, 1862-04-07

Matters at Island No. 10 progress slowly, |
but not very satisfactorily. The cbombardment !
continues but with no results that promises to |
hasten our possession Of the coveted place.
We take it for granted that we shall run |
no risk Of giving thu rebels any iniornatiou
when we say that the steamboats, which have
Madrid, arc not likely to serve any very good
purpose. The movement to be executed by
their agency seems to have been asce1tained
by the rebel spies, and the enemy
have erected numerous batteries along
tho Tennessee Ehore Of the Mississippi, to re-
1cl anr expedition which, under other circum-
Stances, might have set out from Pope's COM
ulaud.
While the progress OF our forces has been
arrested by the obstinate and unexpected re-
sistancc at the Island, the enemy has been
gathering LIS 1orces in our rca:. Gen. Van
Dom, commanding. the army that Gen. Curtis
and Gen. Sigtl brzat III Western Arkansas, is
now at Pocahontas, about eighty miles west Of
New Madrid, at the head of column sup
posed TO be 5000 strong, for the purpose Of
holding Pope in check, if not attacking lis
position. Van Dorm. after the defeat at Pea
Ridge, made a1l hasteto his new position, but
by what means Of transportation, we are not
informed 1t is probable that he took boats
down the Arkansas to 4 point where White
river cnpties in, thence mp the latter to near
lis present camp. That hc Will venture an at
tack is not probable when We remember that
Lis army has just suffered stunning defeat by
about one third its numbcr-a fact that will
net cpcourage his attack Of co1ps-st strong.
r., ~. Sr,, +1.1
widest Of expectations. The presence Of ar
enemy at that place can bnt add-new embar
rassments to The situation.
We hear from below that 1t is be
1icyed by cur forces on the Tennessee
TINT a large part Of the rebel army Of th'
:: Potomac, which escaped Gen. Mcclellan
= whose incxP1icable md loaccountab1c ta1di
ness bus been the cause Of infinite mischief ami
= cost, was Transferred to The West, and tha
x VIXEN the battle at or near Corinth comes of
q our gallant fellows, who4wiu conquer, will b,
= Obliged to overcome not only large fosce
but the best men Of the Southern army. Bu
HIS is conjecture It is certain, however
~ that OUT victories at Fort Henry, Fort Donel
II son aid Pea Ridge, hive had M extraordinar
- effect upon the populace in the rebel States
q not, We are sor1y to say, the effect which III
Il ortilnist newspapers have exnlted orcT, bu
i tlc effect to cause ouspouring Of the nlasse:
i like that which in the Free States followed th
s deploratlc day at Bull Run. "This one cfo'
8 nuorcr' and in obedience to it thousands III
*ens Of thousands whom . rebel victor
would have glued to their farms and plant:
Y tsocE, arc rushing to the rescue Of their con
Ianlons IN treason We lea1n that arms al
scarce among them, that bare handed couran
~ is no proof against rifle balls and grape sho
- and tliut untltclp1inrd numbers are only
aa the way IN the day Of battle; but after all tb
~ confidence OF our leaders-the 1al1antrY Of a.
( Hen and the Justice of our ca11se-we cannr
dismiss from our minds all apprchensons :
aGisastrous day for our arms. Our men arr i
-hc encmy'e country Their numbcra, dow
10 the smallest squad, their cavalry, arttlier
mvars Of transportation, DC, DC, arc know
az well as our Commanders know them; hen,
til. op1ion Of batsle OF retreat is always wi
1lc tce--an advantage which mere unmbe
ca, rarely overcome
The assurance that Gen. Ha1)eck is to cor
1nand in person, comes TO us from quarter
which the truth ought to be known Hati
Lis inhumanity to ward the slave, we mu
confess that bis energy. capacity and ri
fee1n to be fully up to the magnitude Of
work, and that The knowledge that he is
persnn to head our troops will inspire n
:'nd higher confidence in success. We sl
Ere!