Editor’s Note: This article was transcribed by Jackie Martin.
TAKING HIS CHOICE OF ROADS.
When General GRANT moved from Spottsylvania, by his left flank, across the Pamunkey, we pointed out a number of advantages resulting from that great piece of strategy which made him master of the situation for his operations against the Rebel capital. It opened up to him a choice of routes to Richmond. He might approach that city from every side but one—the west. He might march straight south by the Mechanicsville road; or more westward along the line of the York River Railroad, or, pushing still further on, might approach from the South by the river roads along the James. He might establish his base permanently on the Pamunkey, or transfer it to the James River, at his option. He could move over to General BUTLER, or bring BUTLER’S column over to him. All these advantages we pointed out at the time. Several have since been availed of, and now General GRANT, by one of those brilliant, rapid and audacious manoeuvres peculiar to him, has brought them all within the scope of his operations.
Those who have surmised that GRANT would not venture on this movement because it might uncover Washington, must bear several important facts in mind. First, there is General HUNTER, with CROOK and AVERILL, with a powerful column, ready to fall on the flank and rear of any detachment LEE would dare to send out. Second, LEE is fully and constantly occupied by General GRANT, and third, any line of communications he could adopt to supply such a detachment is entirely at the mercy of Generals GRANT and HUNTER.
In a word the Army of the Potomac is in every sense of the word master of the situation, and we shall be disappointed if we do not hear immediately of most important and decisive work.1
Source:
- “Taking His Choice of Roads.” Philadelphia Inquirer. June 16, 1864, p. 4 col. 3 ↩