The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-06-10

The Baltimore correspondent of the New
York World, who has occasionally proved
himself remarkably well informed in regard to
fecet movements, in letter dated May 27,
several days before the movement south of the
Pamunkey, says:
The tenor of my information now is, that
Gen. Lee has On the line of the South Anna
one hundred and twenty-five thousand troops,
ang that he will remain where he is now either
until General Grant advances to attack him.
or until he moves our army to Hanover Court
House, with the view of again thanking Lee
and approaching still nearer to Richmond,
For one of these two things Grant must do.
The position at present occupied by Lees
army is characterized by Secretary Stanton
himself as strong one, and such it undoubt-
eddy is. 1t is position which the practical
eye OF the rebel general selected months ago,
as one OF those on which he would be com.
PEELED to fall back before the advance of some
northern army, and which he would not have
halted on now il it did not possess advantages
of which he intends to avail himself.
REBEL VIEW OF THE SUPPLY QUESTION.
1t is said that General Lee does not believe
that Grant will attack him on the South An
M, but will, instead, move his army to Han
mover Court House, 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
Gen. Lee believes that these considerations
will lead Gen. Grant to seek at Hanover or at
some point few miles below that on the Pa
munkey. a water base for his supplies, which,
II ne succeeds in gaining, will enable him to re-
ceive them with expedition aud absolute safety,
and to operate against Richmond on the very
examination of good military map will show
that this course of reasoning is based upon
sound military principles.
GENERAL LEE TO ASSUME THE OFFENSIVE
In case this line of operations is adopted by
General Grant, it Is understood to be General
Lees intention to assail the Union army either
In flank or rear, either at Hanover or at some
point between there and the Chickahominy
1t might be expected, of course, that if Gen,
Grant adopts this line of operations, he will do
SO expecting to be joined at some point north
or east OF Richmond. by toe forces under Gen.
Smith and General Gilmore, now south of the
James River.
REAL SIZE OF GENERAL LEES ARMY.
Since General Lee commenced falling back
from the line of the Pc, there has been grow.
ing disposition in certain quarters to under
rate his numerical strength. It is even stated
now hat General Meade gives it as his opinion
that Lee has not over forty-tve thousand men,
and that General Grant says that Lee has not
more than fifty thousand men. The same
people who give currency to these statements
are the ones who religiously believe that Leo
is hy ing pell-mell across the South Anna. and
that Richmond is being evacuated. People
however, who really desire to know the truth,
remember that the rebels, with only fifty thou
sand troops, could never have kept Grants inn
mense force at bay on the line of tho Pc for
eleven days in succession. They remember,
also, that, strengthened by the recent rein
forcements, Grant has enough men at his back
now to brush fifty thousand rebels out of his
path with ease; and he would not halt now,
while Mr.. Stanton talks about the "strOng DO.
sition OF the rebels, if there were no more
than fifty thousand of them. No: the fact ia.
as stated in recent letter, every corner OF
the confederacy has been ransacked and
drained to reinforce Lee, and he has now one
hundred and twenty-five thousand troops. The
testimony on this point is conclusive.