Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1865-02-18
GEN. GRANTS ARMY.
No samcdiate Prospect Of Battle.
Cry PoISr. Va. Feb, II, 1855

1oAday We nave the interesting ueWo
from the font that oil is quiet. Affairs re.
main in statu quo. We hold every inch OF
ground gained in the late advance, and |
Cannot be dislodged. The passage of Hatch.
ers's Run was great victory for us. This |
stream, though not wide, was deep, and if
the enemy had fortified its banks, we could
only have effected passage with great loss
of life and hard fighting That they did
not do so can only be attributed to the
circumstances that they did not expect us
to advance ut this inclement season of the
year. AS it was, our operations were scri-
ously retarded 10y the mud. Still, we ac
complished everything that was anticipated
at the first, and more than many of us an
ticipatcd. Having gone so far, we shall
probably rest on our laurels little while,
till the sun shines brightly out and changes
all the quagmrcs into clouds of dust There
seems to he no immediate prospect of q
battle. The rebels can force us to an en-
gagement whenever they feel so inclined, but
they don't seem to so incline at present,
They cannot drive us from our position or
the left. According to past analogy, they
would naturally endeavor to mass and pierce
our centre, for our line is of immense length,
Their demonstration against our works
opposite Meade Station, on Wednesday,
connoissance having such an object in view;
but whenever they come they will find us
strong enough to meet them. We hold this
important advantage; in lengthening our
line we have not been Compelled to weaken
it materially. There has been no marked
change in the disposition of the rebel army.
They have withdrawn no troops from their
left wing to strengthen their right, which
indicates tha: Richmond will not bc i'm.
| periled to secure Petersburg from danger
| And, in fact, there is not the slightest mill
reason why it should, wLiie there are q
thousand political reasons which will make
the enemy tenacious of their capital to thu
| last.
To day there have been reports atioat thai
tpe 9th Corps was about to return to its ole
camp, but the report has neither sense moi
truth in it.
Yesterday at noon private of the 32d
Maine Regiment was executed by shooting
for the usual crime, desertion. The cere
mony took place at Hancock Station and
according to military etiquette, there was 9
grand display and countermarchng of regi
ments, with gaily -tiuttering pennants, upor
the occasion. The wretched man had de
serted from his regiment some six month
ago, preferring to abandon the joys anC
sorrows Of a soldiers life, for the sake o
burning partisan revenge" For six months
he has kept himself out of our lines, livin!
in caves and deserted bomb proofs, an,
foraging for sustenance upon the hen roost
and corn CRIBS of adjacent rebel farms. Blu
the keen breath Of winter drove him fortl
from his burrow, and lie came back q fey
weeks ago and gave himself into the hand
of justice His execution was identical il
all respects with others that have takei
place and been described in these dispatches
and detailed account would have no iu,cY
est for your readers.
CRY POINT, Va, Feb. 12, 1865.
From the reports of dcserters, and fron
other sources Of information equally reliable
it would seem that General Lee is contem
plating an attack on our centre, and is max
ing, or has made, the necessary dispositions
for such movement. i wrote you yester
day tkat if the enemy venturcd any otferrsiv
movement at all, it would be most likely dl
rected towards the centre of our lines. Th'
temptation TO make the effort is very great
for, with our lines at present So extended
the centre would naturally seem to be til
weakest point, and Il the enemy could gail
any advantage here he might claim deci
sive victory. We know from eXpericnc
tnat it is q fayolita species of tactics wit
Lee TO mass upon Onr centre, and endeayo
to pierce it. In the present campaign, thi
seems to be the only plan of operations IT
naming 10 the rebel commander. Th
Army OF the Potomac can no longer be lanh
eu, ana II II l. ~ np disiUaed ii only h
by cutting it il two.
Accordingly, Lee is reported to be mas;
ing all his available troops around Peter.
burg, with the view Of making an attacs
The scream Of the locomotive whistles o
the Southside road can be distinctly heart
in our camps, and they have made the nigh
unusually hideous Of late. There is eviden.
: ly something astir. 1t is accepted here as
certainty that the enemy will speedily al
tack Us, and, likely enough, the point {
: attack may be somewhere in the vicinity G
Mcades Station, where the late teigned as
sault was made.
; Such an enterprise may seem rather boil
and hazardous for the rebel army, but Lc
is IN a critical position, and much have som
such desperate push before long, unless h
designs to eyacue Petersburg. Whateve
his designs he WI discover that they hay
been anticipated and prepared for.