Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-11-09
w. d. WALLACH.
THE GREAT EXPEDITION.

Vow that the destination Of the great naval
expedition is no longer a secret, the country
will give immediate and earnest attention to
the geographical features and strategic adysn-
tages Of the position selected for the base Of
operations and chief theater Of the war in the
cotton States. careful study of its topogrs-
ply, with the assistance of the distinct and
excellent map which we publish this morning,
cannot fail to give the impression that if all
parts Of this important movement have been
planned with the same good judgment that has
selected the place Of landing, the country has
reason to anticipate suspicious results.
The selection of point on the Atlantic coast
In preference to one on the Gulf, shortens, by
more than thousand miles, the distance be
tween our southern army and the sources of its
supplies and reinfOrcements, besides avoiding
the dangerous navigation through the Florida
Keys which employs and enriches such a null
dtude of wreckers. There Is no point on the
Gulf coast which offers advantages for the
main purposes Of the expedition; and if its des-
tination had been New Orleans that pOpulous
city, with its facilities for communication with
the interior, would afford the rebels far greater
resources for defense than we could bring to
the assault. But the Port Royal entrance is
an easy sail from Fortress Monroe, enabling US
to strengthen our army by rapid reinforce
ments; and the district about it Is so situated
in regard to railroad and river communication
ae to afford the rebels no advantages for a con-
centration Of troops Although the summer
climate is such that the planters remove with
their families to the uplands during the hot
season, the winter air is balmy and delightful
and favorable to the health of our troops.
Beaufort, which has the deepest and finest
harbor on ths southern coast, is pleasant lit
tie village of about 900 inhabitants, situated
sixteen miles inland, and distant fifty miles
frou Charleston. and thirty-6ve from Savan-
nah. The landing of a large force in its vi
"a a ms IN hot
will compel the rebels to keep large station
ery force for the defense Of each, besides con-
fronting Us with another at Beaufort They
cannot send detachments from the latter to
either Of these important cities so quickly as
We can dispatch large force from Beaufort
by sea; nor can the troops at one of them be
sent TO the defense Of the other, without leav-
ing it exposed to attack by a new armament
which may pounce on Il from Fortress Mon
roe The rebel troops at Charleston and Sa-
vaRnah must be sufficient, at each of these cit
les, to defond 1t from our whole southern force
which can be welded against either at will,
and which will require the rebels to stand
ready with three times as many men to meet
an attack as would be necessary if the point
Of landing had been less skillfully selected.
The country around Beaufort, for a great
distance back, is as level as any of our western
prairiss, which will prevent the rebels, in the
battles likely TO occur, from fighting with the
VI REOuuu WHICH nave Deel OF eucl
service 70 them in Virginia. They can make
no cunning retreat, drawing US on until strong
position makes it safe to hazard a battle On
those extensive fats every battalion of our me-
will be at least an even match for every bat
talon Of theirs, and the Union army may count
upon " an open field and fair fight" in which
hitherto they have always been victorious.
The important relations Of this war to the
negro question and the cotton supply contri-
butte also to make Beaufort the most eligible
position in all the South for q base of opera
tiOns. We strike into the heart of the region
that produces the most valuable of all the va
rieties Of the staple, known in the market as
the Sea Island cotton The district (or county,
Of Beaufort alone produced, in 1850. 1852
bales, besides more rice than any other county
in the Southern States; the adjoining district
Of Colleton, on the northeast, ,OO5 bales; and
the other adjscent district of Barnwell, on the
northwest, TO- l3S bales. This is one of the
most opulent regions in the whole South, the
plantations being extensive and the slaves ma.
meross in proportion to the white population
In Beaufort district there were in 1859 5 ,747
white Inhabitants and 80 297 slaves; in Collie
ton, ,403 whites and 81 III slaves a dispro.
portion 50 great as to touch southern appre
tensions In their tenderest point, and 40 bring
the inhabitants, at once, face to face with the
terrible consequences involved in a prompt
hual choice between a re.urn to loyalty and
persistence in rebellion.-N. Y. World.