Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-05-17
The Hand of Providence.

Be the result Of ne pending struggle for Rehmo' d
WlAs it may few viii deny that up to this time d Q
haod of PrOulenes has beea sgn4ly displayed IN our
favor. Those Wao deny the existence Of any agsncy
not human andsAny fOFes not physical nay il M
choose attrioale all our successes the vlor Of tie
C1nedsaes on the one hand and the ooSaIdee and su
Pidity Of the enemy on the other Bat the POpulIr
faith wall look to a Power higher than human, and Te
are not disposed to question that faith.
Suppose the enemy had pressed his advantages dusi
the GIT after be landed AZ Bermuda Hundreds. We
sell an OPen Sect knoEn 10 every intelligent child IN
the city, when We STATE that in the direction OF Peters
burg AID of Richmond as vel the enemy would have
encountered numbers wholly inadequate to tue task o
hOldirg all the lines Of defence; and if Buffers troos
had shOsn half the courage which Grams men have
displayed in their repeated assaults works near
sposylvana Court house. the eharees were ten 20 cue
stat they would have gained the key OF Richmond.
Suppose Sheridan, after Burning the supplies a:
Beaver DAM had Piled whip asd spur for Richmond, in
. cad OF lettering on the Wsy. Suut, far from being
Ab 70 encounter him the Yellow Tavern, would have
bssn nea.lT day bshild hand. Oar deienoes the
North. we're then much in condition Of these tie
SJuEh-side when B4liy Smith and Gilmore landed near
Oily Point With 10000 picked infantry dsmouet,d
aod eighteen 6sld pieces, and with bthe Of Grants
dash Sheridan could hardly have failed TO enter the
eiy and 10 hold il long enough to d. immense and iIe-
parable damage, TO say nOhDg Of the capture OF the
Presiden:, the Cabinet and Congress.
Suppose Crook and AveIil, Instead Of dividing
their ierees had un.t-d ard marched either way,
upon Lytehbarg or up1n the Sal. Works and Lead
n mes. Who can estimate tie damage thsy WoCli
have inAicttdS As it is, they lave burnt the Mes
RIVER bridgs-an important shueluIe-but they
hlvs let even the Lon WO.ks inta,:. Averili is
dispersed, Cook hal Fetreated hurfsdly, and all the
damage done By IL regiments Of infantry and four
'brigades of cavalry, can be repaired in fow days
Months must eapss before the bridge is rebuilt, bu
within week or ten days ample portage scross the
river can be secured.
Look again to other lines Of eOnpuniel ion. Shei-
dan bad ten thousand 90 the loves: estimate is seven
thousand. If these thousand had expended their
whole strength in destroying the tWO railroads Nieh
they crossed il is certain that they could have III =
Tuoted transportation for an indefinite period. The
same may be ssid of Spears operations on the 70 ds
South cf the James. TIE damage done by his 8 600
m4rauders is rally tr.hng compared to what might
have bear done.
On al Sides zee raids projected en- the granoes'
ole, terminating in almost Insignificant injuries. We
salt works lead mines iron furnaces arsenals coal
prs and her establish Of vital consequences %
the Confederate cause most strangely preserved. /
tie raiders defeated at Dublin, at many other points
they we're drvsa away by mere handialls Of men.--
Our lines Of communication were Oh cut ieH ngits
ago they are now or 80 will be epso and in runpi
Orisr. Works essential to the prosecution Of the war
appeared few days ago be vhin easy grasp Of the.
enemy. Some Why or some how these works kaVe been
wholly untouched or 10 the case or the coal Pis'
Very eighty injured. Was a this done by the band
Of man alone or is the hand Of Providence clio ds-
timely visible2