Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-01-29
E. COwles s Co., Publishers.
The First thunder clap What MeCisllan
said when he wna sick



Il Is said that during the recent illness
| of Genefat Mcclellan, when his friends
tbourbt him in somewhat dangerous con.
ditio1. ono Of them urged upon him the
propriety Of conhdiug whatever military
plabs he had devised TO some competent
and trustworthy person. His reply was,
that his plans we're understood and that
when il began to storm the people would
haar the thunder all around the sky. This
1 meant We presume, that he had concerted
a sehelae Of general action, which, IS soon
as il should have been opened in one place
would be followed up vigorously ct every
! other point We hope this view is true
and thst the elaps which nov come TO US
from the West are but opening peais OF the
teupestuous clouds which are gathering
abOutrebeldom.
The place and time Of the blow would,
At least seem to confirm this view Of the
occurrence. II We suppose il the design
| of the Commander-in-O Chief to surround
he main army Of the Insurgents at Msnas-
sas, he must begin his operations first on
the coasts, TO keep as large number Of their
other troops as possible engaRedd in those
directions, and then TO cut off Richmond
from its sources Of supply at the South and
Southwest To accomplish the former pur-
poss we have Wool ct Fortress Monroe,
williams st Hstteras Inlet Sherman 81
Port Roysl. Brown at Fort Piokens, and
Phelps az Biloxi, with various naval squad
rons blookading various ports; and to ao-
oomplish the second purpose, Burnside is
making his way to some point Of railroad
junction in North 0arolina, while Schoepf
and Thomas ere pushing on towards Knox
vile, to interrupt the railroad communies-
ton TO the Southwest. At the same time
our flank and rear are well covered BY
Mcclellan, Hooker and Banks, on the PotO'
mac. by Rosecrans in Western Virginis, by
Grant and his gun boats at Cairo, and by
Halleck in Missouri.
With this disposition Of our forces, it is
impossible for the rebels to carry the war,
as & Richmond print threatens, into any
Of the free States. Their army cannot
cross into Maryland by the river; they
cannot ascend the KsnsNhs valley: they
could not move g step further north in
Kentucky than they were before the late
victories, and they are completely checked
on the Mississippi and in Northern Mis-
souri,. Their only egress into free State
would be into Kansas, where 1t is expected
Hunter and Lane will soon put An effect
usl stopper on their ambition. But while
they are thus held from any damaging
movement against us, they are seriously
threatened in their most important strste-
eic point, which Is Manassas. Mcclellan,
said Richmond print the other dsy, holds
then as in q vics; but that was not the
whole truth Of the position, if his sObordi-
mates are active he WIN soon be able 10
close the jaws Of the vice upon them with
q degree Of force that must crus out the
whole rebellion. y hsnz Themes and
Sehoepf shaI,hsve moved upon KnOxyillei
as they clearly mean 10 do, when Baell
shall be in Nashville, whittier he is now
obviously driving, the entire Intercourse
between Richmond and the Southwest will
be cut of; and meanwhile, Burnside, u no
mishap occurs, will have taken Iossession |
Of the North Carolins roads, to close the
communications in that quarter.
Richmond viii thus be isolated; the camps
at Manassas possess no supplies bot what |
they have In hand and under these circum- |
stances their only alternative will be to make
dash upon Mcclellan, who has strong for
tiAcstions and double their number oi men, |
or to fall back-npon Richmond. But 70 fan |
back upon Richmond win only shift the scene
Of their distressess. Burnside and Thomas |
and Buell. will still be in their rear; McOlel-
lau will press down upon their front; while |
Wood may, if be plesses, flank them on the |
east, and Rosecrans flank them on the west. |
IN other words, the folds of the great ana
conda. Of which we have heard 80 much and |
saw 80 little iu the days of Gen. Scott, are be-
ginning 20 be contracted By a little energy; |
and it only rests now with the Government |
TO say whether they shall be drawn complete.
" and tightly arouud the body OF the dragon |
which has been breathing FIRE against US for |
80 many month"; II only rests with
the Government, we say, because we have |
the necessary troops, the proper positions,
the earnest viii of soldiers and people, and, |
after the successful exploits at Someraet, We
shall likely get all pecuniary means that tmsy |
be required. Enterprise, activity, determi- |
nation are the magic wands that will wear
of every obstruction and difficulty.
Let this nation be once convinced that
this stroke in Kentucky is but the prelim
mary TO 8 succession Of blows; let it feel /
that our cabinet and generals are terribly |
in earnest; let it know that no 90 npro-
mise or parley will be suffered until the |
arms Of our brave men have beaten the
conceit out Of the arrogant noodles Of the |
slave drivers, and there viii be no want of |
money, no want Of men, and no division of |
sentiment even as to slavery or snY other
question. The war Itself vigorously pros
ecuted will settle sll troubles, whether in
the treasury, in Congress, in the camps, or
in foreign councils. Success is the most |
convincing logic and the most persuasive
elouuenoe that can be addressed either to |
the North, the South, or to Europe. twill |
Unloose the pockets Of the moDey-holders; |
it will cheer thehearts Of the masses whose |
brothers and sons are in the field; it will |
compel the respect Of our foes, and it will |
defeat the Vaccinations Of their agents |
abroad. John Bull will see q nearer road |
to his cotton through our victories than
his own doubtful Interpolation; Louis Ma
poleon will not undertake to cut 8 knot
that we have already united; and the "re-
construction" Of the Union, when it comes,
will be best adjusted for the interests Of
freedom after the armies of freedom shall
have raised their triumphant flags over all
the stolen fortresses snd al the recreant
cities Of the land.