Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-06-02
THE GRAN ca PAIG<.
The Enemy not Hetreating tn Rich
mOud-ssee 10 Assume the offensive
-the Dcfenscs Of the south Anna
what the Rebels think about sup
plies.
BALTIMORE, May q, 1864.

BALTIMORE, May q 1864.
TOPOGRAPHY OF LEES LINE OF OPERATIONS.
from the sources indicated in my last letter
have derived the following information. | send
inclosed "a Typographical sketch of the country
which is now the scene of Gen. Lees operations
living Immediately TO the north and west of
Richmond. 1t is to be noticed that Hanover
Junction sometimes, but enormously called
Saxton's Junction. is between the North and
South Anna rivers, and comparatively near their
junction, where they form the Pamunkey. Some
confusion OF ideas has doubtless arisen from the
fact that Hanover Junction has been marked on
many maps as lying east of the North Anna, and
the two railroads running north from Richmond
as crossing the Pamunkey below the mouth of
the South Anna. Whereas, it will be seen by
the sketch nclosed, both the railroads cross the
South Anna at points three miles apart, and five
miles below Hanover junction, the latter point
being about two miles southwest of the n orth
Anna. Another point 10 be noticed relates to
the principal roads leading from Richmond to
Lees present position, which are also laid down
in this sketch. The distance by these roads
from Richmond to Lees present position, north
of the South Anna river, is in one case twenty
in the other thirty miles
GENERAL NOT RETREATING TO RICHMOND.
1t need not be ed, however, that, be-
cause General Lee is so near TO Richmond, he IS
falling back TO the defenses of that city. What
ever may be the event of the maDeuvers of the
next few days, General Lees army will not re-
treat to Richmond, nor will the army under his
immediate command take any part in the imme-
date defense OF the rebel capital. Allow me, on
this point, to refer you 10 the last two paragraphs
of my letter of May, and also to my last letter
The tenor of my information now is, that Gen
Loo has no off be AM
troops, and that he will remain where he is nos
either until Gen. Grant advances TO attack him,
or until he moves our army TO Hanover Court
House, with the view OF again flankng Lee and
approaching still nearer TO Richmond For one
OF these two things Gen. Grant must do. The
position at present occupied by Gen Lees army
is characterized by Secretary Stanton himself as
a strong one and such il undoubtedly is 1t is a
position which the practical eye of the rebel Gen
eral selected months ago, "a one of those on
which he would be compelled to fall back before
the advance of some Northern army, and which
he would not have halted ON now if it did not
possess advantages of which he intends to avail
himself.
REBEL VIEW or THE SUPPLY QUESTION.
But it is said that Gen. Lee does not believe
that Grant will attack him on the South Anna
but WILL instead, move bis army to Hanover G.
H., south of the Pamunkey, and so, by thanking
him, approach Richmond from the north. Gen.
Lee believes that the Union commander will be
forced To do this from the question OF supplies
alone. Even in ITS present position, say at Ches-
terrified, north of the North Anna river, the mode
of supplying the army with food. &c. is attend
ed with great difficulty and danger The
distance from that point to Belle PLAIN. or even
to Fredericksburg. Is thirty miles If our army
follows Lee to his line on the South Auna, it will
be infinitely worse The distance from our
base of supplies will then be forty miles, entirely
through hostile country, atfOrding every OpDOr-
tunity for the interrogation and capture of sup
ply trains.
Gen. Lee believes that these considerations will
lead Gen. Grant seek at Hanover, some
pOint few miles below that, GU tue PamunkeY
water base for his supplies, which, il he sue
ceeds in gaining, will enable him receive them
with expedition and absolute safety, and to oper-
ate against Richmond Oh the very line adopted
by Mcclellan in 1862.
An examination OF a good military map will
show that this course of reasoning is based upon
military principles
GENERAL LEE TO ASSUME THE OFFENSIVE.
In case this line of operations is adopted by
Gen. Grant, ii Is understood to be Gen. Lees in
tention 10 assAil the Union army either in flank
or rear, either at Hanover at some poin; be.
tween there and the Chickahominy. 1t might
be expected. of course, that if Gen. Grant adopts
this line ct operations, he will do expecting to
be joined at some point north or east of Rich
mond. by the forces under Generals Smith and
Gilmore, now south OF the james river, But it
Is said that Gen. Lee has anticipated this, and
prevented it. 1t is said that ever since Buffers
defeat and retreat on the 10th inst. Gen. Beaure-
gard has pressed him so hard that all he can DO
Is to act on the defensive He Is safe, TO bs
sure. But Butler was not exactly sent with
1000 men to attack Richmond from the South,
merely in order that he might get into safe
position. He was sent to do something which
he has failed TO do. This is beginning 10 leak
out now, even in the radical papers But when
1t becomes fully known how absurdly Butler has
acted, ami how he has thwarted all the good that
Gen. Smith and Gen. Gilmore would have &C
complished but Tor him, it will be amazing even
it tins Administration continues him IN COM
mand day longer
RIAL SIZE or LEE Army.
Since Lee commenced falling back from the
line of the 70, there has been growing DISPOSE
ton in certain quarters 10 underrate his numeri-
cal strength Ii is even stated how that Meade
gives il as his opinion that Lee has not over 49,,
900 men, and that Grant says that Lee has not
more than 30 900 men The same people who
give currency 10 these statements are the ones
who religiousy believe shat Lee l. flying pell
NELL across the South Ann and that Richmond
is being evacuated People. however, who really
desire TO know the truth, remember that the
rebels. with only 30 .00O troops, could never have
kept Grants immense force At bay Oh the line OF
the Pc for eleven days in succession. They re
member, also, that, strengthened by his recent
reinforcements Grant has enough men at MS
back now to brush 50 900 rebels out OF bis path
with ease: and he would not halt now. while Mr..
Stanton talks about the ''strong position oil the
rebels, if there were no more than 9e,VVOot 'hem'
No; the fact is, as | stated in recent letter.
every corner OF the Confederacy has been ran
sacked and drained to reinforce Lee, and De has
now l25 900 troots The testimony Oh THIS point
IL conclusive.