The New York herald., 1864-09-28
PETERSBURG.
--~~~>~S<~~>~-->~~~s~<~~~-
ACTIVE OPERATIONS LOOKED FOR.
s~>>~~-~,->>O-~~><.>N<N-~<
TIE REBEL ARMY IN MoTIsHs
Disappearance Of the Rebel
Pontoon Trains.
Lees Probable Intention 10 Abandon
the Line Of Tho Appemattox,


mr.. James G. Fitspaerick's Despatch.
CRY Ponr, Va, Sept. 20, 1854
Hon. wm H Seward, Secretary OF state, and Hon. -.
D. washburne Of Illinois, arrived here yesterday morr
Ing from Washington and the guests of General
Grant. 10 company with tho General they visited ihe
front and called General Meade. During tho evening"
the distinguished gentlemen sercnaded by the excel
lent band OF the Fifteenth New York Engineers. they
intend visiting General Butler 20 day
rIe YyrMY.
Farys defeat in the valley produced great
the army Immediately opposed 70 us, and reenItD
OF considerable importance looked for within few
days. That Lee getting ready FOR movement -
very evident During the s, hours OF the past ferv
nights troops the front line could hear the nose and
hum Of trains artillery In molten. To-day will no
doubt develop the full extent and meaning OF those
changes on the part Of the rebels Lee . doubtless
working TO aid Early He stands aabaHt az the prosrecs
OF Sheridans driving Early beyond possibility OF holding
lhs Central road.-,he one leading TO Lyochours from
Richmond-nna thence by contracting biG lines arouDy
Petersburg hopes to be nbe " 1dotach orce sufficient
reinforce and rally tho dehoraiizod army from tho
Shenandoah.
Mr.. Thomas m. Cooks Despatch.
HrApQuARnRs, IESrH Amy CoRps. I
Sept 20, 1864.
Both yesterday the day before have been spent "a
the by General On Saturday he spent
raj hours close conversation with the commander oR
tho Army OF the Potomac To-day he has an interview
with General Butler.
The leave that had bean promised 20 Gene
raj Hancock nysterousy withheld at she last mo-
msnt, which will for his not going North, -
mentioned in late despatch The ssme has been sbd
with General Mott who held bA leave long enough
TO make arrangements for bis journey, when u was sud-
denly revoked These refusals 70 permit. occrs 70 leave
are attributed the results Of General GRANTS visit 70
The front.
nlE GROWING UNEASY.
The movements OF tho enemy are full OF PROMISE Un.
essness Ia manifest In all their operations There W NJ
doub, that they are getting ready for movement *
the precise nature OF which Is yes TO 10 de-
yecped That viii be OF retrsgrade nature there -
question the only doubt being to the distance oa
their proposed retirement In former communcatioo
have maintained that they designed ABANDONING merely
their position "a ,he right and taking up tho norh bank
all that 10 present designed though rapid and
getic ovemsnts on our part may compel them 70 sod
PROBABLE pr.cv ov rns xaxxY.
There is however, infornation of non-o1cal charac
Arpomstof entirely, aud fall back to swim creek the
irst OF their lines befween Petersburg and Richmond.
However strongly the line OF Swift may bs do
Cd can hardly be defensbie posi,ion by nature,
a. nor can be made more mpreSnabe than, tho line oe
nxAsoss FOR IHE ExpEcrKp wnnpsAwAr.
That they can remain In their present position any
that General rsst il conssansy receiving large reo-
forc.mens TINS fact rs stated IN every Northern paper
Iasr ns%ersa am m ,rsnsh on ,ne eoIrsy doe; s ncs
to do IS mold their numbers good. They
compelled % dseud line nearly ten miles In extent,
neeesi'sns The formation o. their troops into 90 thin
lines that the liable to be broken at amy point They
must shorten up. This is the rst for their
templaed retreat Sext, the country they now hold ~
nearly swept Of ts timber leaving thein nothing out VI
which to construct wscr quarters for their men, roads
ior trans ortstion Of supplies fuel for cooking pur-
poses Their eaforced economical of wood bas nj
ready given for trouble the last point and much
grumblng Is INDUCED in b. thor mon In consequence.
The cold ni9hts having develop tho nccessNv
of wood for fuel they have shelter tent IN
longer comfortable abode for colder As tho timber
and WOOD required capnet pe 70 largo army,
sss army must necessarily remove 10 tho region where
abob1ds
REMOVAL o. s-xGI oUSs NORTH Aypon.Irox.
The removal Of ,bcr heavier siege guns from the south
SIDE Of ,oe Appom1to. nc sasiy com pission o. .os
and removal ~ their stcIehOoses IN Ard about Peters
bur2 are all strong evldeces c lbelr Intentions Other
evidences that have been received neal not DO and-
ed TO.
vrg,cr OF YARNS DysEAr.
~ certainly VIII not be necessary 20 refer W the poen'
tisl upoa OF Lees army the dis
ccmhture and reut Of Early will cRect Lee mus send
troops Eriy AID him in eludlng, with any fragment
of his command. tho vigorous pufsut 0 Sher'dan.
should - send away single brigade snd sn attemfs
to maintain hts present line he result would 30 DER.
tanly fatal 10 him Hc must opTact. fne qnesflon OF
supplies a q him but, like drewntnG
clut hing straw, lee cul ches ~ every chance
He de- end the Weldon road Already II - useiesa
10 him. therefore dcierd II longer waste Of tmo
ard men ue stili reach Dsnvlle even " he falB
back. by The Rchmond and plnvlle road. whe ho has
roads 10 LynoLhurg lie hopes by the greater CON
eenirsisOn hs eject by rsing back to be able 10 de-
fnd an OF lines At least he win make the atlcmps
desperation And " he loses aier The Other or
them ne will sl hold 10 Toe lsst FeInaning hope aod
use up his army Ia the defence % Richmond
nr. John A. Hsady'a DespAtch.
HEADQUARTERS EnrrEssrH ARMY CoRYp,
NEAR PoiSr os Rocks, Va, sept. 20, 1854