The Continental Monthly, Vol. 6, No 2, August, 1864: Devoted to Literature and National PolicyVarious
Religion
The Continental Monthly, Vol. 6, No 2, August, 1864: Devoted to Literature and National Policy
Various
Literature, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals; United States -- Politics and government -- 19th century -- Periodicals
By all means read Denise; its studies of the heart are close and
accurate.
EDITOR'S TABLE.
THE CAMPAIGN.
[_Furnished by a Friend of the Editor of_ THE CONTINENTAL.]
Three routes of operation are open to an army designing to proceed
against Richmond: first, along the Orange and Alexandria Railroad to
Charlottesville; second, along the railroad from Fredericksburg to
Hanover Court House; and third, by the way of Fortress Monroe. The first
has the disadvantage of presenting a long line of communication,
constantly exposed to inroads from guerillas, and for the purposes of
warfare may be considered as utterly impracticable. It would not, in
fact, be worth considering, had not some critics of Gen. Grant's
movements absurdly insisted that he ought to have adopted this route.
The second route is far more advantageous, and had Gen. Grant's purposes
been confined simply to putting his army before the rebel capital, and
lying there to seize such opportunities as the developments of the
campaign should afford, it might have been expedient to maintain by this
route communications with the Potomac. But the intentions of our
Lieutenant-General were of a much more comprehensive character. While,
therefore, following this route in his march, because it gave the most
direct and shortest line to Richmond, he did not use the railroad as a
means of communication. His aim was fixed on an ulterior object. He
designed to put his army in such a position that it should be constantly
assailing Richmond by its presence, although not a gun should be fired.
He, therefore, tried the strength of the rebel works, in passing, and
finding that time would be spent uselessly in attempting to overthrow
them either upon the north or the east, he proceeded to the new position
south of the James, and adopted the third route mentioned for his
communication with the North, having previously used it, also, for the
transportation to the ultimate scene of conflict of a part of his forces
under Gen. Butler.
Among military men, there have been, since the commencement of the war,
many advocates for an attack on Richmond from the position at
Petersburg. It has many advantages. The facilities for transporting
supplies are easy, it isolates the capital of the Southern government
from its southern and eastern connections, it interferes largely with
the internal trade of the confederacy, it confines the rebel army in a
narrow space, and it necessitates constant efforts on the part of the
confederate commanders to expel the Northern forces, thus constraining
them to leave their works and become assailants. In fine, the position
affords more opportunities for strategically investing Richmond than any
other which is accessible to our armies.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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