Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1862-02-20
THE GREAT VICTORY.

II is impossible to overestimate the I'M
portance of the late glorious Union victo-
~ on the Cumberland River. Following
as il does upon the heels of so many other
decisive and telling Union victories II
cannot fail to overwhelm the rebels with
terror and CONSERVATION, to distract the
counsels Of their leaders, and to paralyze
their efforts to stay the onward march oil
our victorious battallions. The back
bone of the rebellion, thank God, Is at
last broken II never can recover the
ground it has lost. 1t may be said with
literal truth, that the boosted confederate
armies at all points save Manassas, are
now either sleeping the sleep OF death, or
prisoners of war, or flying, painting, disor-
panized and demoralized fugitives. We
make no exception of the rebels at Co.
lumbus, except as to the mere fact OF
fleeing, for no doubt the troops at that
point are ready to do so, and that their
commanders regard a retrogade movement
a military necessity. Thus every strategic
point along the whole rebel line ~est OF
Manassas, has fallen into our hands, ex-
cept Columbus, and that must quickly
meet the same fate. These points were
selected by the rebels with much care,
and with particular reference to their
military advantages; they have been for
trying them for weeks and months, and
have boosted of their impregnablity; and
vet they have been taken by our brave
troops, and the rebel, troops have been
beaten back in confusion and dismay,
with loss of thousands in killed, wound
cd, and prisoners taken, loosing also i'm
mense quantities of artillery, arms, stores,
means of transportation, &c.
Under these circumstances, with VIC
torious Union army, made invincible by
the experience they have had, and In the
enthusiasm which the fruits of their valor
has inspired, pressing upon them from all
points, where can the rebels again make
standi They will have no time, if they
had the means to organize a new army /;
the people of the rebel States are more
and more reluctant to serve in cause
which has no bright side left to it and in
rlity there is nothing to prevent four
compacted columns from sweeping down
to New Orleans.
A large population moreover, animated
still by an undying love for the Union
will greet them as they advance, and they
will go in the character of deliverers in
stead of conquerors. We think the last
great battle has been fought in the South
West. There may be skirmishes, and
guerrilla movements, but in reality all the
States South and West of Kentucky to
the Gulf lie absolutely at our mercy.
Meantime the rebel army of the Poto-
mac is lying idle upon its arms, behind
its Notifications, unable to lend the least
aid to their confederates in Tennessee.
Burnside is penetrating towards the
rail road lines which connect Virginia
with the Southern Atlantic States, and
will soon be in the rear Of Richmond.
The "great annaconda" is thus tighten
ing its folds around the monster rebellion.
How admirable, now, does every one say,
were the plans of Gen. Mcclellan How
foolish have we been to charge him, in
our impotence and ignorance, with in
capacity and want ofenergy
Not the least gratifying result of our
recent great victories, list he fact that they
will utterly extinguish all fear of foreign
intervention. Whatever may have been
meditated by France and England, or
either Of those nations in respect to our
affairs, the new situation will convince
them that the United States can never be
severed, and that the rebellion will be
speedily crushed.
H. u,,-~-xrcsrx. p,rrp II - 20 ba