The New York herald., 1862-03-20
The victory at Fort DoneIson.

j.
After nine months OF helpless inaction or ngorous
eopagning the federal armies nave at length achieved
genuine victory The Of General Grant and his
colleagues at Fort Doneson appears in military point
Of view TO have been decisive, and vn probably te at
ndsd 6y poiaico consga.nees Of material goTtenee It
10 but the capture Of Nr doubt, but that fort
sansd army, it was The key Of position, opens ne
road further advance and the obstnacy Of the contest
Shows The value which both parties had upon the pos
session Of the place The Confederate garrison must a
least have exceeded COZ men, for Is stated that
fewer than 5000 surrendered win he fort as
prisoners OF war, and fvo thotsand arc said to
have escaped in the night preceding the capulation
The fedsras, however had superiority this
powerful force The beseging army was 1oo 900 strong,
and was assisted in its operations by otilla Of gun
boats the river Three days spent ia hard fight
ting before the fort could be reduced and tho proceedings
reported show both the difficulties Of the attack and the
etubbornncss Of the defence.
The fsdcrsis now advance from the west towards
ehe east, and establish themselves in the Of the
force by Utieh Gen. Mcclellan, ph tie main army of e
gnonts, has 50 long Jc,r kept G boy There much in
deed 70 be done before the Northern generals coming
those OF Burnside advancing from the coast Of Carolina
nor is II very probable that combinations exten.
sive will ever be successfully accomplished But there is
doubt that the victory at Fort Done up
the federal arms most important territory, mag
pvou isfos undey such eircusscr.es fortk Confeias
Vsrrnsa II this force however IL nsts iay ycakcned
Gen Mcclellan csn At length advance ani tsn ~ the
es,s q he North Tu se poured at once n ne Sss The
Ia needless say that In despite Of az t,is the con
tederstss can. they please, proong ihs ss till their
Su~mns ie eALheelcu, ahu 30 otit~I Inc designs Oi
NE North. is one thing 20 capture fort,
proper territory Of the Southsrners, indeed, IL
yet untouched. The recent succcsses of the
North have been gained In countries whore tho
allegiance OF the population div dsd and where ono
cause could Claim ss many symp thizers the other
the Confederass recoins from the blows which their
powerful antagonist has at length ccntrived 70 nct
Oh aid take refuge IN her ps and Sronolold,
and ass fas and distance 10 fight aeir Lntes for fs,
the North do nothing The ederss may oyerrun the
South, but in doing 20 their difficulties will but com
mence The trial will come when their armies advance
from their own soil hostile territories too vast 10 bs
occupied penetrated. Tho question, In fact s not
whether the south resist but whether IL will deter
mine 10 resist II defy the power Of the North in the
snd but the effort would be painful and the sarfces re-
er the weakness Of their opponents the Confederaes
have enjoyed advantages which they could never
have anticipated. Though inferior in numbers
and resources, thcy have lot only hold their
an, but have even inflicted serious reversss
or their adversary, and for somo tiHle indced
seemed as the fortune of invariably theirs
The Judgments effected their coasts were Of little i'm
pcrtAnce, and followed by consequences, while
10 Virginia they succeeded In rspcllng tbor enemies
often they attempted 10 advance Behind the lines o.
bcaurcgad and johnston the Confederate territories
secure aad the great object OF the war the independence
Of tho South, was attained at any rate for the time
These favorable crcumstsuces contributed, cannot
doubt, 70 the resolution with which ths southerners
under the pressure Of b'Ockadc and with very
insufficient resources, maintansd an unequal con
test They had succeeded, by some or
other In parayzng the force OF Their powerful onemy
aud they suffered only from intcr,e ted commerce
and straltened means. But II the fedof s should now
he able 10 pursue the advantages which 1vcrs isaa.