Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1901-05-22

cowes drug store.
fine army on the James within "A DAYS
march of Richmond, and in leaving
Hooker in June, 1868, with an army
double his own in number at Frede
ricksburg, and marching around him
to Culpeper-liberties which poor
Hood mistOok for strategy, aud in
trying TO initiate them left the road
open TO Sherman, which he accepted.
and marched upon Atlanta aud the
sea, while he, poor fellow, was defeat
ed at Franklin. Tenn, aud had to be
relieved of his command by General
Joe Johnston.
Lee does not appear to have got
ten strictly down to business until he
was confronted bv Grant in the vii.
derness in the spring of 1864.
General Grant was greatly sur
prised when General Lee permitted
him, unmoleSted, to cross the Rapi
dan on the 4th of Nav. 1864, with an
army of $4,000 men and a train Of
1000 wagons.
Seeing nothing of Lee or his army.
Grant believed that he had fed, and
all he had to do was pursue, over
haul and destroy him. lie little I'M
derstOod his great adversary. Lee
was thoroughly Informed as t. every
move Grant made. and when Grant
begun, on the morning of the 9TH of
May, to uncoil his great army, which
Law in many folds around Germauia
Ford. and Serrrut-like. extended its
frey and hris,liug head through the
dark jungleS of the Wilderness. Lee.
who WAS hiding his little army of
$4,000 massed and well in hand Oh
his flank. fell upon him with the
fury of a cyclone, beating him at
every point. and compelling him to
recall his advanced corps and to
prepare and fight the two-davs' bat
ties Of the Wilderness in which Gen
eral Lee and his little army most
signaily triumphed.
General Grant now saw that in
the game of skillful manoeuvering
he was not match for General Lee.
aud feeling that he could not drive
him out of his path, he begun a Sc
ries of the most remarkable tactical
evolutions ever employed on bat
tlefeld.
Grants army was 80 much larg r
than Lees that he could easily cover
Lees entire front, which he hid, ont
fearing Lees superiority in general.
ship. he entrenched himself with as
much care and caution as if he were
the defensive. instead of the often
sive leader. Holding a continuous
entrenched line all along Lees front.
and pressing with a constant strain
at every point, he hoped to be allie
to slip his reserves from the rear and
extend them TO Lees right so as 20
get in between him and Richmond
and cut him off from his supplies.
But as he pursued this earth worm
like" movement of extending his
head, and drawing up his tail, Lee
kept pace with him, and wherever
the head of his army appeared, lee
was there to strike It, Thus Grant
edged along, and fought all the way
to Cold Harbor where on the LIST oil
June, he found himself at point
whence he would either have to force
Lees lines, or give up the cry oil
"On to Richn ond" which had beer
the refrain of the Army of the Pc
tomac for the past thirty days.
"At Cold Harbor, Lee occupied
the position which Mcclellan held OF
tie 27th of June, 1869, aud Gran,
the position which Lee held at the
same time, and from which he at
tackled and drove Mcclellan. Her,
Grant made many unsuccessful as
suults on Lee, and finally desparing
of success gave up the jOb and in
t-epched in Lees front.
"TO leave Gold llarbQr with Lee il
possession of it was to turn sway
from Richmond; to persist in as
saulting Lee WAS human butcher,