Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-05-31
FIFTY YEARS AGO
IN THE STAR

The month Of May, 1884, ended with
Grant and Leo facing each other and with
both north and south
Lees Backward anxiously awaiting the
1r.~< outcome OF what it
was believed would be
decisive engagement. but which proved
to be far from that when 1t was fought
early In June. In The Star Of Monday,
May q. 1884. Is the following summary
Of the situation:
The sudden movement Of Lees rebel
army back toward Richmond, first an
nounced In yesterdays extra Star. was
known that Gen. Grant was so disposing
Of his troops as to flank the strong works
In which the rebels were ensconced and
IN that way rendering them useless to
Leo. There Is no point between them and
the north Anna offering particular ad-
vanta8es to the rebels as defensive line
except. It may be. the line Of the Mat
tapony river. at which II is already known
Lee declined to tarry, for We have crossed
that stream without finding the enemy in
position there.
I'VE do not believe that Lee will ven
ture general battle except behind strong
works, as his retrograde movement indi-
Gates that he regards the risk to be too
great He seems either to lack reinforce
ments or to fear that his supplies may be
entirely cut OF II remaining longer far
from his base of operations. 1t Is not
probable that he will take his army within
the Richmond fortifications as to do so
Will insure that in a week he will be al
most without ration, compelling him to
night Grant on any terms of battle the
latter oners. or to surrender without a
further struggle. It seems likely that he
VIII leave Richmond to its fate. If that be
necessary to save his army. Such a course
on his part, though it might keep up the
appearance of formidable resistance a
while longer. cannot serve to keep the re-
beldon effectively alive. We do not be-
lieve that he has sent any considerable
force to aid Beauregard against Butler,
as he knows that Grant may attack him
with our whole force in his front at any
moment"
The next day-May "a. 1se4-The Star
made an announcement in peculiar terms,
indicative Of desire
1n10rmatlon to cooperate with the
Safeguarded. government in the
news Of Importance from falling into the
hands Of the. Confederate leaders It
says:
I'VE have much Interesting Information
from the front. all Of highly satisfac-
tory nature, but which it would not be
proper to publish. II there has been no
fighting for some days it is not because
Grant has shirked 1t certainly. and we
imagine that the Richmond papers have
had occasion ere this to still further ex-
press their wonder at the pertinacity with
which Grant presses on toward Rich
mond, needing nothing Of the risk of an
initiation from Lees terrible right. The
enemy Gas seen by the Richmond papers
Of the 18th seems to anticipate an open
ing for great advantages to Lee when
himself from his base OF supplies at
Fredericksburg. but in these pleasing va
ticinations they are certainly counting
without their host. Grant has on many
occasions struck out boldly, abandoning
his line Of communications and estab-
fishing a new one successfully. and he
will undoubtedly be as brilliantly sue
cessful in this instance as heretofore.
Port Royal. on the Rappahannock, some
twenty miles below Fredericksburg and
fifteen miles from Milford station. and
Tappahannock. some forty miles below
Fredericksburg. would afford yet another
in case Grant shall need it in his further
advance toward Richmond. Belle Plain
and also the road leading from Frede-
ricksburg to Spottsylvania Court House
could thus be abandoned at any time
without interfering with the supplies of
the army. An officer from the frlnt says
it is, an established fact in the minds of
the army that we are to be in Richmond
preeisel1 on the 18th OF June. the calcu-
lation, we suppose, being made on the
basis Of the rate Of Grants advance per
diem"
In the same issue, May "a, 1864, The