The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-03-31
The Position.

The Union armies are still making progress.
In the Department Of the Mississippi, the attack
upon Island No. 10 has lost much OF the intense
interest which it commanded a week SINCE
There has been bat little apparent progress made
in the reduction Of thc rebel detenscs at that
point In fact, it seems probable that the rebel
position is stronger than when the first shot was
tired, as tncy have erected new batteries and
aGrcng lneued their old ones, in the work upon
which they have had no scruples ab,ut employ
ing negroes. TIE mortar boats are not doing
50 much execution as was hoped, chiefly because
they are Obliged to fire at long range, and can
not attain the accuracy that is quired in she'll
ing isolated batteries or scattered Notifications
The rebels have very heavy guns in position
which keep our gunboats at u very respectable
distance up the stream, These gunboats are
iron clsed only in front, and the rapidity of the
current OF the Mississippi, together with the
position Of the rebel batteries, makes it too dan
gerously hazardous for Com. Foote to think
moving down into the close range which told so
decidedly at Fort Henry, as boat once disabled
would Immediately be at the mercy of the rerels
The rebels have communication constantly from
below by the way Of Merriwea ther landing, Just
across the neck of the 9 Ox-bow, but Gen. Pope
has batteries planted for fifteen miles along the
shore, below the Island, preventing any trans
ports going up the river to the assistance of the
Tho rpiuotjan r tin nj ona will
take place Immediately, -perhaps moro than
another week will be consumed in the work.
Land forces and land batteries will doubtless
soon join the expedition, as it is now generally
conceded that they will be necessary to a sue
cessful attack In Arkansas the rebels have
retreated to tho western line of the State, and
our troops under Gen. Curtis had fallen back
toward the Missouri line, on account of the
scarcity of forage. That country hardly seems
worth fighting for.-In Tennessee battle is
imminent, II one mas not already been fought.
Zen. Beaaregari is at Corinth, in the Northern
part OF the State of Mississippi, with large
army, and Gen. Buell. has just assumed the com
maud Of the Union forces from 10000 to Is,
900 strong, which are within fifteen miles OF
the rebel General. We may expect to hear OF
great battle there at any moment. The resi-
of the Western Department, with the excep-
ton Of such marauding as that of Morgan on
the Louisville and Nashville railroad, and Guam
trel. at Sedalia lis tolerably qaiet and sub.
mlssive under the Union flag.
The Department of the Potomac is unques
tsonabiy upon the eve of great events. Although
there is no certain news. there is every reason
to believe that u movement supported by i'm
mense strength, is being made upon Richmond
from the direction OF Fortress Monroe, and W.
suppose Mcclellan mus, be in the immediate
command, as he would not be likely to entrus
so important an advance to any subordinate of
icer. The Vermont brigade will doubtless par
ticlpatc in this attack We have the more rea
son to suppose that it has been finally concluded
to thus attack the rebel Capital, inasmuch a
we do not hear of any very large force movinI
forward from Manassas or that vicinity. Gen
Mcclellan has promised to bring his army fac
to face with the enemy, and from the genera
disposition Of the rebels to run away, he vii
be obliged to get in their roar las an Irish
man would say,) to do this, and is probsbl
doing 50. The announcement Of the arrival @
several paymasters at Fortress Monroe, strength
ems the suspicion that there are more troop
than usual there to be paid of. And we advis