Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-05-09
TIlatrbman & Stair 9ournal.
BY e.. z. WALTON.
MONTPELIER, MAY o, 1862.
EvAcuAr1oN oF YoRKTowN.

ENAtOAllON UT lOhh lON M
The week opens with unexpected news
the evacuation Of another of the rebel strong
holds in Virginia Had the announcement
been made that Gen Mcclellan had com
monced the attack on the place, no one would
have been disappointed, as it has been report
ed several days that his preparations were
nearly complete, and that the attack would
soon be made with an absolute certainty Of
success. The rebels, by their retreat, have
testified most Enthusiastically to their belief in
his ability to take not only Yorktown, but the
rebel army, and have again run rather than
encounter a battle in which all hope of sue
cessful resistance was gone.
Comment on the new aspect Of affairs,
which is thus suddenly presented, is almost
useless its effect on the rebel army can only
Doe disastrous. Decentralization, deserton d
mutiny arc already reported ia their ranks,
and we mistake in our predictions if the rebel
army in Virginia is not, in this new retreat,
entirely broken up. There is now no longer
hupe for their being able TO contend as an
army against the marshalcd hosts that are
pouring in upon them from all sides. They
must speedily evacuate the State Of Virginia,
as they have no formidable works to fall back
upon Even the Richmond papers have adj
mitted that a defeat at Yorktown would be
an end Of their cause in that State But the
evacuation Of the place is worse to them than
defeat as it acknowledges their inability
Nfcffl.ff,r,fs ttc ,0r ,f
which will be to spread terror and consterna-
ton throughout the whole Of rebeldom.
But Gen. Mcclellan does not rest with the
occupation Of Yorktown. lie has sent large
forces with his gunboats up York river TO
West Point, which is the head of navigation
on the York river, and from which place is a
railroad direct to Richmond. As McClelans
forces can move faster by water than the reb
els can by land, as there is no railroad direct
from Yorktown TO Ricmond there is more
than a possibility that before any considerable
force Of the rebel army from Yorktown can
arrive at Richmond our troops will be able
60 cut Off their retreat, and with hot pursuit
IN the rear, portion Of them may yet be cap
tlred. At least it brings a portion Of Nc
CleIlan's army in near proximity to Gen. Nc
DoweIl's forces at Frederick, burgh, and will
compel the rebel forces before Mcdowell and
Banks to fall back to prevent their retreat be-
ing cut off. II at the same time Gen. Burn
side should cut Oft their retreat through North
Carolina, the whole rebel army in Virginia
will be bagged
Along with the news Of the evacuation Of
Yorktown comes the reported retreat OF Beau
regard from Corinth, and the dispersion of
the rebels from Chattanooga by Gen. Mitchell.
What new tactics the rebels are about to re-
sort to, ia not apparent; but there can now
be no alternative for them hut to fight our
forces in the open field whenever we are able
to overtake them, or to break up into guerilla
parties, and scour the country plundering and
harrassing the Union men Of the South But
even this is "a game that two can play at,
and we doubt if they can be any more sue
ce,siul IN this kind Of warfare than they have
been in the open field or behind their iortif-
cations.
Whatever shape events may assume in the
future, there is the greatest cause for hope
fitness ON the mart Of Io,al men o,oryrbe,o
nra speedy termination If bo.tlitic. LINN.
sr rosist,nro bv the ,obels i. madness. and
whatever the rebel loader. ma, desire mp al.
WISE we believe that these continued reyer.es
and retreats will but convince ,he masses in
the Sautb,rn state. that their only home ,r
..fstv is IN ,enudiate tboi, onpre.sors and ro-
turn Go the nrotoction Of the Iroion tho Con
,d,ution and laws Apv considerable upri.-
I'M, of such .entimon, would 5r;y. ,Lo chief
c,rs,;ritors from the country in soye ,h,,,-
solves from ocr.or,I yiolepce or tho suro s,e
of .m,erJi,, Justice
LIE fRENcH MINISTER VISIT TO RICH
MoND.-Slnce the recent vsit 90 the French