Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1862-10-24

stands since the Goth OF January, 1862 On
that day the scales of this vast rebellion had
scarcely been penetrated. The heaviest blows
We had dealt i had glnnced of, and Ia some
cases rccoiled with damage to ourselves. The
vast southern and southwestern territory bound
ed by the Potomac and Atlantic on the east, and
by the Rocky Mountains on the west, aud per-
meated by the waters Of the Mississippi and its
grand system of affluents, was with the excep-
ton of Pensacola, Hilton Head and Fortress
Monroe, and very scanty strip of territory
adjacent to each, covered by the dismal shadow
and held in the undispued power of the rebel
lion. The splendid fortresses they had surpris
ell along the southern coast, between Pickens
and Fortress Monroe, with scarce an exception,
We're still theirs. Mary land was waveTing, the
strongest of the sirongholds of Kentucky, were
in rebel hands, Missouri was boldly claimed for
"the Coniederacy." The Mississippi from CO.
lumbus TO New Orleans, with lis populous
cities, strong points for defence, and rich ada
cent valleys, was in their possession. The west
cru bank of the Potomac, from a little below
Alexandria downwards, bristled with their for
titications Did ever "grimvsaged war" bear
so lrightful an aspect, or rebellion against Just
and humane government tower alOft in such
vast aud colossal proporiionsG
Such was the state of affairs on the 2Oth OF
january, 1862. On the 9th Of February Fort
Henry after fierce and bloody struggle, was
captured by Commodore Foote. On the 6th of
the same month The battle of Roanoke Island
was fought, in which the Confederate forces were
defeated and terribly shattered by General
Burnside. On the 9th (the following day. the
rebel feet under Commodore" Lynch, was
defeated and destroyed by Union gunboats in
Albemarle Sound, the gallant Commodore"
himself scarcely escaping by swimming ashore.
On the 10th Bowling Green, in Kentucky was
evacuated by the enemy, and Elizabeth City,
North Carolina, occupied by the Union forces.
On the 18th General Price evacuated SPRING
field, Missouri leaving many prisoners in the
hands of General Curtis. On the 10th, after
sanguinary fight and fearful carnage on both
sides, Fort Donelson surrendered to the United
States forces under General Grant, with an enor
nous amount Of arms and military stores, and
prisoners varionsly estimated from eleven thou
sand to fifteen thousand; and on the same day
Brigadier- General Edmund Price was captured
near Warsaw Missouri, by Captain Stubbs, of
| the Eighth Iowa regiment. On the 9th, Nash
! vile was occupied by the Union troops under
| General Buell.
A pretty fair batch of work, to say the least,
! for the month of February2
On the ID of March Commodore Dupont took
possession of Fort Clnch Fernandina and St.
Mary's. On the Sd, Columbus, Kentucky, one
of the strongest military positions on the con-
! tinent, was evacuated; and on the same day oc-
CURED the memorable battle and brilliant VIC
tory of Pea Ridge Arkansas, in which the rebel
| Gencfdl McOullOCn ana NJ lntOsn were killed.
| On the Slb Pensacola was evacuated by the
Confederate troops, and st. Augustine surren-
dered TO Commodore Dupont On the 18th the
formidable stronghold of New Madrid, was
| taken possession of by the loyal forces. On the
| 18th, Newbern, North Carolina, surrendered
and over sixty pieces of cannon fell with it into
| our possession. On the 18th, the banks of the
Potomac were evacuated by the rebel forces,
and running the blockade of the Potomac" be-
came a matter of history. On the 23d, the reb-
els severely defeated near Winshester, and
| ON the same day Beaufort North Carolina, was
taken by the same Union forces. About the
end of the month the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road, closed since April 1861, was reopened.
March, therefore, shows a very fair record of
movements upon the enemy s works"
Let us pass into April. On the 4th of that
| month Pass Christian, fifty miles from New Or
leans, was captured by Union force from Ship
Island. On the 9th occurred the Tremendous
battle of Pittsburg Landing Cor Shiloh), con-
tinuing two and a half days with Confederate
loss of 1861, ours being about 10000. The
rebel General A. S. johnson, one of the ablest
of the leaders of the rebellion, was killed. On
the next day (April y the impregnable "Island
No. 10, on the Mississippi, was taken by the
! United States ganboats under Commodore
Foote. History will record with its highest
euogies the ndomitable courage and strength
manifested in the approaches tn that formidable
stronghold, especially the canal along the Mis-
sissippi, which rendered the position of the
| enemy untenable. On the 1lth Fort Pulaski
fourteen miles below Savannah, was taken by
the federal batteries under General Gilmore
after splendid caunonade of thirty-six hours
| with but one man killed and three wounded on
the loyal side. On the same day General Mitchell
occupied Huntsville, Alabama, thus cutting the
great artery of railroad communication between
the seeded states. On the 18th Commodore
| Farragut "moved on the works of Forts Jack
son and st. Philip, with a feet of forty six sail
I battering them with shot and shell for six sue
cessiye days, with loss of thiuy-siX hlled and
one hundred and twenty-three wounded, while
the rebel loss was from one thousand to ffteer
hundred, with several hundred prisoners. Or
the same day General Auger took possession q
fredericksburg On the next day april l9
General Reno fought the successful battle o
South Mills, North Carolina. On the oath
Commodore Farragut with his fleet in three
divisions, ran, under terrific camOnade, fort
jackson and st. Phillip, What naval engage
ment in American history, or in the history G
I the world surpasses that in which the Varuni
Oneida, and our other gunboats grappled witt
and sunk or demolished the iron-clads an,
! other vessels Of the enemy, fought with tn
: utmost skill and desparate eouragel The Sc
verify OF the conflict and the splendor OF tn
victory will make that day forever memorabl
in American history. As its first fruits tn
: noble city of New Orleans, the great southern
avenue of American commerce, the gate OF th
vast valley of the Mississippi, with its far-flow
ing rivers opulent cities and incalculable wealil
e was restored to its true proprietors, the peopl
OF the United States. A fit ending to the bril-
I liant achievements of April But we must nc
J forget the important event of the day followin
q april 25), the bombaIdment aud capture
q Fort Macon. by General Burnside, with th
assistance Of the fleet.
MAY opens with the occupation of yorktown
by General Mcclellan May y, with the car
k ture of seventy-one siege guns and valuabl
is military and hospital stores. The battle an
> victory of Williamsburg, followed on the 81
? illustrated by the brilliant charges Of Gener
v, Hooker's division The battle at West Poin
t in which General Franklin engaged and defeatt
A. much larger force Of the enemy, occurred G
~ the 7h On the 9th was fought the naval con
n. bat near Fort Wright in which three Of d
l. eight rebel gunboats were sunk and the re
ie compelled TO retire There were only six fe'
ID eral gunboats in the action. On the 10th No
le folk was taken without resistance by Gener
n Wool And on the same day Pensacola, vii
of its navy yards and forts, was abandoned al
id destroyed by the rebels. On the next ds
ty Qlth) the Merrimac the bulwark of the rebe
~ lion, the bugbear of all timd souls in the Mort
and the myth of wondering Europe, was aba
r. doned and blown up by Commodore Tatnall.-
er On the 18th, Suffolk, Va, was occupied by o.
I'd troops And on the same day the rebel steam
o. Planter, with four guus, was brought out
T. Charleston 10 the Union fleet, by It's heroic ca
- ored pilot Robert Small. The retreat dow
r the Shenandoah Valley, aud the hard ioag
al battle in front Of Winchester, which followed I
the oath and 25th, while untavorable IN th.