The New York herald., 1862-02-08
THE SITUATION.

THE SITUATION.
The well matured plans of General Mcclellan
are being worked out in rapid succession by the
able officers who command the different divisions
OF the army and navy in the interior and on the
coast. The capture of Fort Henry, on the Ten
nessee river, at two o'clock on Thursday, by the
gnboats under command of Commodore Foote-
Of which we publish an official account from the
Commodore to the Navy Department to-day-is
most important success. The fort was defended
galiantly by the commandant, General Lloyd
Tilghman, and his forces. The fort mounted
twenty guns and seventeen mortars. Genera,
Tlghman and his staff together with one
colonel, two captains and sixty men, were
taken prisoners. The battle was essentially
naval one, the troops of Generals Nc
Clernand and Grant not having been called upon
to participate. The gunboats Essex, Carondelet,
Cincinnati, st. Louis, Taylor and Lexington, did
the whole business. After fight of an hour and
quarter the fort surrendered Internationally. and
Commodore Foote handed it over to General Grant
Immediately upon the arrival of that offcer-half
an hour after the flag was struck The Essex was
the only gunboat seriously injured, shot having
gone through her boilers, causing death to many
of her crew by scalding. The Cincinnati received
thirty-one shots, wounding eight men and killing
one. General Haleck announce 'e yictory in a
brief and graphic despatch, in these Words
Fort Henry is ours The flag of the Union is
re-establshed on the soil of Tennessee. It will
never be removed.
By command of Major General HALLECK
despatch from Cairo yesterday announces that
our troops have taken possession Of the bridge on
the Memphis and Ohio Railroad. If this be true
we have got hold of most important point, by
which Columbus is completely isolated from Men,
phis, and Bowling Green is cut off from the same
point 1t is true there is railroad indirectly con-
Meeting Bowling Green with Memphis by way of
Nashville, but if our feet can get up to Florence
they may be able to destroy the last connection
between Memphis and all the leading points east
of it. The map of the vicinity of the late victory,
which we give to-day, will show the Importance of
the position our army has attained by the capture
Of Fort Henry. If we may Judge from the state.
ments of the rebel journals, Fort Henry was con-
sidered almost impregnable. The Memphis appeal
OF tho 31st ult says that the troops in that fort
AMI in Fort Donnelson on the Cumberland river,
were adequate to resist any attack from the
enemy Our gallant river sailors, however. have
taught them different lesson.
By our latest reports from Paducah, it appears
that Gen. Grant and Gen. Smith were pursuing the
flying rebels to the amount of four or FIVE thou
sand on each side Of the river and it was reported
that many of the garrison of Fort Henry abandon
ed the fight, leaving the artillery corps alone to
defend il, not having much sympathy with the
cause of rebellion. Several gunboats left Paducah
yesterday for the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers,
and Cen. Grant was to attack Fort Donelson to-
day. 1t is thus evident that the blow struck OF
Fort Henry is to be vigorously followed up by our
generals. The details which we give of this bril-
liant affair from various sources to-day will be
found Of the highest interest.
MOI only mas bnls Ddttie resulted IN victory in
Tennessee, but IL has achieved second victory
for the country in Congress- for the bill appropri
ating ten millions of dollars to build twenty iron.
clad gunboats, which had previously passed the
House. was Immediately passed in the Senate
yesterday upon the arrival of the news from Ten
uessee. Hitherto the Senate objected to the bill
on the ground that jron-clad gunboats were as ye
only an experiment in England and France, al
well as in this country, and that ten millions wa
too much to pay for an experiment; but on tn,
news of the victory won by our iron-clsd gun
boats at Fort Henry, all objections were settled
aud the BILL which should have been passed tw,
MOI Tbs ago, at once became law.
~ the arrival Of the United States steame
Sagaaeo at Fortress Monroe from Burnside
nee. aa thursday, we learn that the expedition
va ing inside Hatteras Inlet the day before
An lck on Roanoke Island was contemplate,
on the I'd inst, where General Wise command
t,e Itbel forces Of over 5000 men; but late
jo,slleaa,e up to thc 9Th inst, informs us tina
vas postponed 20 Thursday or yesterday
E.Ae s...ling news fom that quarter may there