Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-06-13
BUFFERS OPERATIONS .wHAT WERE HIS
TRUOTI0NS

A semi-oical letter in tie New York Tribune, writ
ten from Buffers headquarters, gives come importan
news of the operations the South Side. The CORES
poa6ent says that the instructions given to Gen. Bute
for the guidance OF the movement up James River were
10 substance: 500
Is. To land at point above Fort Powhatan srd
march to City Point, above, 10 as 10 secure base
for supplies on James river.
q. To demonstrate towards Richmond, and. II po :
sibls, destroy the Petersburg and Richmond Railroad
bu. do nothing that would erdanger his ton
the river. t...t. ....-l.-
l; ives uud .rstood that when lacdipg had been et
fected and the force should be ready to move forward
renorcemenls to be sent to enable Gen. ButsrtC
push strongly towards camond 3
The corr6 5ondent thea proc ,eds 10 show what ha
been done. He says:
Gen. Butler gathered an expedition Of thirty TO forty
thousand men at yorktown and Gloucester Point The
expedition was admirably fitted GU and ready to move
promptly at the specified tins. The rebels, throut b
the devices Of Gen. Butler, were completely blindeias
to the dest nation Of the force --t
This army was moved distance Of one hundred az d
forty miles aud ten thousand of the troops laEded If
d. Of tWenty-four hours Posss sion was taken 81
Wilson's wharf on the north acd Fort Powhaan The
south bank of the James River; and then ,neral But
Ter boldly pushed for City Point and Bermuda Hundred
in his transports, at each of which places he lsnded
without opposition. He had thus secured new base
of fuppes and the work of fortiiyng the line a.
once commenced Reconnaissance we're at once sent
out to ascertain the force of Cue enemy aud for the
tIt twelve days there more less fighting ~
day. The occupation OF this line and the continue
fighting kept force of thirty thousand men busiy en-
poyed The destruction oil the railroad was 80 com,
pete that for twenty days no trains ran over the
road Il part of the original FL that junction
be Effected bet Grant and Butler with this
place 3 base OF supplies.
The stubborn resistance OF Lee prolonged GIN Granite
campaign from tea TO tseuty-siK days aud also pre-
vented Gen. Butler from receiving endorsements eft
a. Point Lookout which, in the exgercies Of toe
we're TO the army of The Potomac. General Bu.-
Ter was dete rmined keep Bsauregaids forcs busy,
and in his eagerness he made the a. before bis de-
fensive works had been completed. The deteation Ut
Grant information OF which sent to Gen Butler
while he was before tho defsnces OF Richmond, and Il 0
Strength of those deences rendered 1t imperative tina;
the troops should return and make strong bis origin
posiio1 that in should that be lost l. beI
important to hold bia place future base of supplies.
The statement that General Gilmore had advised In
rencbng Union forces In front OF The deences OF Fort
airing il contradi,ed by letter from that ocsr, in
VII CHI he says he only did advise, but THAI IN bis
opinion, il no place for intrenching.
After his return, Gen. Butler worked bis men night
aud day on the deences until in toe opinion of his en-
gineers his position sui:i ly strong TO be held ~
a reduced Oree, m a 10 or ate IN bile lu nm Ut
txsity Oh aud nen Tor fen i've op Ta'ioIs against
P4ur z. At ie tho Ia ter ang m-nt was
C, mpesei ori,rs Nere recy v d firm w "a TN 10
sebd tytIy abl, m leev NJ u fc en-. col ,hB
1e, - cue va te Has, ulI g 5 % tn es'a1lsh
iLeg bi.e Iaipi N Bu Ter, ashouga re D.
bis io.tu,n lad 20 oss The Appoint OK and { q
troop, were TO march that night upon 70 rs5urS o
ono, decided to hold the line with the lame ia
halls and send forSard all that possibly could be spar,
to aid Gfaht. Toe facts that GsR Butler had folly
carried Gu; bis part of the plan and doue ell tht
he could TO annoy, tarrass aad employ the rocpi in
'front.' of him. He has also sent more renforcements II
Grant than Beauegard has to Lee and has pas at lea
ten thousand of the enemy horse de combat