White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1864-05-12
General Gr.ns.s Work.
(Frsm the Cincinnati Commercially

From the Cincinnati Commercially
Reports from the Eastern armies are
highly favorable in all respects. The
winter has been well employed in recruit
ing and reorganization. Since General
Grant took the command in chief, his at
tention has been constantly given to the
Army of the. Potomac. and he has rs-
lieved it Of horde Of civilian followers
snd vsss quantity of superluoas bag,
gage. The object is to give the army Of
the East the mobility that has specially
Western troops. The bus
mess Of covering, Washington. yhieh hss
been so fatal an embarrassment to the
com N anders of the Potomac army. is
likely to be made incidental rather than
primary in the coming campaign. and it
t6s old rebel strategy Of rushing down
the Shenandoah Valley. should be re-
pested. it 10 tolerably safe to predict that
an Old fashioned alarm will not come of it.
It is imatter Of public notoriety that
Gen. Grant 10 not concentrating his whole
force in front Of Lees position on the
Rspidsn. but that an on to Richmond
sdvsnce. having its base somewhere in
General Butler's department, and proba-
bly, south of James River, is . part Of the
programme. r.. ...--;.-. ..-..,..f..-,s /
The rebel efforts to rsposssss the po-
sitions we. hold on the coast Of North
Carolins. Indicate that they perceive Sc
rious danger in that quarter. Lee would
not spare soms heavy divisions of his
troops ID that district at this critical time.
if be were not apptehepsiye that the rail
road communication Of Richmond with
the South were threatened. i-'.r.-t
Since We have had control OF the wa
ters of Virginia, it has seemed to rs clear
enough that the most feasible plan for
taking Richmond was to make our bass
of operations against that city on the
nearest navigable water that we hold to
that place. The most populoGs and best
cultivated district Of Virginia is south Of
the james river, and this region is inter
sected by excellent turnpike roads. An
advance south of the james would take
Richmond in the rear. and If the enemy
were driven from their capital by such q
movement. with others in cooperation.
they would not use their main railroad in
the removal of their stores. but would be
compelled to retreat westward. aud the
value of the prize would be increased.
There is reason to believe that General
Grant is not insensible to the importance
Of these considerations. and that he has
made bis plans accordingly. The public
are keenly alive to the weight Of the con-
centration Of troops. and look with deep
distrust upon anything that resembles the
scstterstion policy. So the general difiu-
sions Of the information that Gen. Grant
is dividing his forces, has shaken the
faith Of some people in his success. But
if we understand it. he presumes that his
force is nearly or quite twice as large as
that of the enemy. and be can SO time his
movements as to constrsin Lee to divide
his forces also. -
The line Of the Rspidan has been for.
tilted by General Lee with great assiduity.
and is Of immense strength. The country
is full Of swamps and thickets, and is
broken and wooded, so as to give small
force. acting on the defensive, decided ad.
vantages. Then Lee has unquestionably
q very powerful army, and would. thsre
fore, be justified in assuming. with some
his ability to hold his line
against the assaults of superior numbers,
if they were made directly in front. 1t
seems necessary, therefore. to turn his po-
sition. and If the msin body Of the army
under Grant can be 90 disposed as to
give Lee ample employment in watching
the Rapidan, and have an additional force
sufficient to move on Richmond south of
the Jsmes. and perhaps as preliminary
take the important city of Petersburg. it
would seem preferable to hazarding anoth-
sr Fredericksburg affair. The moment
that Richmond or the railroad below it
is seriously menaced, Lees position on
The RapidsD becomes ticklisb, and be
must fall back, and if he is not wiser than
Pemberton. hs may discover at last in
The Notifications Of RichmQpd-Ano.her
Vicksburg trap. 80. -, -
II Lee persists in remaining on the Rap.
dan. and divides his forces. the Army Of
The Potomac. stripped as it is for rapid
marches. and guided BY the msn who
iandlsd the troops in Mississippi last
,um mei. will End way through some
pass or unguarded ford, to the
lank Of the famous rebel army Of North.
'In Virgins. and ndfeSf feSfs q battle iSo9 on fair
81 '7'n lnn''s 's.i Ina .aai adi iiei, OF is7io>.;