Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1861-09-13
IMPORTANCE OF THE HATTERAS
VICTORY


VICTORY.
John w Forncy whites in this wa, To- The
Press on the probable consequences Of tho
recent victories on the North Carolina coast
WAsHIrGToN, Sept. |.
At last, the flank Of treason has been turn
ed The Teverses Of the American arms seem
10 have been sent upon us only to teach us
the great lesson Of adversely, and Of calling
forth popular enthusiasm in the loyal States.
The wisdom Of the Administration, In pro-
yiding for an attack upon the trsitors along
the whole OF the Southern coast, has been
nobly responded to by the courage and en-
dursnce OF the army aud the navy. The gall
liant affair at Hatteras Inlet was, IL must not
be forgotten, the FIRST opportunity presented
to our noble tars to show that they were
ready for all the dangers incident to a defense
Of our flag against an ungrateful enemy
Nobly have they fulfilled the expectations Of
their countrymen. IL is estimated that by
this magnificent expedition we have scaled
up the enemy so efectually as to prevent
them from making Cape HstterAs and the ad-
jacent coast, for nearly three hundred miles,
TO secure rendezvous for piratical expeditions.
IL also deprives them Of that valuable inter
nal commerce, by means of which they have
been enabled to supply Virginia on the one
hand and North Carolina on the other. With
the Chesapeake held by our feet and Fort
ress Monroe aud the Potomac in full and all
most unmolested possession of the Govern
ment forces, and now vast extent Of coast
on the North Carolina boundary seized by
our fleets, and held or menaced by our armies
what is TO prevent those advance movements
toward the far South, so loudly demanded by
every consideration of the national safety
and the national honor Virginia, which
has become the great base Of the traitors
operations, and upon the soil Of which have
been thrown. in undsciplincd masses, thous-
ands and hundreds of thousands from the
Cotton States, suffered sufficiently before She
lost the intermediate Commonwealth Of North
Carolina, which bound her on one side by
railroad and water 10 the Gulf States,
and which connected her with many COM
munities on the other side. Now that
Nirglnia is almost effectually closed in--now
that the Rebels can receive no aid from Mary
land--none from the frontiers Of Pcnnsyya-
nia-none from North Carolina the whole
coast Of which is to-day almost entirely block
AIDED Wesrirn Wr, ina becomes a strategic
point Of The highest Importance. Now Eastern
Tennessee may look up with some hope for
succor. Kentucky may be emboldcned to
strike from her gigantic limbs her sef-imposed
or neutral letters. 1t may be mentioned in
cidentally that the same influences that awak
en- the patriots Of Virginia, Kentucky, and
Tennesseo may reorgsnize and revive the
patriots Of North Carolina. But beyond the
Border States for it must not be forgotten
that thus far the whole burden Of the war
has fallen upon them), lies the greater ques-
ton Of meeting the traitors in the Gulf or
Cotton States, and Of furnishing them in
their strongholds They have sent forward
nearly all their available troops to capture
the capital. and TO subsidize the Union men
- tho Rnrdar- Stafas Thal -uiil harazftnr
be called up TO protect their coasts, and un-
doubtedly their inland positions, from the
( loyal fleets that will swarm in their waters.
and the loyal armies that will swarm over
their soil Gradually Fort Pickens has been
strengthened Key West, in the same lati-
tude, held, and more than one Of their strong
points silently and secretly occupied. The
mouth Of the Mississippi is menaced by our
men-of-war. Fort Pulaski, in Georgia, will
soon DO in range Of our guns, and the Texan
coast within easy sailing or stesmIng distance,
will be seized by our naval and mercantile
marne-sl the more easily that Ben. Mccall
loch and his bandt,i are Off ravaging the fair
fields Of Missouri.