Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-03-30
RICHMOND WING.
Thursday EOrainG, March 30, 1858.

FAILURE attends Grant, in al his plans and
4 enterprises, like a fatality. Il is now year.
lacking only some five or SIX weeks, since he set
ont from Culpeper for the immediate capture Of
Richmond, BY direct march, which was 70 bring
him on the city from above, On both sides OF the
river. The plan has been fully disclosed by But
kr, the Beast, since his removal from command.
Its failure was thorough, signal and most disas
trous. over a hundred thousand mea were lost In
the enteav0r. Grant was not allowed 20 approach
she city at all from the direction he had planned,
but was hurled around to the opposite point, where
ever since lie has lain covering behind breast
works, except when, tempted by the hope Cf finding
our men of their guard, he has made some sudden
snd bold push, only to result in renewed mischance
snd calamity. Such his attempt on the city
bv way OF Fort Harrison, on Petersburg and Gen.
Lees lines by means Of the mine, and on the
sSouth-Sidc Railroad, when checked a, Hatcher'S
.Rsa. II every plan he has devised aud in every
movement hs has attempted since his elevation to
the command 81 all the Yankee armies, lie has been
g balRed -nd made 70 suffer. Hunters march on
LynchJurg, rendered necessary by the failure Of
the main army TO reach this city, was equally un-
successful and prcportonately costly. So Of all
the supplementary ana strategic movements FROM
al directions, that he has undertaken with the hope
ct retrieving tie grand failure OF the immense
army with which he set out from the Rapidan
They have al come 70 uought, except one still in
progress, 10 which we viii refer more particularly
presently ANA vhich seems IN a fair way to be
defeated.
The latest failure is that of Sheridan. The work
given him to 10 was to prepare with all secresy
i'll.
expedition mp the Valley, across the mountain, and
on Lynchburg, before il would he possible tor Gen.
Lee to send thither force sufficient for the de-
fence Of the place, which, il was assumed, was
otherwise uudetcnded. We know that this was the
plan, from the character OF the movement as de-
TelVpct ia It's progress, well from the outgv-
ings OF Yankee correspondents and editors-and
we know il stin more certainly from indubitable
private information rs 10 what Grant hmsell de.
Clarcd before he knew that Sheridan had failed to
reach Lyuchburg. There was period Of time
when Grant felt entirely certain that Sheridan held
that city. lie did not embrace in his calculation
any thought OF how easy il was for Providence to
defeat the hcSt-laid plans Of man. The immense
rains TIA; commenced falling about the time Sher-
dan crossed the Bue Ridge rendering the streams
nnfordable and The roads almost impossible, so de-
llyed him, that he took it for granted Lynchburg
was ready Tor isn, and did not venture TO within
nearer than fifteen miles. His next effort to
cross the river below, aud get over on the South
side Rad pinville roads but this, too, miScarred,
The bridge having been burned and the river being
To- FUN fur his pontoonS. Nothing remained for
han but To- make his way as best lie might to
Grants lines, a disappointed and baiied man, 10
tell his tale OF failure 70 Grant still more diSap-
pointed aud i7tded than he The substance Of this
IS confessed in a lettrs from Washington, which we
find IN a New York paper uhe StlrSl OF the 2lst
instant, thar has tAe courage rare in Yankee jour
nalism Tea publish the truth. This CORES
pendent avs: " Great am azcment and In
- dignation are entertained aad expressed here
at the result Of Sheridaa's RAID so different
- from Mat the public were promised and led to
expect. TEE ot.ect Of tte expedition has reSied
&c IN complete fJillrs In order % cover up and
a. conceal this disagreeable fact, and TO keep IN
60 the bacS ground the results Of that failure the
"lu6ijc IS .esded with wonderful stories Of rail
g road tr.-ss torn up and canal destroyed. This
g may al, lie very duc, but it is not exactly the
e entertainment 10 which tls public were invited
g When Sheridan set on; his march, the public
a. were Informed that the capture Of Lynchburg
" And 50 sure was the Lieutenant General that
a." Lynchbuyg would he captured that he said il
- his despatch to the Secretary OF War on The 5th
- instant that four brigades Of rebel troops had
been sent by Gen. Lee from Richmond 70 Lynch
=. burg who were trying to get there, ifpossible,
before Sheridan arrived, implying, plainly
words can speak, not only that SheridaG's desti-
nation was Lyuchburg, hut that no Grant ex-
'pec;ed Sheridan TO get to Luxembourg, and TO
capture that place before these rebel brigades
4" could arrive there.
at is evident, now not only that the capture of
a. LynShOurg was the object OF Sherman's exPedi-
., ton but that that object was part and a very
50 essential feature, OF Grants present campaign
s. against Richmond, and that it is part OF Gen.
.. Lees plan TO defend Lynchburg. His ability to
." do 50, at the same time that he holds Richmond
and Petersburg, has been fully demonstrated du-
{" ring H. last ten days
This, We say. - Grants latest failure. A pend
ing one that las not get, perhaps, entirely apsed
into abortion Lut that firmly believe is dcs-
tined to such On end is Sherman's huge movement
from the South. That, though on a much larger
scale is as much ga part, and a very essential fea-
tire, OF Grants present campaign against Rich
nond" a was Shcridan's expedition. Its object is
70 destroy the communications deemed by the enc
M to be indispensable to the subsistence Of Gen.
Lees armt. IstLis be not accomplished, then it
mar be said Of an sherman has done. as
truthfully a. OF all Sheridan did, 'the object
Of the expedition has resulted in complete
failure" 1t is not necessary that Sher-
man shall b. routed and his army broken up and
DESTROYED TO eIectuats this, but only that he shall
be kept OF the lines row defended By johnston
The capture Of cities and destruction Of roads
elsewhere, Oh his Plundering and burning,
and all the unspeakable brutaties Of his banditti,