Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1861-10-25
A Glance at the Situation.
From the Chicago Tribune, 22d inst.

The rebels are giving ground along their
whole line. The greatest effort Of which they
are capable, has been put forth. They can
do no more. They have all the men in the
field it is possible for them to raise and sup
port. The maximum of their strength has
been exhibited; their progress has been wit
messed; their decline and fall will come next
as certain as fate. The contest may be pro-
longed, but the triumph of the National arms
can not be arrested.
The present condition of the rebels, is far
worse than it was month ago. They have
lost ground at every point contested. Begin
ming at the East, we sec them forced back
from the Potomac, slowly but surely. Each
day McClellan's army gains new post, and
the enemy lose one. They are pressed back
almost to their former position at Manassas
Our General is no longer acting on the dcfen-
sive. lie has assumed the offensive, eau
tiously, it is .rne, but he is making sure work
as he advances. His great army grows in
numbers, discipline and self-cunlidente, day
by day. He IS multiplying his batteries of
artillery, and adding new sduadrons to his
already numerous cavalry, perfcctins his
transportation service, and making ready for
the delivery of tremendous blow. The rebel
chiefs are becoming duly impressed with the
vastness and perfection of the army which
confronts them, and are losing confidence i'll
the ability of their own forces to resist its ell
set Meanwhile great expedition has been
| fitted out to operate on the rebel coast
Twenty thousand troops have sailed, accom-
panied by powerful feet Of war ships. The
insurgents know not at what point the expe,
dition may land. They are in shudder from
Cape Fear to Galveston. 1t may be Charles
ton, or Savannah, or Mobile, or New Orleans,
or some point that will command one or
more of these places Soon we shall hear
from the feet, and when it strikes, the army
on the Potomac will begin to thunder and
lightning
The blockade is growing tighter and more
suffocating to the rebels. Now and then
vessel may slip in and out of port, but the
number Of such is few, and the occasions are
becoming more rare. Considering the great
length Of the coast to be watched and guard
ed, 800 mles-it is surprising that all the
numerous ports, sounds, bays, inlets and
creeks have been so well closed. Our fleet is
rapidly increasing in the number of vessels
efficiency of crews. Every day almost, new
war ship is launched, and every steamer, pro-
pcller, tug or clipper, fit for naval service, be-
longing to the mercantile marine, has been
purchased or chartered 10y the Government,
and put into commission; and all our men,
of-war, stationed abroad, have been called
home. The fleet now in the employment of
the Nation, is inferior only to the navies of
England and France.
Delaware is loyal, and has two regiments
in the National service Maryland is COM
petey reduced to obedience and the rebels of
Baltimore dare not open their heads, The
extensive traffic which had been carried on
between the secessonists Of that State and
the Virginia rebels, is pretty effcctually bfo.
ken up, and very few supplies OF recruits can
now enter Virginia from Southern Maryland
The aid received from this source was much
greater than the public has been aware of.
Passing to this side of the mountains, We
find that after prolonged and desperate
struggle, the rebels have been whipped out OF
Western Virginia, and the new State OF
Kanawha" is wrenched from secession rule
The severity of the weather in the mountains
has prevented our forces from driving the
enemy beyond the Alleghanies this fall, on
the line of the Kanawha river.
The State of Kentucky has thrown off her
absurd neutrality" which was rendering
immense assistance to the rebels and infiict
ing serious harm Upon the loyal cause From
Kentucky the " Southern Confederacy "
mainly drew their supplies of ammunition
and clothing, groceries and bacon, besides
obtaining thousands Of recruits. Millions OF
dollars worth of indispensable articles found
their way South from and through this State
The rebel Generals killed the goose that laid
the golden eggs, as they now perceive, by
"invading" Kentucky and breaking neu-
trality which etilred wholly to their advan-
tage. This violation of the compact opened
tie doors for the entrance Of the FEDERAL
forces and the occupation of the dark and
bloody ground" 1t also gave the Union men
the advantage of the argument, as they are
acting on the defensive, and resisting inva-
sion Of their soil. They have cordially invit-
cd the National troops to come and help them
expel the robber hordes of Buckner, Zollcof
fer, Pillow and Breckinridge Gen. Sherman
is marching his forces rapidly forward to meet
the rebels, and in few weeks will have ex-
PEELED the last of them from the soil of Ken
lucky This large and important State will
be firmly anchored in the Union before win
ter sets in, and the volunteers of Illinois, In
diana, Ohio and Pennsylvania, after driving
the rebels across the borders, will follow them
into Tennessee and proceed to redeem that
fine State from the horrors and anarchy of
secession rule.
Notwithstanding al the revefses and dis
asters which have befallen Our arms in Mis-
souri,, the rebels are losing ground: A month