Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-04-05
FROM WASHINGTON.
The Evacuation Of Petersburg and Riehnsnd-
Tie Morement Of Grant PrsePitG,sd ~ hsi
Of Lee- Meode's and Sleridsn's O1ecfir,
Points Iris Last Ditch

Of Lee Me0des ana 'SfsrldaH'e O1ecftrc 4
Points Iris Last Ditch
Correspondence ofThe View YORK World
WASHINGTON. March 80.
The movements Of Sheridan and the Army Of |
the Potomac, nov IN progress, may be considered |
20 be somewhat premature. and not in accord /
auee with Grants plan for the spring campaign. |
The combinations of the lieut. enant general had |
not attained the form which would make il ad |
visable to precipitate an engagement with the
rebel army in Virginia, which would be inevita
Die IN case Of a forward movement Of the Army !
Of the Potomac Was made Gen. Stoneman,
commanding the cavalry advance OF Thomas
column, had only. on the 25ih ult., arrived at
Jonesboro, Tennessee. point about one hun
dred miles east OF Knoxville on the Virginia and
Tennessee road, aud was progressing slowly, re
constructing the road a. be proceeded General
Sherman in no condition to cooperate with
forward movement of Meades army. unless
the most extraordinary dispatch bad been en-
ployed in furnishing his troops after their arri-
val at Goldsboro. The most reasonable theory
Is. therefore. that General Lee was detected in
the act Of
TvAoUArING RICHMOND,
and thar General Grant, discovering the fact,
FASTENED bis troops forward in order to, If posi-
BILE, intercept the rebel army before they could
find place Of safety IL will be remembered
that General Meades left had been advanced re
Gently and has acted as an army of observation
upon the maneuyers OF Lees right wing. This
wstcbfulness on the part of General Meade was
annoying 20 Lee under the peculiar circumstan-
ces 10 which he was placed, and hence the attack
upon Fort Stesdman on Saturday last was made
by Lee with the purpose OF distrac,ing the atten
ton of our left from the actual condition Of af
fairs upon Lees right. The latest adyices from
Richmond represent that much valuable material
treasure etc, had been removed from the rebel
capital in anticipation of its evacuation. and
Sheridan's last raid demonstrated the fact that
this removal had been in progress for some time
Ii is reasonable 10 suppose that
LEE, DISCOVERING GENERAL GRANTS PLANS,
by the movement on Stonemsn and Thomas up
on Southwestern Virginia; by the evident deter
mination Of Sherman TO follow Johnston to Dan
vile or intercept him ere he should reach there;
and by the openly ayowed purpose of General
Meade to endeAyor 10 hold the rebel army in the
| deteuses of Richmond until all the meshes of
/ the net should have been woven, determined to
| thwart them by the only means in his power, and
| make a retrogade movement while there was
| vet time in which to do so. The retirement O +
Lee from Richmond appears 20 have been dis
| covered almost Immediately by General Grant,
and. happily just at a time when ell was preDar-
Grant not deceived by the assault of the en-
envy on Saturday last on Fort Steadman, nor did
| it cause him to relax the vigilance of the lett
| wing in the least. General Sheridan was sent
forward into position; the left was reinforced TO
considerable degree; the whole army was so
disposed to be ready for NOV ement at a
moments notice; and steps were taken which
would enable advantage to be obtained from a
retrogade movement OF Lee, which was far more
| Ia tn ha Oh han = -,
| the attack. As the most direct means of inter
ceptng Lee. plans were arranged that when the
| forward movement was made, il should be upon
THE SOUTH SIDE RAILROAD AND BURKrsvILLE
JUNCTION
| \ glance at the map will show that Lees ret
| rogade movement must have employed all the
resources of the South Side and the Richmond
and Danyille roads as far as Burkesville June
ton. forty three miles from the rebel capita
and iorty-two from the eOckade city. While
| General Meade's movement was in progress the
rebel troops were being hurried along the former
road toward Burkesvile junction, which act was
in perfec- accordance with the theory that he was
making a retrogade movement General Sher-
idan's. destination has been openly stated to be
the before mentioned junction. and when all the
facts are considered, may readily conclude
that General Meade's objective point was the
South Side road, and the place within at least
twenty miles distance from Petersburg. The sue
cess OF Meade would place the cockade city in
our possession, and the success of Sheridan would
intercept, or at least retard. the re,rogade move
ment of Lees army until General Meade's col
umns could be precipitated upon it.
rHEHEAvY FIRING IN FRONT OF PETERSBURG,
heard at City Point, may have been an artillery
attack upon the rebel defenses, with view 10
; elicit information respecting the status OF
strength of the rebel army there, and in concord
with the general plan OF Grant. The truth can
not long be concealed, and if the rebel army oil
Lee is really gone from Richmond and Peters
burg, may consider that il is a piece Of STRAIT
egy on the part of Lee into which he was forced
by the superior and overwhelming combinations
OF General Grant. Ii Lee has evacuated his
position, he has gone to take up new one Le.r
Lvnchburg, doubtless intending to hold Danville
and Raleigh as outposts against the advance OF
Sherman, and some new unimportanily consd
cred point west of Burksville against Meade's
: advance. Thus he will proong the war for 6
brief period, but must, in that situation, finally
J succumb We shall doubtless 10 by the evac
uation of Petersburg and Richmond vast guam.
; titles of stores and munitions of war which Lee
cannot, in his hurried and now accelerated move
ment, carry with him or have time to effectually
destroy, and these will, in measure. compen
safe General Grant for bis tireess vigilance anC
the tenacity with which be has conducted III,
siege of those cities
SPECTATOR.