rg. 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.

A clear perception of these advantages determined Gen. Grant to adopt
the position at Petersburg. He was aware that Richmond could not be
directly invested except with a very large army. He desired to
accomplish the results which such an investment would give. He sought to
cut off the city from its principal channels of communication--to
deprive it of its main resources. Have these purposes been effected? At
the time we write it is announced that the army occupies the railroad
leading to Weldon, thus breaking the communication with North Carolina;
that our cavalry has destroyed a portion of the road leading to
Lynchburg; that the forces operating under Gen. Hunter have also
destroyed portions of the Virginia Central and the road between
Gordonsville and Lynchburg; they have also damaged the James River
Canal. The only railroad communication now existing between Richmond and
the South is that by way of Danville. Before this reaches our readers we
trust that the effects of these efforts to isolate the capital of the
confederacy will become evident; that the rebel army will be forced to
leave its intrenchments and meet our brave soldiers in the field, and
that the conflict may have resulted in victory for the cause of the
country and of freedom.

The various steps of the process by which the army gained the position
at Petersburg are already well known. From the time the camps at
Culpepper Court House were broken up, until the lines were established
south of the James river, the series of movements consisted in masterly
marches by the left, compelling the enemy constantly to fall back from
his intrenched positions to points farther in his rear. Such movements
were not, however made until after trials of the enemy in the front,
some of which resulted in splendid partial successes. They were,
however, not conclusive. The flank movements