Year: 1864




Rspulsed terribly in their attempt OF Sunday
to drive the Fifth corps from the Weldon road,
the rebels are still determined not to give the
business up. So vitality important is it to the
rebels that Grant should be driven from this
position that they cannot relinquish the at
tempt.to drive him away while they have
man left to make it. Rumor has already at
tributed to General Lee the expression that
Beauregard must drive us from that position If
it took every man he had; and though this
phrase may be a mere invention, and may
never have originated with General Lee, i
still might very well have done so; for it is the
simple expression of what must have been in
his mind when he heard where Grant was. He
is giving practical expression to the same idea
with the spade. He has fallen back from
Warren's immediate front, and is intrencblng


and his intrenchments mean that the hard


battle Of Sunday is not to be the last
of the attempt to drive MS from our
new position. Into those intrenchments that
Lee is making will file every man that be can
gather in Virginia before the struggle is done
With. Great preparations are to be made under
the cover Of those lines, and from them many
heavy column will yet be hurled against War
ren's important position.


Grants strategy has forced this immense
campaign in Virginia to focus. That focus,
that central definite point at which the final
issue Of the campaign is in all probability to
be decided, is Warren's position on the Weldon
road. All the danger of the confederacy in
the East Grant has concentrated in that posi-
ton, and all the strength that the confederacy
can gather for final attempt for salvation, and
that it would not utterly waste, it must gather
there. 1t must win a.great battle at that point
or il dies. IT has been said that for Grant to be
| south OF Richmond and ON Lees great lines Of
| supply was for him to be on the carotid artery
| OF The rebellion. But the figure is hardly strong
enough; for a feeble circulation will go on
through other channels, though that through
the carotid cease. Grants position is more
analogous in its effects to tie pressure Of for
eign body against The spinal marrow. To re-
lieve from that pressure is the only chance for
life, and if the surgeons cannot get rid Of tie
| foreign body the case is hopeless. Lees des-
perate surgery has failed thus far, and is likely
| to fail.


! All other struggles and interests in Virginia
| are inconsiderable by comparison with this
struggle; for all will merge into it. Lee must
not only hurl Beauregard against those lines:
he must also empty Richmond to hurl Long
street and Hn to the same purpose; and if
these fail Early must hurry from the Shenan-
doah valley, and lend such assistance as he
may to drive US from the place. Every
man that Lee can gather must 60 into that
fight, as every drop Of water in the Norway
Sea must 60 within given time to the centre
OF the maelstrom. Warrsns fight on Sunday
did more to empty the Shenandoah valley than
did Sheridan's fight on the same day, though
Sheridans fight was good one But Grant
will thus once more have concentrated on his
front the whole of Lees army, and will have it
launched against him, urged by more than
commonly desperate necessity. Can he stand
it? That is question for the administration
and the country to consider and act upon soon.


If he is driven, it is another great chance lost.
Ifhe is maintained and holds his position as it has
been held hitherto, we have put down the rebel-


lion. He must have more men, and have then,


soon. He must imperatively be reinforced for
the great struggle that is in preparation. 1t is
child's play for us to leave him in such posi-
tion that the result of the struggle may be
doubtful when we have the means to render
absolute triumph certain at single blow.