The War
The change of system which has been introduced, is everywhere working its legitimate results.
By abandoning detached posts which are within reach of the enemy's et, and which it is, therefore, impossible to defend, we are enabled to concentrate powerful forces upon essential points, and to battle the enemy in every attack of vital consequence.
The skies begin to grow brighter.
Every day we hear of victories upon a small scale, which are, we are very sanguine in believing, but the forerunners of great events.
Even the little panic which beset the city last Friday, in connection with the river, has been of essential service.
We are warranted in saying that if the enemy get here, it will not be by means of his steamboats up the river.
Nor can be reach us by a march from the
Peninsula, where the cold steel of
Johnston's troops effectually bare the way. At every step he takes on this line, he removes himself farther from his gunboats, and without his gunboats he can do nothing.
Our troops on this line are in the highest spirit, and desire nothing so much as a battle.
They are in no disposition to count numbers.
They feel confident that they will beat the enemy wherever the fight shall come off. Nor do we apprehend anything from the direction of
Petersburg.
The authorities had well considered that question before
Norfolk was abandoned, That evacuation was made with the utmost deliberation, and in pursuance of the system of concentration to which the
Government is now fairly committed.
It was well and thoroughly considered.
The enemy took possession of it Saturday night with a few thousand troops.
The presumption is, that he will endeavor to reach
Petersburg by the railroad, and thus obtain possession of the
Danville road, in pursuance of his plan of hemming us in and cutting off our supplies.
Burnside is expected to unite with all his forces in this project.
It is unnecessary to say that this scheme will be resisted, and that, as it supposes an abandonment of the steam boats, it is the best thing that can happen for us.
Jackson's victory over
Milroy seems to have been complete.
The defeated enemy left all then wounded in the hands of our men, and are endeavoring to make their escape, pursued with all the energy peculiar to old
Stone wall's operations.
We learn that he has sent couriers all along the line of the enemy's retreat, calling on the people to obstruct the reads in every possible way. He seems determined to rest satisfied with nothing less than the capture of the whole army.
His move upon
Milroy, while he had
Banks in his front, was a beautiful strategic operation and demonstrated the immense advantage of interior lines of operation.
It resembles the operations of the
Consuls Nero and Living, when they cut off
Hasdrubal on the Metaurnss during the second Punic war.
The enemy at
Corinth appear to confess their inability to contest the possession of that point with
Beauregard.
In a partial action with five thousand of them he drove them before him like sheep.
They fled to their gunboats for protection and there they will stay, unless they go to
Memphis, or come here.
If the latter,
Beauregard will recover
Tennessee and step at once into
Kentucky on his way to
Ohio.
It was rumored yesterday that
General Heth had given the enemy a sound drubbing near Giles Court-House, and captured all his commissary stores, &c. The report was repeated to us as coming from the War Office.
No doubt, before this paper goes to press, the truth will be known, and reported in our news columns.
We have not the least doubt, it
General Heth has met the enemy, he has beaten them, for we have great confidence in his abilities, which will be sure to make them selves known and fell whenever an opportunity is afforded him.
For further information with regard to war matters, we must refer the reader to our regular war column.
We have thrown together in a short compass the incidents above recorded, that our readers may see from inspecting the whole field at a single glance how much cause we have to be grateful for the good fortune that is breaking upon us after our dark days, as the May sun which now sheds its genial warmth throughout nature has succeeded to the dismal spring through which we have just passed.--We shall continue to beat the enemy as long as we can keep him from the water.
Of that we feel perfectly assured.
And more, we feel convinced that were it not for their superior fleet, we should end the war in less than three months, by the defeat or capture of all their armies.
Let the despondent cheer up. Everything is working right.
