The New York herald., 1862-02-08

Another Unisn Victory I'm the West-Our
Circle OF Fire Closiag Round the Re-
bellion.
We congratulate our readers upon another
important Union victory in the West Our
splendid Western soldiers, under Generals
Grant and McClsrnand, who, in their first en-
counter with the rebels at Belmont, exhibited
the fighting qualities of Napoleon's Old Guard,
have marched into the occupation of the valu-
able strategic defenoes of Fort Henry, on the
Tennessee river. To show the importance of
this position, we refer the reader to the illus
trative maps on the first page Of this paper.
II appears that the work of reducing Fort
Henry was accomplished by the gunboats Of
Flag Officer Foots before our land forces came
up, but not without serious disaster. The capa-
biities, however, Of those iron-clad gunboats for
the heavy work for which they were intended
has been proved, and from this experiment they
can now be moved down against the rebel
batteries of Columbus, with that invaluable
knowledge which makes veterans Of young
soldiers, who have sustained the brunt of their
first hot, experimental battle.
Our troops occupy good position at Fort
Henry from which to advance westward upon
Columbus, or eastward upon Bowling Green, in
the rear-the two strongholds of the rebels in
Western Kentucky, and upon the maintenance
of which depends the rebel cause, not only in
Kentucky and Tennessee, but along the whole
line of the Mississippi down to New
Orleans This is why Beauregard has been
transferred from Manassas to Columbus or
Bowling Green, for the rebels have discovered
that their immediate danger is more pressing
on the line of the Mississippi than on the
line of the Potomac. We suppose that the
next thing in order by our troops at Fort Hen
ry will be the reduction of the supporting Fort
Donelson, on the Cumberland river, at Dover,
some ten miles across the hills at this point
from the Tennessee; and, next, that those rail
roads will be occupied which connect the re-
bells on the Mississippi with The rebels in Vir-
ginia; and that then, as all that section Of Ken
lucky lying between the Cumberland and the
Mississippi is attached to the department of
General Halleck, there will be, under his d-
rection, combined movement Of all his dis
possible forces from Fort Henry, May1eld, Pa
ducah, Smithland and Cairo, including Com
modore Porters gunboats, upon Columbus, in
front, flank and rear, and that it will not be
long before we shall have the pleasure of an
nouncing a crushing defeat of the rebels in that
quarter.
Meantime, in accordance with the instructions
of Gen. Mcclellan, the army of Gen. Buell. is
steadily encircling the great rebel camp at
Bowling Green. This is strong defensive po-
sition, the village being surrounded by circle
of abrupt and commanding hills, which are
occupied by rebel forts and batteries. We are
assured, however, that the programme of Gene
raj Buell. for the capture of Bowling Green is
one which cannot fail. Before the expiration
of the present month therefore, with any i'm
provement upon the late blockading SHOWS,
thaws and rains, we expect to hear the glorious
news of the expulsion of the rebels from both
Columbus and Bowling Green. A rebel army,
including both places of over a hundred and
twenty thousand men, will thus be cut up and
dispersed, Kentucky and Tennessee will be in
stantly liberated, and the sustaining spirit Of
this rebellion will be completely broken
In the interval, however, we do not imagine
that Price and his guerrillas will be left on the
soil of Missouri; or that the Burnside 'expedi-
ton will be confined to reconnoissances Of the
inland waters of North Carolina; or that the
powerful feet of Dupont and the cooperating
land forces of Sherman will be idle; or that
our land and naval forces in Florida and on
Ship Island, within convenient distance of New
Orleans and Mobile, will remain resting upon
their oars; or that Gen. Wool will be limited
to the daily routine of Fortress Monroe; or
that our great Army of the Potomac will be
continued much longer in the monotonous ser
vice of an army Of observation. On the con-
trary, we expect that this whole immense circle
of fleets and armies will very soon open in o
circle of fire against this beleaguered rebellion,
the echoes of which will be heard from the
Mississippi overland to the Potomac, and from
the Potomac to the Csrolinas, and thence along
the seaboard and Gulf coast to the swamps of
Louisiana.
Our land and naval forces are at length so
admirably distributed and so thoroughly
equipped and provided for active work, and are
so well drilled and 80 ably commanded by such
approved officers as Mcclellan, Buell., Halleck,
Wool Burnside, Sherman, Dupont, Goldsbo-
rough, Foote, Porter and others, and the rebel
lion is so manfsstly in the last throes of exhaus
ton, that our faith is stronger than ever, and
strengthens every day, in the conviction that
before England and France can agree to inter
fere there will be an end of JEFF Davis and his
spurious Southern confederacy. In this view
we are powerfully supported by the patriotic
action of Congress, in its seasonable legislation
to relieve the financial ernbarrassments Of the
government and the country.
The cause OF the Union, In the overwhelming
majority ii has secured in the House of Repre-
sentatives against semi-secessionists and dis
union abolitionists, has done much to inspire
the confidence Of our loyal States in the speedy
suppression of this rebellion, through the har-
monious cooperation of the President and his
Cabinet and Congress the army and the great