The New York herald., 1864-06-06
Oar Armies-The Son thorn "victoraes-
What We Have Done tn Thirty Days.


duration, was very severe one. from the
words used by General Grant in speaking
of it. 1t must have been very hard fight
indeed that could get that very temperate
writer up to ''great fury" With the repulse
of this assault the two forces occupy the
same relative positions that they occupied
before 1t was made, except that the rebel
left was Withdrawn from Burnside's front on
Friday night. What this withdrawal may lead
to it is difficult to say; but it is more than
likely that it was made necessary by some
extension Of Grants line towards the Chick
ahominy. The commander of tho rebel army
cannot afford to be danked again, and espe
cally in his present position.
We have news once more OF lighting on the
James river. On Thursday, at five A. M, an
attempt was made to pierce General Buffers
line by a sudden and impetuous advance,
which, though temporarily successful, was re-
pulsed, after gallant struggle
The late news from General Sherman's army
only tells Of the arrangements in progress for
the further prosecution of his brilliant opera
| tions against Johnston. General Finnegan has
| Joined Jobnston's army with the the troops
| lately in Florida. We give full account, from
our correspondent, Of the battle of New Hope
church, near Dalas-a very severe defeat to
| the enemy, but which, Of course, was claimed
by the rebel papers as great victory.
We ought hardly to be surprised at the per-
sistency with which the Southern papers now
claim that every battle results in Southern
victory Besides the fact that a great deal Of
gaseous expression is natural to all Southern
men, and especially to Southern journalists,
there is reason for this In the present des
perate circumstances of the confederacy.
Southern papers dare not chronicle defeat.
They dare not tell the Southern people that
Southern army has been beaten. Months ago,
when the chances of the confederacy were
better, they dared to tell unpleasant truths as
plainly as Northern journals do, and when
their armies were beaten they said SO. But it
is different now; and the Southern people only
believe in the confederacy in the hour of vic
tory. Hence this insane and continual assur
aace that the Southern armies are victorious,
in the very face of their disastrous retreats.
Within the past month the Southern papers
have announced victory continually ia all
quarters. "Lee," says the Mobile Register, sis
| giving Grant the most complete whipping that
! any general has received during the war;"
| and in the same issue it confidently expects
glorious news from Jobnstons army" Yet at
the very hour when this was written Johnston
had already retreated forty miles, and was still
in retreat, and Lee was making his third des-
perate attempt to get betyeen Grant and Rich
mond. q
1t is now just thirty days since the commence
ment Of the campaign and in that time great
deal has been DONE General Grant crossed the
Rapidan on the 4th Of May, with the city of
Richmond for his objective point. He found
himself in presence OF General Lee with the
disciplined army of Northern Virginia, formed
his line Of battle just south Of the river
I, aud defeated on the 5h and 9th Of May
Lees desperate attempts to break his ad-
vance. Immediately after this victory
| in the Wilderness he recommended his
march for the rebel capital, and has
ever since kept that initiative, and Lee has
been compelled to dance attendance on his
movements through over fifty miles of the ter
ritory Of Virginia. Such an operation inspirits
magniicently the army that has the Initiative.
and it correspondingly dcmoralizes the other.
During these monGuvres battles have been
fought in the Wilderness, at Spottsylvana
Court House, on the North Anna river and at
Coal Harbor. When neither army Is destroyed
by battle the victory is usually claimed by
both and in this series of fights our own army
and the rebel each claim to have beaten the
other in every battle. In such a case it is ne
cessary to find what is the object of battle,
and to see whether or not that is gained in order
to determine who is the victor. Grants object
has been all the time, in marches and in battle
to take his army to Richmond; and that object
he has pursued, and Is pursuing, with the
| stcadiness Of fate Lees object in every battle
] has been to prevent that advance, by destroy
| ing or SO crippling Grants army that he could
| not continue it. 1t is only necessary to state
| thus simply what was the object of each to
show how decisively General Lee has been de-
feated in every battle. Grant began his march
at sixty miles from Richmond, and he is
now within ten Of 1t; and, marching in
storm Of battle all the way, be is apparentlyas
fresh now as hs was at the sta rt.
Moreover, in these great thirty days he has
pretty effectually taken the power of resistance
out OF Lees army. 1t is now, perhaps, the
most cruelty crippled organization that ever
faced an enemy. Lee, the great head and
front Of that army, is gone-compelled to leave
it-sick in Rcbmond-used up with the des-
perate labors and responsibilities Of such q
struggles Longstreet, next in power to Lee, is
| gone; A. p Hill, the last Of the three original
corps commanders-Jackson, Longstreet and
| Hills also sick in Richmond; and Stuart, the
soul Of the rebel cavalry, is mingled with tho