The New York herald., 1862-02-21
THE SITUATION.

The condition of the roads ON the Virginia
side Of the Potomac has 80 much improved with
the past few days. sunshine and drying wind that
the troops are in anxious expectancy that they
viii be ordered to advance, and thus be afforded
an opportunity to participate in the victories which
their comrades in the West and on the seaboard
are achieving every day. Gen. Mcclellan rode
across the river yesterday, for the first time in q
iosg interval visiting the headquarters of the diff
ferent commanders of divisions and brigades. The
csmps are represented to be in splendid order,
both regards health and discipline. All that the
men now require is fair chance to relieve the
quetude of camp life by the activity of the battle
field.
We give to-day some interesting news from our
special correspondent at Roanoke Island, relative
to the movements of General Burnside's expedi-
ton. The officers of the rebel army captured in
the late action are on board the Spaulding. They
number about $50. The privatcs still remain in
custody on the island. General Burnside is in ne.
gotia.ion by flags of truce as to exchanging the
prisoners.
The arrival Of Colonel Corcoran, and seven hun
dred other prisoners from Southern jails, is hourly
expected at Fortress Monroe, in exchange for
those liberated by the Presidents amnesty.
The report which we published yesterday of the
abandonment Of Clarksville by the rebels. appears
to be confirmed by the statement Of Captain
Pauldng, of the gunboat st. Louis, who proceeded
mp the Cumberland to that place from Fort Donel-
son. and found the rebels evacuating il in perfect
panic.
Our special correspondence, and the reports
which VIC publish from other sources to-day, will
be found to furnish a complete and most interest.
ing account of the battle at Fort Donelson. A
thousand more rebels have been taken prisoners,
who came down the river to reinforce the fort not
knowing that it had surrendered They thus fell
into trap.
Our news from Missouri Is interesting. Gen.
Halleck has issued an order renting the sentence
of death upon the bridge burners to Imprisonment
in the military prison at Altona, in consideration
Of the victories recently won and the increasing
demonstrations Of loyalty among the citizens of
Missouri. but he declares that II the rebel spies
shall again attempt to destroy the railroads the
original sentences shall be carried out.
Private advices reached 81. Louis yesterday that
Columbus was being evacuated by the rebels, and
also that preparations will be made at once for the
advance of our troops on Memphis.
Dispatches from st. Louis also inform Us that a
most important point has been gained by the
destruction Of the railroad bridges at Decatur
Alabama, and at Bridgeport seventy miles below
by the Unonists in Northern Alabama embold
ened, no doubt, by the appearance Of the Unior
gunboats under Lieut.. Phelps, who recently pro-
cseded as far as Florence, Ala. II will be seen
by the map which we publish to-day that the
destruction of those bridges cuts of all communi-
cation between Memphis and Charleston and pro.
baby, IL the destruction of the Bridreport con.
necton be true, between Nashville and Riebmond.
This would leave the rebels in the Southwest in a
sad plight, and place Nashville in desperate
strait, The destruction Of these bridges s, more