M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1864-06-30

where the crossing c0nId have been
: mos, readily effected. The stream i
, not perceptibly wider there than Ia
Mecnanicsvile or New Bridge, while
the banks are hrmer and dlier, aAd
, j:here is scarcely any morals or swap
on either side. And the ConfedeI ates
Ilhad made lese preparation to rcRist
Ahe crossing Of Grants s3n! there
than "ther peint.
lfGpn. Grant had been successEul
in the battle OF June 2I--ii he had
forced the Confederate lines west Oi
Coal Uarbor and had advanced to
the Chickahominy by way OF Gains
! Mil. anu attempted 10 cEoss at any
point west Of where Summers upper
bridge was built-he would have
tound the progress Of his army bar.
red by insmmiuntab)e ob5taeles.-
The right bank ofthe Ckickshominy,
as lar down as Sumners lower bridge,
10 hilIy and wooded, aud the trees are
now covered with their den5eet 10
Iliage. So numerous and cIuse toge
thcr arc the rebel forts aud batteries
that the whole OF the right bank Of
stream. from the Brook Run Bridge,
north of Richmond, to Summers
Bridge, nay be said to be strongly
fortified. The stream i'self would
have answered the purpose OF @ vet
ditch. And no troops in the woP'd
could have forced its passage in the
face Of snch hail Of grape shot aud
shranelI as would have poured lnto !
them at point. blank distance, both
from forts and IRON concealed batter |
les The strength Of the line which
Gen Grant found impregnable on the
81 of June was as nothing compared
with the strength Of his line Of works
south Of the Chickahominy. Yet
against these General Grant had fully !
determined to hurl hio gallant men,
if he had succeeded in the affair Of
the third
But this line of works Qko that
north OF the stream) did not extend
below Summers Bridge. From that
point down to the mouth Of White
Oak Creek the ground on the south |
side Of the Chickahominy is fiat and
level, although dry and firm. lfSim
medately after his repuIse on the 81,
Grant had rapidly moved his whole
army from Coal Harbor to Bottom's
Bridge, and had made Il vigorous and
determined effort to throw his whole
army across at that point, he would
have succeeded beyond q doubt
There were sure; but they would
have been no obstacles to u General
who can speak OF 5000 soldiers killed
and wounded in one action as mot a
serious loss" An easy march OF two
miles farther, over hard and smooth
roads, would Lave brought our Amy
to the point where Heinze!Inan and
Keys iutrenchcd their two corps Oh
the 25th of May, 1862.
TIE intrenchment5 are still in per
feet order, and Grants position ou
The south side OF the Chickahomipy
would thus have been rendered abso
Iutely secure for the preacnt This
wouid have been q flank movement, !
by which, for tho first time in his
he would have flDkod
lie would have turned
and rendered utterly useless to thr
U0ntederates, their two long linas OF
works on the Chickahominy. He
would, ,haVe been in precisely the same ,
position that General McQ.ellan's ar.
my occupied after the victory OF
Seven Pinea. Lie would have no
other obstacle Of any kind in bis way
until his army had marched within
fOur miles o! Richmond, when he
would have encountered the outer :
line OF the de!en3es Cf the city. Oo
the very day that Mr.. Lincoln was !
nominated at Baltimore, General
Grant could have summoned tue re- :
bel capitol 10 surrender. II
Bat General Grant did nothing of 7
the kind. All that he did do, may I
here relate. But, elk days alter his ,
defeat at Coal Harbor, he began 10
tear up and destroy the railroad be-
tween White House aud the Pamuu-
Ky. 1t is now said that he is seeking
4 new base on the James River, when |
that base was ready for MIN a month G
ago, when he might have reached it
month ago without the loss OF a man!
Why did he not do sof
This is why: After the adjourn. I
ment of the Baltimore Convention,
and after Mr.. Lincoln had been in.
formed Of bis nomination, a select I
party Of his especial friends were as l
Bembed in a certain room in the ,
w hite House-n0t the one in which
Mr. Lincoln told the preachers that
The was waiting for God to reveal his
will to him." Tue bottle went free.
ly around. Mr.. Lincoln was in "his
bea, vein," and snecdote aud "smui,
"a