Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1862-01-21
The EnmnniRn.

The Boston Journal thinks il is about
time to have done with the small talk about
catching the rebels in strap" and Spring.
ing upon them some nicely adjusted scheme
which shall finish the rebellion at blow
We have heard about these "traps," set by
this, that and the other commander, ever
since the war began, but they do not appear
10 have amounted to much thus far. The
truth is, the rebellion is to be subdned only
by hard, persistent fighting, and the value
of strategy lies in enabling us to take up the
task at the right end, and to make the most
of our power. 1t will hasten the srduous
process, but will not supersede it. The rebel
army is managed by cool heads, and they
ere not to be daunted by any demonstrations
which are not backed up by overwhelming
force, driven or about to be driven home.
Thus when the forts of Port Royal were
taken, and shudder of dismay undoubtedly
ran through the South, not man was al
lowed to 60 from the rebel army of the Po-
tomsc. They had fixed upon their policy,
and they were not to be driven from it till
they krsw for what.
Their policy is still adhered to. 1t is a
rigidIy defensive policy in the present stage
of the war. The rebels expect to be inva-
ded, and they are bending all their energies
to the work Of making the invasion as dear
to the Government as possible. 1t is our
true policy to decoy the enemy into the in.
terror and then to cut them off, as were
Bisddock, and Bureoyue, aud Cornwallis,
and Ross, and Psckenham, and our own
troops in the everglades Of Florida. They
declare they will never fight except "when
there is an advantage over the enemy
will choose their own positions, and in re-
treating will leave no supplies behind them
thus counting upon wearing out the patience
Of the North with a war of tremeudous.ex-
pense and little apparent progress. If we
were rot interested in the matter-if the
case occurred in China or Inda-we should
all say that this was the proper strategy for
tie rebels to pursue.
Il only remains to consider whether there
is better policy open to the Government.
We believe there is, and that it has been
adopted, and that it is on the point of being
the rebels assume, that we must invade theiI
domsins-but it is not true that they car
realize their idea Of defensive policy. With
the complicated wants of modern society, il
is now utterly impossible TO resolve war int
general guerrilla contest, indefinitely pro
tracted, as was done by the Seminole Indians
or more recently by Schamyl in the noun
tains of Caucasus. All the late wars anonJ
civilized nations have been decided at few
points by few battles. In spite of them
selves, the rebels are conforming to the SAINT
law, as they have thrown forward nearly al
their defensive strength at three points, viz
Manassas, Bowling Green and Columbus. L
they are defeated there, or compelled to de
sert all the lsborlously prepared advantages
Of those positions for the open country, they
are beaten, and Secession is swallowed up il
Union. They may talk about their last droI
of blood, and fighting their ground inch b.
inch-it is all nonsense on the part of thu
leaders, and if they don't know it, the mas
of the Southern people, who have had
chance to compare twelve months of rebe
rule with the remainder of a lifetime uuds
the Constitution, will give them the requisit
and summary instruction.
Now. by virtue of superior numbers, tn
entire water front of the rebel domains, an
the interior structure Of the country, tn
Union army is master of the situation. W
can outDumber the rebels at any given poin
and effect our general movements quicke
than they. The single advantage of partiC
ular Notifications, which they have game
by the lapse of time necessary for our PREF
arstions, will be neutralized by our capacit
to cut of their supplies. Thus the rebe
army OF the Potomac, which would eat ViT
ginia out Of house and home in singl
week, is wholly dependent upon two line
of railroad the southern seaboard roa
from Richmond, and the Tennessee ros
along the base Of the Blue Ridge Noun
tains. Neither of these is more than on
hundred miles from loyal soil or the fre
ocean, and they both run through a reb,
tract not much more than three hundre
miles wide. II they are both grasped,
they soon will be, the rebel army at Cente
vile and Manassas can not remain at ease
its ihtTeLChmtnts. IL must break up AZ