The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-05-18


vance easily established and maintained, though
yesterday tho market hcavy. Mich cow
steady. veals steady at about previous prices
sheep and lambs were scarce. active and higher Tho
best wool sheep brought 12c. Hogs also higher,
prices ranging from &c. to sZc. The total receipts
6,ols beeves. 100 cows. 40 veas, COST sheep and
lambs, and 12,s77 hogs
The Campnign-G@n oral Grant Complete
Mastcr of the Situation.
While the beleaguered rebels at Richmond
are menaced with the dangers of capture or
famine if they remain there, and know not
which way to fly, their copperhead newspaper
allies of the North are sorely distressed in con-
templating the endless difficulties that lie in
the path of General Grant. They tell us that,
from point to point, General Lee has regular
chain of defences all the way back to Richmond,
and that the Notifications of that city are as
strong as those of Sebastopol But they forget
to tell us that even rebel soldiers, though be-
hind the strongest bulwarks, cannot long main
tain them upon empty stemachs and that the
moment the provisions in the rebel capital are
exhausted and its supplies cut of its formidable
defences become utterly useless and untenable
This is precisely the danger to Richmond,
from which 1t cannot escape; for, unless Gen.
Lee can carry in with bis hungry horde of con-
sumers fresh supply Of subsistence stores, the
addition Of his army to the city's garrison will
only hasten its capitulation. But Richmond IL
bis base of supplies, and what, then, can Gen.
Leo do to save it or to save himself7 A very
brief examination into this matter Of bread
and bacon will serve to show that Gen. Grant
is complete master Of the situation.
The country, for many leagues around Gen.
Lees headquarters to use the pithy expression
Of q member Of the rebel Congress, sis COM
p'etely eaten out" The railway commuuica-
tions and depots Of supplies between Lee and
Richmond have been cut up and destroyed by
Gen. Sheridan. And all this is but an item in
reference to this matter of subsistence to Lees
army. Averill has been making sad havoc of
his depots and bridges in Southwestern Vir-
einia, on the railroad leading to Lynch
burg, and Sigel, no doubt is disposing
OF the scanty surplus stores remaining in the
Shenandoah valley. General Buffers army
has stepped In, and holds the road leading
south from Richmond through Petersburg, and
Kautz's cavalry ere this have cut of the Dam
Vile line Under all these embarrassments,
touching this vital matter of subsistence, how
long can Lee maintain the unequal contest
with General Grant, and how long can Rich
mond hold out' No longer, in either case,
than bis commissary department can supply his
soldiers with at least one scanty meal per day;
but other rebel drawbacks considered, not
quite so long.
General Lee is not only cut OF from his sup
plies outside Of exhausted Virginia, but from
his reinforcements. He cannot even draw upon
Richmond without risking the immediate cap
ture Of the city. His army Of one hundred
thousand effective men ten days ago cannot
now much exceed sixty thousand, while the
army Of General Grant, by achievements
from Washington, as We are informed, has
already repaired its losses in the late battles
The recent heavy rains while temporarily
arresting the advance Of General Grant upon
the enemys works, have been highly ad-
vantageous to him in other respects. The gaps
in his ranks have been filed up, and his
wearied soldiers have been refreshed by q
little rest and abundant supplies Of provisions,
while the army Of Lee, without reinforcements,
and upon its daily reduced rations, becomes
weaker even while standing still.
AT this season in Eastern Virginia q single
day Of sunshine will sufficiently dry up the
sandy soil for military operations, even after q
week Of soaking rains. We may expect, there
fore, from General Grants extraordinary
activity, that with the temperance OF the sun
he will resume the work before him, and that,
should he find the enemy too strongly in
trenched for direct assault he will hit upon
q way, BY fanknp, to bring him out. Mean
time let the government send forward
its reinforcements and supplies without
stint, so that the campaign may not
languish for lack Of either. The men
and the means are at the command Of the ad
ministration for short and decisive work. Let
them be brought into requisiton, and let Pre-
sident Lincoln bear In mind that this golden
opportunity for browning campaign Of victo-
res, II FILTERED away on his part, will surely be
his last
The extraordinary energy Of General Grant
requires something more from the administra-
ton than the extraordinary slowne@ which has
hitherto marked Its support Of our generals In
Virginia Secretary Stanton Is now doing
we'll; but to "make assurance doubly sare,"
now, while the iron Is hot, let President Lin
coin push on bis reinforcemsnts, not forget
ting that We have nfty thousand disciplined mi
litia In the Central States that can b made
ready TO march to Washington upon ten days
notice.
PKnrNo PAPER AND The SrscUrAToRsL-The