Posted on 05/18/2024 6:38:41 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson
No Late Military Intelligence in Washington-Steele's Reported Surrender Untrue-Sherman Vigorously Pursuing Johnston.
[OFFICIAL.]
WASHINGTON, May 17, 1864 -- 1:05 P.M.
To Maj.-Gen. Dix:
We have no official intelligence of any military operations since my last dispatch. The Richmond papers of Saturday state that Gen. STEELE had surrendered at Camden, with nine thousand men, to PRICE. This is known to be untrue. Gen. STEELE with his whole command, withdrew some two weeks ago from Camden, and is now at Little Rock, having defeated KIRBY SMITH on the way to Sabine River, as heretofore stated.
Gen. SHERMAN was in close pursuit of JOHNSTON, having captured one thousand prisoners and eight pieces of artillery at Resaca.
EDWIN M. STANTON,
Secretary of War.
REPORTS FROM WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON, Tuesday, May 17 -- Midnight.
The rebels up to yesterday occupied their line of entrenchments immediately around and this side of Spottsylvania Court-house. Both armies lay on their arms on Sunday night, expecting an attack. The rebel works bear all appearance of having been but recently thrown up. A few hours' sunshine will remove all impediment to the resumption of active hostilities. LEE's position is described as being a very strong one in itself, but it can be flanked without much difficulty. The representations of their being short of provisions and ammunition have been exaggerated.
Our Forces Resting and Recruiting for Another Struggle-An Unsuccessful Movement Against the Trains.
WASHINGTON, Tuesday, May 17.
A dispatch from the Army of the Potomac, dated the 16th inst., says:
After ten days of successive fighting, the Army of the Potomac was allowed to rest and recruit for another struggle.
Some changes in the position of the troops on either side were made during the day, and on the right a slight skirmish occurred between the pickets.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
First session: November 21, 2015. Last date to add: May 2025.
Reading: Self-assigned. Recommendations made and welcomed.
Posting history, in reverse order
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Link to previous New York Times thread
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The Grand Campaign: The Situation in Virginia – 2
Reports from Washington – 2
From Gen. Grant’s Army – 2-4
Gen. Butler’s Army: The Advance Upon Fort Darling – 4-6
Gen. Sherman’s Army: The Defeat of the Rebels at Resaca – 6
Department of the South: Another Steamer Blown Up by a Torpedo – 6
Bandages for Wounded Soldiers – 6
Our Hilton Head Correspondence: Particulars of the Destruction of the Harriet A. Weed by a Torpedo – 6-7
From Newbern – 7
POSTSCRIPT-Important: Another Successful Expedition by Gen. Kautz – 7
News from Washington: Special Dispatches to the N.Y. Times – 7-8
Proceedings of Congress – 8
Metropolitan Fair: One Million of Dollars to the Commission – 8
Columbia College Law School – 8
The Pirate Alabama – 8
Editorial: False Issues and a Fanatical Spirit – 9
The Wounded – 9
Genteel Prisoners of War – 9
Significant – 9
“There’s a Man In It!” – 9
Grant was smart. He knew the civil was was a battle of attrition. Lee had dwindling forces and based on the dates posted above, these headlines follow the awful ‘draw’ of the Wilderness Campaign. Grant and Lee would thrust and parry there with no real conclusive victory, so Grant withdrew and decided to take his fight elsewhere. According to Sherman, rather than retreat to the north and regroup, Grant chose to head south and carry on the attack, to which Sherman declared it was among Grant’s boldest move. The squeeze was on.
What a “ GRAND CAMPAIGN “!
Killing Southerners, in order to sell more copies of The New York Times to their breathless readers.
I think that may not have been the motivation. But who knows?
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