Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-06-23
THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.


homny river, with its left wing thrown forward
to MechanicsvilIe, and its right Withdrawn to the
White House on the Pamunkey, the New York
Army and Navy Journal, edited by an accom-
plished military scholar and critic, referred to that
position of the army as follows. We quote from
Its weekly number of June A.:
" Two years and few days ago the battles Of Hanover
Court House and Fair Oaks fought the one few
miles in advance of the right flank Of the present position
of the Army of the Potomac the other the Chcka
homny not far from s present left rear Practically the
Army the Potomac occupies day the same position as
it did just previous to these two engagements any
proof vsrs at this late day needed Of the nDiolatiy 9
those general laws Of military strategy phieh II oas so
much the fashion in the early periods Of this '0ar to decry
It ,Ooud be found the act that campaign occurring
.cithn the comparatively limited sphere of operations
tended eper by the Armies Of the Potomac and Of Northern
Virginia has of necessity taken routes nearly mol pro
cisely similar and tending totoards the sans oeec,Ue
points.
Richmond, the decisive point in all aggressive cam.
paiens in Virginia is once within sight Of the much
enduring much abused but faithful and gallant Army
of the Potomac; army whose fighting record VIII so
down to history unparalleled in ancient and modern
warfare by that misguided but brave foe with whom
for three years it has contended with varying fortune
Twice that period has the Army Of the Potomac had to
dght for the safety of Northern capital upon Northern
soil and noby at Antetam and Gettysburg did it redeem
the trust reposed in it, Once before IN bold onslaught 1t
has threatened the enemy in his leading stronghold and
it retired bsad from the contest showed at Malvern
Hill that though forced to fall back it not yet beaen
though diminished in numbers it's spirit and its bravery
made it still foe not TO be despised.
ave are now entering upon campaign parallel to the
Peninsuar campaign of 1862 series of operations
m,nary in character calculated only to produce that
relative position of both armies which see has just
been completed
The proper aggressive routes against Richmond in the
order of their advantages the route from Bermudk
Landing on the south side Of the James, that from Harri
sons Landing on the north side of the James, and that
from White Heuse on the Pamunkey"
The /" "invioIability of the general laws of mill
tary strategy" as determined by the physical geo.
graphy of country, and to which the editor of
the Army and Navy Journal referred two weeks
ago, has received new illustration from the move
mens that have followed since that date, replacing
the Army of the Potomac on the James river as
the base of the operations from which, by de-
plorabe faulty in our military counsels, it wa,
removed not quite two years ago. Ii the suffer
ings and reverses, the marohings and counter
marchipgs of this brave army, (relicved only by
the victories Of Antetam and Gettysburg during
the interval that has elapsed, had not sufhced to
place in clear light the impolicy ef the decision
by which, in spite of Gen. McClellan's remon-
strapces, the army was withdrawn from Harrison's
Landing in the month of August 1862, we may at
least hope that not partisan prejudice or mill
tary obliquity will be longer permitted to contest
this proposition in the presence of the events that
are now passing before the eyes Of the nation under
the conduct OF Gen. Grant Whether by the in
teligcnt foresight of its present conductor, or
whether it be under the stress of necessity result
ing from the laws of military strategy, certain it
is that the Army Of the Potomac fnds itself to-
day moving against Richmond in the line of direc-
ton from which it was withdrawn two years ago,
because its commander at that period vainly asked
for reinforcement of thirty thousand men.
II win be remembered that, in his letter to Gen.
Halleck, earnestly demonstrating against the re-
moyal of the army from Harrison's Landing on the
James. Gen. Mcclellan wrote as follows:
at may be said that there are no renfOrcements
available. point to Burnsdes forces to that of Pope
not necessary to maintain strict defensive In 'front.' OF
Washington and Harpers Ferry to those portions OF the
Army of the West not required for strict defensive
there Here directly in front Of this army the heart Of
the rebellion; it 10 hers that all should be
collected sirike the blow which will determine the fate
OF the nation. All points Of secondary importance else
where should be abandoned and every available man
brought here; decided victory here, and the military
strength of the rebellion crushed 1t matters not what
partial reverses may meet with eisewhere here Is the
true defence Of Washington is here, me banks Of the
James that the fate Of the Union should bc decided Clear
in nv convictions Of right strong in the consciousness
that have ever beep and stl am acuaed solely by the
love Of my country knowing that no ambitious or selfish
motives have Influenced from the commencement Of
the war; do now what never did 10 my life before-I
entreat that this order may be ressinaed"
We do not see in tee position just rettken by
the Army Of the Potomac any extraordinary tn
butte to the military genius of either Gen Mcclellan
or Gen. Grant, for where the physical conformation
of the country strongly points to tho rivers OF the
Virgins pennsuia as the predestined approaches to
Richmond in any campaign making that capital
the objective point Of attack, it is only matter Of
surprise that their advantages should have been
persistently ignored throughout two long and pain
full years of war, and that, in resuming these ad-
vantages, our present military authorities should