The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1861-10-31

over ~ nee ut ItlT Nut only - the utllu- eLtI-
g manifested in every department OF the government
AMI the army, but secrecy il now maintained a. TO
all movements, and the result has teen that public
coufIence - increased, auI the public press relieved
from sensation reports q what projects were on foot,
Of which IL. rebels have been quick to avail them
selves The rebel army Is now menacing Washing
ton, AMI the pickets u the opposing forces are in
close proximity. The golden opportunity for the
capture % Washington, however, has I think fed
forever, for the rebels. Mcclellan i every day more
ready to withstand A attack, and Beluregard would
! think retire at once with his forces for some more
vulnerable p0ib'. but for the moral effect Of such a
move upon the Southern States Silently but con-
stantly. a steady stream Of Northern troops has been
pouring into Washington since the Bull Run defeat;
the army has been recognized, a thorough discipline
introduced, incompetent officers removed and their
places supplied with tried and rrusty men, and a
thorough reformation effected, which could never
have been accomplished with volunteer troops, but
for the bitter lesson taught at Bull Run.
The battle Of Wilson's Greek in Missouri. though
1t lost IL one VI our bes; Generals in the death Of the
brave Lyon, was really a victory over the rebels.
Had our forces Tetreatei before the overwhelming
superiority % the rebels. they would have been pur-
sued AMI cut 10 pieces before they could have been
reinforced. aad the valuable baggage train, worth two
millions, wculd undpubteily have been captured.
To prevent this disaster, Gen. Lyon deemed it best to
attack the enemy, and endeayOr to strike a severe
blow that should disable them from pursuit. With
this view, he led his little force Of less than 5000
men in a desperate attack upon the army under
McCulloch and Price, numbering u, 900, drove them
from their position, destroyed their tents and wagons,
and though he himself fell dead ON the field when
leading a fierce and successful charge Of the Iowa 1st,
yet his handful Of men effected "A retreat with their
train, leaving the enemy too much cut W to follow.
Fremont is rapidly organizing 4 formidable force,
and when lie IS prepared to take the field, we shall
hear 40 more OF rebel troops in Missouri. Memphis
and New Orleans will be attacked, and if our troops
are successful. the mouth of the Mississippi will be-
fore winter be opened to trade, and England and
France may procure their supplies Of cotton from
Union sources.
The brilliant victory achieved by our naval and
land forces under Com. Stringham and Gen. Butler,
in the capture Of the forts at Hatteras Inlet, is IL most
important one. and will change the whole character
of the war. With an enemy in their rear, the con-
Tolerate army before Washington will no longer be
able to give their exclusive attention to the little mat
ter % planning the = stars and bars on the Capitol,
and the theory OF State sovereignty upon which
the right o. secession is founded, will BE likely to be
put in force by the Governors Of the respective States
by the recall Of their forces to defend their sovereign
ties from menaceI invasion. The Georgia or Alaba-
mn, or South Carolina regiments will not be likely TO
ain quietly in their camps at Manassas and Fair
fax, if the bloody abOlitiOnists" are landing ut
Savannah ur Mobile, or Charleston, and when our
naval aud lind forces are making combined attacks
on these points, We shall sec the rebel forces silently
melting away.
Gen. Mcclellan will know when to strike, and
when the bow falls it will be no Bull Run affair, but
a blow that shall make all SecessiOndOm reel to its
- 81 s-,y, -ha cfFa., a ubf.b - ia q, L.. b,,aI
rebellion will never recover. All these predictions
may be h'zifeI by the result. but 4 few weeks will
show. The rebel leaders are desperate, and have put
fOrtl their zhole strength Without money or credit.
or n large population To fall back upon, it will be al
most impossible for them to rally from any serious
reverse: while the North has not yet begun to put
forth its strength, or 20 feel weakened by the conflict.
The action Of the Banks in taking one hundred aud
fifty millions OF the government loan, thereby pre-
venting thG necessity Of an appeal to European capt.
talists has increased the public confidence and con-
frned the government credit, and IL worth more even
10 che Union cause than the victory Mt Eatteras Inlet.
This inlet iy the way was Of great Importance To the
retels IT, the main entrance to Pamlico and Abe
marie Sou; Is. and by way Of the latter afforded an
uulbstrucid communication with Norfolk through
the Dismaf Swamp Canal 1t WIS called the back
door 20 Ncs6Ik. and while IL was kept open, the re-
bells could .ugh 1t the blockade Of Norfolk and the
frcvning YIns Of Fortress Monroe. IL was a safe
resort for 5-ivatcerS, who used 10 dart out like spiders
from tn, holes, seize the rich cIrgoes OF unsus-
pectinS rS.rchantmen. and dragging them into the
sound, i eicur theuI ut their leisure, protested by the
two forts ( ON all interruption by the cruisers Of Tn
Gle sam. That game Is now stopped, and Uncle sam
has ~comItete control Of the whole coast Of North
Carolina ~ this bold stroke, without the loss of life
en- our sig
Dr.. Resell, the correspondent Of the London
Tunes, . not at all complimentary in his remarks
upon the Bull Run disaster, or upon our military in
stitutions generally. \ good deal of Indignation IS
expressed here at what are considered his unfair and
disparagilg statements. but I think his letters have
been OF service o. u rather than otherwise. lie IL
p~rcJudiceI against everything American aud his views
are very much tingel by his prcjudices. Bet many
Of hs CT tici ms are Just, and though we scOId ut his
abuse, ~ are not slow To avail ourselves of his sug-
gestive criticisms. He i a man of great experience
and observation, especially in military movements
and matters. and hi opinions are worth listening to,
and Invested Of their national coloring, are very
valuable. And a long as he is paid by the London
Times for thus giving Us the benefit of his extensive
knowledge. We can afford TO laugh ut his abuse while
We profit by his hints. The fact i, we Americans are
altogether too sensitive TO the opinions Of others. and
more ready 10 take Ofense at any riiicule Of our
ways than We are 20 correct them where the censure
= just And though the course Of England, since
this rebellion broke out, has been neither 30 friendly
or maguanimous as We had reason to expect from her
previous professions, yet We have made much more
fuss about tt than was discreet or dignihed, or than
the Importance Of the case demanded. IL IS not pro-
bIbIe that either England or France will interfere in
this unhappy struggle IL they 10 not, 1t will doubt
less Re a brief one, and we shall emerge from it a
wiser and, I trust, better and a stronger nation.
Ges, stronger, for though our resources may be lessen
ed fer the time, and our energies Overtasked by the
intensity OF the conflict, / think We shall have nd
ourselves Of an clement Of weakness that has Lppu
threatening our dissolution, but which I believe will
be 50 shOrn Of Its gigantic proportions rs no longer to