Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-08-11

enduring much abused but faithful and gallant Army
OF the Potomac army whose fighting record will 60
down to history unparalleled in ancient and modern
warfare by that misguided but brave foe with whom
for three years it has contended with varying fortune
Twice in that period has the Army of the Potomac had to
light for the safety of Northern capital upon Northern
SOIL and noby at Antetam and Gettysburg did redeem
the trust reposed in it, Once before in bold onslaught it
has threatened the enemy his leading stronghold and If
it retired baied from the contest it showed Malvern
Hill that though forced to fall back it was not yet beaten
though diminished in numbers its spirit aud its bravery
made it still foe not to be despised
I'VE are now entering upon campaign parallel to the
Peninsula campaign of 1862 series OF operations pre-,
imnay n character and calculated only to produce that
relative position of both armies which now see has Just
been completed.
The proper aggressive routes against Richmond in the
order Of their advantages the route from Bermuda
Landing, the south side Of the James that from Harr
sons Landing the north side of the James and that
from White House on the Pamunkey"
On Tuesday, the 3lst Of May, there was desul-
tory firing along the whole line of both armies, but
no serious fighting
On Wednesday, the lst of June, the struggle
was renewed in earnest The Eighteenth Corps
charged the enemy's works in their front on the
left, taking the first line of his riAepis and cap
turing six hundred prisoners. Our loss was con-
siderable, amounting to over two thousand in killed
and wounded. Towards evening rally was made
by the enemy in determined attack on our whole
line, but the attack was repused with severe loss
Our own loss at that time was set down at about
one thousand men. On the whcle we had gained
BY the days struggle, holding, as we did, Cold
Harbor on the left, position of some Importance
with reference to the passage of the Chickahominy
aud the retention Of our base of supplies at White
House.
On Wednesday night it was determined to follow
up the occupation of Cold Harbor by an attempt to
push the enemy across the Chickahominy, and dis
positions were taken with view to this object.
On Friday, the Sd of June, began the momen-
tous assault that was to decide the fate of this
movement. Our line, we'll massed and compact,
moved as follows from right to left: Burnside,
Warren, Smith, Wright, and Hancock, reaching
from Tolopotomy creek to the road from Cold Har-
Dor to the Chickahominy. The assault was furi-
ously and gallanty made by troops at all points,
but it failed in its object. Our loss was grievous
amounting to at le,s. six or seven thousand men.
The battle of Friday had disappointed the san
gune hopes of our Generals to effect crossing of
the Chickahominy at this point. But our army
proceeded to entrench itself in its position and on
the following day repulsed with severe loss Wig
orous onset of the enemy.
On Sunday, Monday and Tuesday following the
two armies stood at bay-each holding the Other
in grapple at close quarters. The hostile lines
were separated by distances varying from fifty TO
two hundred yards.
The two armies remained in this position for
several successive days, until at length the prcp,-
ratons OF Gen. Grant were peted for the tran,-
fer of the operations to new line by change of
base to the Jane, river On the night of Sun
day, June 18th, the army began ita march, and
the movement was SO noiselessly effected that the
enemy seems to have been entirely surprised by it.
1t is certain that he did little or nothing to i'm
pede It's execution.
On Monday evening the advance had reached
Wilcox's Landing, on the James, and before noon
Of Tuesday, the l4th of June, our forces were all
up, and the Army Of the Potomac was transferred
On the 1lth of May, after SIX days of heavy
fighting on the overland route, Gen Grant had
written to the Secretary Of War, al propose to fight
it out on this line if it takes all summer" On the
18th of June, just month afterwards, and when
the summer was only two weeks old, he had turned
his back on this line, and the Army Of the Po-
tomac, at least what remained Of its original number
on the day when it took up the bloody march
across the country from Fredericksburg, was set
down by its commander on the banks of that river
from which it was removed by Gen. Halleck in the
summer of 1862, and where it might have been
replaced by Gen. Grant long before the 18th OF
June in the present summer, and that too without
tho lo0s Of man, if he had chosen to convey 1t
there in transport, instead Of marching overland
whero every foot Of its progress was marked with
precious blood-the blood of trained and brave
and skillfu veterans.
Full in the sight of this fact 1t becomes our
duty, at this stage of our review, to inquire into
the considerations which can be supposed to have
influenced the mind Of Gen. Grant to adont tha
overland line of advance against Richmond. We
have heard of but three assigned in defence
of his determination.
One is that it was taken in deferenco to the
opiuion of the President in favor &c A.