New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-04-03
MORE YICTORIks.


Petersburg and Richmond, and that the long
expected assault upon the defenses Of those
towns Is begun. Whether Lee would for stra-
tegc reasons evacuate the position he has
for four years defended is, no longer
question. He may or may not have been on
the point of doing so last week, but If so he was
anticipated and Richmond is now to be the
trophy Of great victory in the field or is still
to haunt the Rebel banner after series OF
bloody and indccsive battles. Lee Is neither
to be permitted to hold nor to abandon his
capital without fighting for it. The accounts
thus far received indicate that he is to seek for
an avenue of escape for his beleaguered garrison
and that his stoutest defense is made in the hope
of saving the Danyille road as line of retreat.
Official news from Gen. Grant is to half past
four yesterday afternoon. Up to that hour
the great movement which began on Wednesday
had resulted in enveloping Petersburg,
driving the enemy at all points, captur-
ing forts and long sections Of their
most strongly fortified line, and taking
$4,000 prisoners and 80 guns 1t were
idle to doubt that a movement which Al
fords such trophies has been from beginning
down to the present moment magnificent sue
cess Temporary checks there may have been,
but they were only temporary. From one end OF
the line to the other, Gen. Grant has pushed
steadily on, and every day has found him
nearer his goal than the former Hcha car
riod the Boydton Observation-Disclosures success
fully defended by the enemy. lie has carried
the Southside Railroad 70 which no
near approach has ever before been made.
He has carried the immensely strong earth
works which from beyond the Boydton
road to the railroad and then eastward
to Petersburg have heretofore barred the adj
vance Of our columns. Gen. Grants last dis
patch means nothing less than that be has car
ried the works about Petersburg itself, and that
one of the two avenues Of retreat which Lee
possessed from Richmond is in our possession.
Grant moved on Wednesday-moved Of
course BIZ the left, and sent his advance
columns down the Vaughan and Halifax roads,
which long since have grown historic. Cross
ing Hatcher's Run, the Second and Fifth Corps
turned thence sharp to the northwest in the
direction Of the Boydton Plank-road by the
Quaker military road south Of Gravelly Run.
The struggle for the Boydton Road seems to
have been mainly near Gravelly Run, and the
road was first carried without opposition, then
lost By sudden attack, then regaincd and ever
since held. On the Boydton Road our columns
have ever since been advancing until they over
lap Petersburg on the Appomattox west of the
town, and of course beyond and in possession
of the SouthSide Railroad. Whatever may be
the fortune of this movement with reference to
Richmond and Lees Army, Petersburg at least
seems irrecoverably ours
The movement began on Wednesday Of last
week, Sheridan--of whom more misunderstanding
the lead. The Second and Fifth Corps had the in
fantry advance, and gotint fight the same day
at Grayelly Run. Thursday they KEEP. pressing
up the Boydton road. Friday there was constant
fighting. Saturday was the day of the contest
which proved decisive at Five Forks-a point
we fix at the junction of the BOydton road with
the road crossing it from the north and inter.
secting with the Quaker road along Gravelly
Run. When that was once carried, the ad.
vance Of our columns was thenceforth rapid.
Sheridan was sent out on the straight road to
Dinwiddie Court House, as if he meant TO strike
the Southside road as far west as Birkesvlle.
But it now appears that he had different pur-
pose. Having entced away considerable body
of the enemy for the defense Of the most
distant point which he menaced, Sheri-
dan turned suddenly eastward again,
and is heard Of by the last dispatch
as within three miles Of Petersburg, and cooper
ating directly with the forces which surrounded
Petersburg, and which having crossed and
DESTROYED the SOuthside Railroad, reached up