The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1909-08-14

as-as in his first battle. s.
ccond-McClelIan set out from
+ Fortress Monroe, via the York Riv
Ter. As We shall see, he had some
success. His advance was within
SIX miles OF Richmond when he was
/ beaten at Gaines Mill He found a
/ refuge on the James River. but his
army was soon recalled to Wash
ineton.
-Third-Pope, in August, 1862,
/ followed in McDowelrs footsteps
along the railroad from Alexandra.
and was defeated upon nearly the
same ground which had witnessed
McDowel1's defeat
Burnside took the rail
road. via Fredericksburg. and in De
cember, 1903. met a bloody repu1sc
at that point and gave up his cam
paien.
/ "Fifth-Hooker also took the FIRE.
! derick7burg route, but was attack
/ ed at Charlottesville so severely
that he also gave up his campaign
early in May. 1903.
"Sixth Meade. after repulsing Lee
at Gettysburg in July, 1868. in Nov
+ cmber essayed an advance from
Alexandria upon Lees right flank at
Mine Run, about halfway between
7 the two railroad lines. He found
Lee so strongly intrenched that he
withdrew without attacking.
'Seventh-On May 4, 1904. Grant.
with the largest force yet assembled,
set out for Alexandria on line be
tween Neade's Mine Run and Hook
/ er'5 Spottsylvania routes Lee at
/ tackled his columns in the Wilder
ness. The battle thus joined ragged
. for over eleven months. and only
ended at Appomattox on April Q,
+ 1905. Our only concern here is to
note the advantages and the disad-
vantagcs Of the different lines. The
overland route again proved a fail
rre. At SpottsyIvania, North Anna
/ Fotopotomoy. Cold Harbor and Pet
crsburg Grant found Lee across his
path. and was unable to drive him
off His only recourse, on each oc-
ca~iou. was to move to his left and
try the next road to the eastward
And now every intermediate road
had been tried, and. after losing 65,
I BOO men. he was only on the James
River with Fortress Monroe as his
base. where his fleet might have
landed him at the beginning ant
without losing man.
Here at last, literally driven into
/ the location in front of Petersburg
Grant found himself in a position O
/ rare strategic advantage, certain tc
give him. possession of Richmond
when properly utilized. Indeed, i
/ seems strange that it had not beer
realized in 1902. that the position
astraddle both rivers at the junction
Of the James and Appomattox wa:
the key to Richmond For it wou1c
/ force Lee to hold an exterior lin,
If such enormous 1engt1-from thu
Chiclahominy River to the south 0
Petersburg. nearly thirty miles
chat it could not be long maintained
"As Mcclellan selected the Yori
River line before the James Rive
was opened (by the loss of Norfolk
and of the ironclad Merrimac) he !,
entitled to the credit OF having sc
iectcd the best route available a
the time. After his retreat iron
+ Richmond he very nearly had Stun
. hlcd into the key position itsel'
His army was recalled to Washing
ton by the executive. against hi
] strong protests and appeals.
With the exception OF the hrs
movement which was made by Nc
. Dowen and thwarted by Beaure
gard. in the other six General lie
/ was the opposer. and no commando
/ and no army was able to captur
Richmond until his army, worn TO
q mere fragment. marched out and al
f lowed the Zoe to march in.
f The Confederate war is now onl
. a memory in the minds OF the Oh
= soldiers who still survive, but it ha
zone on the pages of history anon
: the records OF the world grea
; wars. 1t is full of instruction, an
s as every great conflict works som
effect upon human destiny. let Il
+ hope that such a struggle made 70
! nome and independence will not b
Iost.-N. O. Picayune.