The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-07-01
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.
The War..HOspitals-.P Cos.
sip..Weather, &c.

10 me Editor Of the Pioneer:
since my last more stirring and momentous
"ar movements have been on foot monen.
'ous IN what they foreshadow. though of COM
para'iVe little Importance in themselves. A
rev outposts and intrenchments have been lost
and gained and some rather severe fighting he
tween small bodies of troops has thinned onr
ranks slightly. But it is not the attacks and
the repulses, the marches and countermorobeo
themselves that excite particular attention
only in so much as they seem to be the precnr.
sors of still other bloody fights and to initiate
another long series of hard contested and blood.
stained fields. To the mind that has carefully
weighed the chances of the opposing armies,
and that forms an unbiased and untramelled
judgment, there can be but one final result
the total expulsion of Lees forces from the soil
of Virginia. Whether he will make a stand in
Richmond and make that the last ditch none, not
even the generalissimO can say with certainty;
nor is there any doubt the rebel chieftain will
act and handle his troops with the most con-
summate tact and skill, and that if he wills,
thousands more of the Union army will fall
victims in the same manner as their predeces-
sors-not very pretty picture for one to look
at, but stern facts admit no refutation and have
to be grimly met. The intentions of Grant
now seem to be apparent as a general whole,
His plan of action is shown by his recent move
ments and his present position. Lee will be
forced into Richmond and then starved into
submission or else he sweeps around the CITY
and makes for South Carolina and the adjacent
country.
1t appears that Lee has crossed the James.
and that unless surrender is made, the bonn
bardment will Immediately commence We
may look out for a season of horrors in case he
exhibits the same stubborn resistance and per-
tinacious contesting of every inch of ground.
His forces are in the shape of O semicircle,
Petersburg being the center, with the two
TANKS resting on the AppomattOx river and
our army so close that q cannon shot tum-
bles the chimneys about the ears of the in
habitants like hail in storm. A decisive action
between the forces of the two armies must re-
suit IN but one way, from sheer force OF num-
bers. The rebel army probably has 1875 600
Beauregard, Hoke, Breckenridge and Pick
EFT. They have lost in this campaign
men under the party command of Generals
about 30 600 men. Our own army can muster
from the best of authorities 15Q,OO effective
men in the best of spirits, with splendid sys-
ten of organization and base of never falling
supplies. The result, however, will soon show
the respective skill of the two generals and
test thoroughly the nerve and strength of the
two armies.
Inc following IS q list OF the Minnesota SOL
diers in the Washington hospitals, all of whom,
are sick, and not wounded:
A. Curtis, Campbell Hospital. t.-
Sylvester Salmon, ts.
Randolph Barnes, Oregon Hospital. u
Henry Coon, Lincoln Hospital.
All of the LIST MINI. Sharpshooters. The fol-
lowing are from the Second Minnesota Sharp
shooters: -
@. s. Baker, Emory Hospital. a-
The last named has been lately sent to Phil.
adelphia. ~.
Fully 100 deaths occur every day among the
sufferers, and at every hour one meets the sad
corteges, with their precious burthens shroud-
ed in the stars and stripes. A company of the
Invalid Corps has been detailed for the bury
ing and funeral honors of the deceased
The vacancy created by the resignation of
Hon. John j. Cisco, Sub Treasurer at New
York. will probably be filled by the Hon. NJ
B. Field, Second Assistant Secretary of the
Treasury-a gentleman whose financial ex-
perience and skill has given him widespread
reputation among the capitalists OF the day,
and whose character for probity and integrity
justly entities him 10 an Office relnunerative
while responsible.
The 10-40 loan does not progress very favor
ably for the present, but the failure will prob.
ably be sustained by the new $75 600, 600.
The weather is warm and pleasant, though
beginning to remind one of coming summer,
Then rush for the country.