Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1866-02-23
,:..pATrLs- BTar1sr16s.@ 8


Some ;ides Of the terrific 'obstinaey and
the sangniuary character Of. the great
campaign II 1864 may be formed from
the official returns. of the casualties in the
two great Federal armies under Grant and
Sherman. No detailed report of the Con-
federate casualties during the same period
'hssyet been published; but we presume
that, at least as1ar as the army of North
'ern Virginia is s. concerned, the statistics
may 10 embodied in: Gen. Lees forthcom.
ing work. The :losses in the Fedora. army
OF the Potomac, asir appears from the off.
cial report were immense. It is only on
docking over the figures that We can duly
estimate 'tbsterritic obstinacy of the strug-
gle, from the Rapidan to Petersburg; Of the
'tensoity. with which the Federal commsu-
der adhered to his general object in face Of
repulses and losses which would have dis
'heasteued almost any other man; aud Of
the skill with which Gen. Lee must have
conducted his defence in order to parry
with success the tremendous assaults which
we're directed against him by his adversary.
Nor viii we be less amazed to reflect on
the energy and the resources which must
have been brought TO bear to repair the ex.
4raordinary .depletions suffered by the army
of the Potomac and the constancy Of the
army of Northern Virginia in maintaining
for so long time resolute and unbrokeu
front against an enemy whom no defeats
seemed 10 deter, and no losses to discour-
age.
The battle of the Wilderness was the
greatest battle Of the war, estimating its
importauces by the number of casualties
suffered by the Federal army. 1t appears
that the loss Of the army of the Potomac
IN that sanginary struggle was nearly 80,
900 men, Of which s,2ee we're killed, and
1928 were wounded. In the battle of
Wilderness Gen. Lee was the attacking
party. He struck the Federal army on the
fank while It was on tho direct match to.
wards Richmond, its ;mmediats objective
point being Spottsylvapia Courthouse
The result was that Gen. Grant was thrown
of from his line of advance, and forced
to retire towards Fredericksburg, which be
made his new base of supplies for the mo-
mont Gen. Lee took up bis position at
Spottsylvania Courthouse and there await.
ed the attack Of his adversary-from that
point adopting purely defensive policy 4;
Gen. Grant afterwards either narchipp
boldly up to the attack in front, or conduc.
ting his flank movements at safe distance
from the Confederate lines. In the various
actions at spotssylvania Courthouse the
Federal loss is put down at l0,3sl men of
whom 2,l4e were killed and 1915 were
wounded. The almost unparalleled blood,
'uess of these terrific encounters is illustras.:
ted by the relative proportions of killed
and wounded. The killed are 27 per cent.
'ot the wounded at spottsylvania, while in
the sanguinary battle Of the Wilderness
they are only seventeen per cent, which is
about the average in well contested general
engagement.
At the crossingof the North Anna Gen.
Grant made only demonstration. Find
ing his antagonist too strongly posted he
drew off and continued his flank move.
lnent until he found himself in front of the
,defences of Richmond, at Cold Harbor:
Gen. Lee meantime moving along nearly
parallel line, and occupying the works in
ample time, 10 anticipate 'Genetal. Grant.
The result was Of course that the Federal
commander was to abandon at once bis li
rect approach to Richmond, or continue his
Hank movement all the way to the Jame.
and fpally, to the front Of Petersbute,, on
the south side; OF, else either. make another
dlfsa assault on Lees lines, Of. settle down
on :Mccfellans abortiVaplan of. 1. a (; gradual
advance y,the Peninsula, with the York
river as bis base. He chose in the 4;r..,,
place to hazard the attack On nearly thu,
>ssme ground on which two. years hefore
tina severe action had been fought between
MsClellans forces, under Porter, and the
Confederate troops under Longstseet, the
Hills and Jackson. Cola -Ifa.bor.s which.
was then the key q the Federal position,
vas carried BY Jaeksons ,oolumns after a
desperate and bloody ssruggfs, 10 1854,
the eonferates ,ocoapisd the, 5 position and
tho u, attack deyeloIvsd upon the Feaefsl,.
The batqe which sn,ued #as ! s. noe. 81 It the
inns admitted g have been general en- 8 3
gagenspt. 8 the Aorthern & 4 asvspspers;.
]. eu..sYas sseonnoisan /, ] VA ,agan
an Riehm9nd so small wera; & ;slbal sonsss.. Z
80 - -, !. ssSnl.s s ecaly yaa few hun.
In, In ~. US. 'nss ssats sspos GEN.