desperadoes
who took the South into rebellion, have
as little sound intellect as they have
round morals, or honorable feeling
They jumped of a precipice, and must
take the consequences +. u. NJ
May 10, ls64.