Year: 1865

Special to hC Y Tribune.


fHEADQ'Rs Ahal UFTHE PoToMAO,


Feb. 10, 1865. !


In the absence of any. new move along
the lines it will be we'll for me to state two
facts that have been incorrectly reported
One is that the Boydton road is not in our
hands. 1t is about three miles from our
picket line, and, therefore, in the hands of
the enemy, who cling to it with teDacity.-
The other fact is that our cavalry on the
left found out in their late reconnaissance
that the Rebels have not built any branch
from the Weldon Railroad to the South
Side road to make up for the section held
by US. Rails'are scarce with them, and
iron is wanted for shot and shell.


1t is limited that move will soon take
place that may force the enemy to relin-
qulsh great part of his line of works.
AS to move itself, can, of course, say
nothing


s.. - - BELLulf hERt4hL. g


If any new proof was wanting to show
us that the Rebels intend to make this war
a 6etEunI lethGle, it is the tone of their press.
Since the collapse of the peace bubble,
war-war-war is the cry. Say they,
"War is less to be feared by us now than
peace on the terms of the enemy" This
idea is urged upon the public mind by the
small but ruling war party and for brief
space of time longer they will have war
with half ruin.


OUR LINE.


A visit to our line, to the left of it 10
particular, shove it to be too strong for the
enemy to attack with any hope of success;
aud, in sooth, they do not show any dispo.
sition to do so. 1t is their object only to
hold Io;
will allow them, though they may wish to
do more.


The left Of the line now forms the apex
of an angle, the Fifth Corps having it's left
thrown back SO as to cover the flank. Any
move, then, of the enemy to get round our
left would be foiled. This is the only point
of the line that it is at all likely they would
attack. At other points they would have
to make direct attack, by which they
could gain nothing.


THE FRONT.


The log breast. works, running like a
heavy fence along the open ground, affords
very good cover for our men and the open
space in its front leaves force we'll under
their FIRE. The picket line on the left is
about 400 yards in front of the position,
and that of the rebels is, at some points,
not more than $50 yards from ours A few
shots now and then come from the franc
tireneS of the enemy aud one of our signal
corps was hit to day in the act of taking
look at their line. The shot was long
one-it is said at 1900 yards-aud it must
have come from MIME rifle. All is very
quiet, however, along the lines, for the men
on both sides are no tytoes, aud only FIRE
when they think some Of the other side
are too Prying. If theiri iprying is done too
openly at-Often. Sooa0 ttssa aaan of the-slASo
his life. - ,-''ii ''''2 ,f5' 't-. u
t ~ u15o- RELATIVE STRENGTH.


1t is not easy for any one who does not
see returns to form very correct idea of
the strength of an army, but can give a
fair approximate estimate of our forces.-
Six corps, with an average OF IL 900 men,
give $4,000 men,, The cavalry may be
put at IL, 900 men fit for duty; add to this
engineers, &C., and we have a to-
tai of about 80 900 men.


AS to the force of the rebels, 1 can only
guess at it, but from some data in my
hands put it at 10000 men, organized
into four corps of Infantry and two of cav.
airy, with artillery in the ratio of two bat
teries to the division, and a reserve of half
that ratio. The First and Third corps are
the strongest, three divisions being in
each; in the Second and Fourth are only
two divisions. The best rebel generals are
going fast. Pegrsm, of the Second corps,
lost his life in the last fight. 1t is plain
that now they have to lead their men, or to
be very near them in every fight.


MORALS.


1t is only fair to say that the men on
both sides have acquired respect for each
others courage, but in the last fight, it
was observed that the rebels fought with
less vim then ip the fall of 1864. They
had an idea that they were then "inishiug
up" the war; aud the loss of hope now de-
presses the 5rayest among them. Their
ardor is gone, and this is known to their
leading men, who see it with alarm. At
this moment thepapers are trying to "fre
the eSouthernrheart;" aud, though they may
put new fire into the officers of the army,
the rank and file will hardly feel that fire
unless they can get full rations offlour and
bacon, and new blankets to wrap their
meagre bodies in. II is all very well for
the doughty scribes of the press to urge
the poor beings in the ranks to fight on,
but their words will not have the effect
they hope for.


AZ to our men, they see the growing
misery of the enemy, aud cannot fail to
infer that the war will soon have an end.
In this hope they fight on, being we'll cared
for in the meantime. do not think the
war can last a short year lenger.


RIaStG from I,enSn RupIe