The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1862-02-19
The News - How 1T was received
The results of the Victory.

The News - How 1T was received
The results of the Victory.
Our dispatches and exchanges indicate
the enthusiasm and joy which followed the
glorious news from Fort Don elson, last
Monday. The ringing of bells, the booming
: of cannon, bonfres. Nominations fireworks
and torch-ight professions marked the ever
memorable day and night from one end of
the North to the other. In this city, the
intelligence was received with every con-
ceivable demonstration of delight Flags
were displayed from public buildings, stores
and private residences, a national salute
was fred, and vast crowds assembled on
the streets to congratulate each other over
the victory and listen to the National airs
diseeursed by the Crescent City Band. The
loyal fugitives from Kentucky and Ten
nessee, who for months past have been in
this city watching with anxious hearts for
their deliverance, were almost delirous
with joy. They embraced each other, and
friend of ours, who lives near Fort Donel-
son, and is now exile for his love to the
old flag, wept like a child
Amid the general rejoicing all were
anxious for the safety of friends and neigh
bors in the gallant 18th, gath and 25th
Indiana regiments. The loss was repre-
sented so great, that many feared to hear
further particulars from the fort. Suisse
quent dispatches prove that our loss has
been greatly exaggerated, and that instead
of thousands killed and wounded, we have
only four hundred killed and eight undred
wounded. We must not forget to take into
consideration the fact that thousands will
be sick, many Of them dangerously, from
the exposure and privations to which they
have been subjected. The 18th regiment
lay on their arms in the snow all day
Thursday, and many a gallant soldier
escaped the bullets of the enemy to die by.
lingering and painful disease. These
things are part of the price of victory !;
they are the incidents of this cruel war
and while We rejoice, we may mourn for
the dead and prepare as best we may to
succor and relieve the sick and dying.
The Importance of the victory can hardly
be oYer-estimated. The enemy had con-
centrated at Fort Donelson, not only the
escaped garrison of Fort Henry, but the
army of Buctner from Bowling Green, and
of Floyd from Virginia, making a force of
more than so, 900 men, defended by formida-
BILE Entertainments, redoubts and fortiica-
tions, planned by the most skilfnl engineers
in the rebel service. On our side was sn-
perior force, unprotected save by their own
bayonets and artillery, without tents, ex-
nnsad IN fhpaa davs ap6 picbto IF Storu,
but undaunted in their purpose to take the
Fort at all hazards. That they would do
90, no one doubted but we feared lest the
determined Yalor of our men should lead
them to great sacrifice of life in order to
storm the batteries of the rebels.
The capture of Fort Donelson opens up to
us the whole Southern Confederacy Our
victorious army, flushed with success and
directed by the skill of General Hal
leck, win be irresistible in its onward
march to Nashville and Memphis. A force
superior even to that slumbering the
Potomac is concentrating on the Cumber-
land and no less than enc hundred thou
sand men will compose the Grand Army of
the West to whom will be entrusted the
sacred duty OF crushing treason and re-
establishing law and order in the Valley of
the Mississippi. Columbus will be gained,
as was Bowling Green, and the stronghold
where, for months the enemy has toiled to
prepare defenees Of the most formidable
character will be taken without blow
Nashville and GAINESVILLE mus: either yield
to assault or surrender at discretion.
Another important result of the late VIC
tory and our advance into Tennessee, will
he that the minds of Southerners will be
enlightened as to the object of this war.
We have believed that so soon as the mass
es in the South could realize The trnth that
we only seek their welfare and the estab-
lishment of the Union, they would lay
down their arms. The advance of our
troops will prove to them how grossly and
wickedly they have been deceived by
their leaders. The Union sentiment in the