The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-02-11


The storage of this article, then, in the midst of
city is more dangerous than q mine under
meath its foundations.
We call upon the Common Council and the
Legislature to enact laws at once excluding
petroleum from the limits of the city. Let 1t be
stored in places far away from human habita-
tons. There is at present quantity Of it stored
in Maiden lane and in South street, in the very
heart of this populous city. We need not point
to the imminent danger to life and property In
these localities arising from the presence OF this
treaoherous agent Of death and destruction in
their vicinity. The Legislature and the Com
mon Council should act promptly in this matter,
or we cannot calculate upon the disaster TO
which we are hourly exposed.
Our Success It Hatcher's Run-The Adj
vantages OF tho Movement.
There are three points Of view in which the
recent movement Of Grant on Hatcher's run
will be found, upon examination, to be very
decided success for our arms. They are the
only points also in which 1t can possibly, be
regarded by any one not either an open enemy
u
Grant and Lee have stood, like wrestlers,
locked in an even embrace. for over six
months Each was able to hold his own.
Neither could move the other. Lee was in
Notifications that Grant could not storm. Grant
was in position from which Lee could not
GUST him. 1t looked, therefore, like military
deadlock But there was always very posi-
tive solution for it. The Notifications were an
absolute necessity to Lee. To Grant they were
only temporary cxpedients. Lee could not
have kept the field without them, for be was
inferior in point of numbers; and to venture
open battle and lose man for man with his
enemy was certain destruction. To force or
tempt him to such battle was therefore, Grants
plan. From that cause resulted the memorable
battles on the Weldon Railroad. But those
battles were SO expensive in men that Lee was
forced to discontinue them when no nearer
and from that time he has avoided open
battles with the consistency of one compelled
by the most absolute necessity. He seemed to
answer every temptation with the thought that
his army was the last hope Of his cause, and
with the determination to build his forts still
stronger and better. Yet, despite those great
forts and the necessity that he is under to
| eight only in those forts, Grant has once more
tempted Lee to an expensive open battle on
even terms outside Of his .defences. Perhaps
we should rather say that Grant has thus
tempted Lees inconsiderate subordinates-
don and Hill-whom Lee "damns with faint
praise" or no praise at all, in his account OF
the battle. Lee would not have been thus
tempted. But the fact that part ofLee's army
has thus once more been allured into an open
fight, in which it has lost man for man, with our
more numerous forces is the important one Of
this contest Lee has once more been induced
to "come out and figAt," and that is always Q
great advantage for us.
But Grant has also by this movement con
tinued one Of the means by which, last year
he 80 seriously embarrassed Lee. He has made
| his line four miles longer. Moreover this OK
tension strengthens his line. Before his left was
ain the air." Now il rests on o stream that
very greatly increases Its defensibility. But II
is very remarkable to see this acquisition
spoken of as q "disaster." Grant, ON the 9Th
instant Sunday last, moved two corps by diff
ferent roads from his camps to Hatcher's run
Rowanty creek, the latter stream being the
continuation Of the former. His infantry
crossed the stream and held the position
abandoned by the enemy's outposts, while his
cavalry pressed on after the rctreatng enemy
to Dinwiddie Court House. At that point the
enemy was reinforced, and our cavalry, driven
in turn, fell back on the infantry. Such were
| the operations Of the first day. On the mex
day (Monday) our forces, according to General
Lee, did not take up the advance, but Pegrami
rebel division appearing on our front, 1t wa
attacked, and driven rapidly, General Pegran
being killed. Pegram's division was reinforced
by another division, under Evans, which forced
our line back, but which was again-still in the
words Of General Lee" compelled to retire.
Mahone's division then reinforced the enemy
once more and drove our men to the very posi-
ton where Pegram had found them early in thu
day.
Such h General Lees own account Of wha
he will learn, when he secs Fridays Dali.
Ne,os, was victory over Grant, though hi
does not regard 1t in that Light at present
Grant has extended his line four miles, taker
In Hatcher's run, and holds, apparently, oil thu
ground that he intended to take. He has also
made some very ugly gaps in three OF thu
enemy's veteran divisions He has no
retired foot since the appearance o
Pegram's division on his front, on the 9th inst.
began the battle II appears that there was {
panic in the Fifth corps, and that accounts fol
the fact that Malone forced our line in his last ad
vance from the position to which we had driver
Evans; but even with this panic, 1t seems thai
he could not force It across the stream. It Il
not strange to hear all this spoken of by the
| Doly Nesps a. disaster" That is perfectly