New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-11-29
The Invasion of the Mississippi Valley.
From the Memphis Avslanche.

From the Memphis Avslanche.l
From the commencement of the war the enemy
has looked to the invasion of the magnificent val
ley. watered by the Mississippi as movement not
second in importance TO an advance on Richmond,
The command of the great artery OF the West, the
channel of its immense commerce, they have justly
regarded as indispensable to the conquest OF the
South. The possession of tins great valley'
grander and richer than the Valley OF the Nile
teeming with the agricultural products OF TWO
zones the cereals of the North and the cotton and
sugar Of the South, is prize most tempting TO both
their cupidity and ambition. To its conquest they
have looked forward with unconcealed lmpatlence
and anxiety.
The Northwest, especially is deeply interested
in this achievement The Mississippi is its great
highway to market on whose shores its grain and
stock have hitherto found ready sale, and on whose
bosom they have been borne to the gulf ortoreign
expectation. The thought Of this mighty stream
failing under the control of enemies excites its ut
most Jealousy and ire. Douglas knew the key to
strike to arouse the war spirit of the West, when
he falsely asserted, before the Inauguration OF the
present war. that the rebels had blockaded the
Mississippi against Western commerce. The con
troll Of this river, with the market along its banks,
is the object which, above all others, calls forth
the swarming hosts of the great Northwest to bat
tie with the South. The prisoners recently taken
at Belmont say that it is for this chiefly they are
fighting. We may, therefore, expect that the
fercest struggles of the war will be in the M'ssls
sippi Valley. Here the opposing hosts OF two sec
tions will meet in the shock Of the mlghtlest bat
heS ana the contest Tor supremacy WA4 pe ueCiutu
The combined strength of the North will here be
ultimately concentrated, for the final struggle
which is to decide the destiny Of the South.
The necessity for the concentration OF vast
army on the Potomac to defend Washington has
forced the Federals TO postpone the Mississippi ex
pedition but in the meantime they have been
busy preparing for it. A fleet OF gunboats and
transports has been in course Of preparation: and
a large army has been recruited for this special
purpose in the West and North They are now
getting ready to strike the great blows which are
to give them possession of this immense region.
We are inclined to believe that the demonstration
will be made on vast scale. Hunters army is
moving back to st. Louis to engage in 1t, and be-
sides the large force at Cairo and other points,
the probability is that portion of the army at
Washington will be detailed for the same service.
We are to be assailed simultaneously by land
and water, aud on both sides Of the Mississippi A
column will advance on Columbus from Paducah
and Cairo, while another will descend on the Mis-
souri, side, and the fleet will cooperate with both.
The first effort will be to capture our batteries, as
it would be exceedingly dangerous TO leave them
in the ar, even should the feet succeed in pass
ing them This feature in The plan was developed
i'll the late unsuccessful attempt on Columbus
That affair, so disastrous to them, has taught them
the lesson that they must have an overwhelming