The New York herald., 1862-04-09


No Position for the Rebels which Can-
not be Turned.
The surrender of Island No. 10, and the
victory of Generals Grant and Buell. at
Pittsburg Landing. within eighteen miles
of Corinth, where Beauregard and Johns
ton met terrible defeat. are the leading
features of our war budget this morning. Those
irrepressible amphibious fighting Union men
Of the West, having undertaken the task Of
reopening their right Of way down the Missis-
sippi to the sea, will unquestIonably perform
their work against ell impediments. Neither
defensive purposes by nature, and however
skilfully strengthened by art and armed with
heavy artillery. can stay the progress onward
to New Orleans Of our splendid soldiers and
inland seamen OF tho West. Commodore Foote
our gunboat champion Of Fort Henry and Fort
Doaelson, and General Pops, the hero of New
Madrid, and their associates, have added new
wreath T. their lausels with Island No. 10, and
the brilliant victory at Pittsburg landing; and,
in all probability, before tho end Of this event
full month Of April. they will celebrate the
crowning triumph Of their grand campaign with
Commodore Porter and General Butler in New
Orleans.
Where are the rebels now to make q stand!
The wise observation Is attributed to one of
their favorite leaders, General Sidney John.
ston, after bis compulsory evacuation of Nash
vile, that there is no defensive position for
them within the Confederate States which
cannot be turned by the superior forces Of the
Union. He was right. The fact had been de-
monstrated to his full conviction in the turning
of tho strong position Of Bowling Green. hum
dred miles east, and Of the "impregnable" po-
sition Of Columbus, sixty miles west, by simply
cutting In between these two places at Fort
and Cumberland rivers. BY this process of
turning them the elaborate and costly defen-
sive rebel works Of six months labor at Co.
lumbus aud Bowling Green were rendered
untenable, aud were found abandoned on the
approach of the Union forces. And so, with
General Mcclellan In front, and With our occu-
patton of Nashville on tho one side, and Of
Roanoake Island menacing his rear, though
hundreds of miles away, Gen. 10. Johnston was
turned out of Manassas Finally. by very
neat and mastery example Of turning their
position, the rebel forces, between two days,
have been expelled from Island No. 10.
Such are the practical results of that comprs-
hensive system Of military combinations, by
land and sea, organized and put In motion by
the directing genius Of Gen. Mcclellan. AS q
disciple of Gen. Scott, he telegraphed the old
chief at Washington, last summer, the day be-
fore the victory Of Rich Mountain, that on the
morrow he might expect tho report Of another
Cerro Gordo operation-.that is, the defeat of
the enemy by turning his position on the top Of
the mountain and, according to promise, the
work was done. In extending this important
feature Of the art of war-the turning of the
ensmys positiou--to all the operations of
this grand campaign Of 1862, the country may
we'll be proud of the directing mind, chosen by
President Lincoln, under which this campaign
was organized and inaugurated, while we do
not forget the honors due to the War Depart
ment and to all the meritorious officers SOL
ders and sailors in our land and naval service.
But where can the rebels now hope to make
q successful stand! 1t was hoped that with
their idol Beauregard at their head, they expect
to reverse the tide Of victory at Corinth, Miss,
and TO give us there the check Of another Bull
run defeat; that Corinth is splendid defensive
position, where the converging and cross Gres
of cannon and musketry, from hills and noun
tains, can be made to annihilate an attacking
force, however large or courageous; that Beau
regard has also an army of fifty or sixty thou
sand men Of the 6ereest fighting materials Of
the South around him, and that his reinforce
ments by thousands are pouring In every day.
But there is another side to this picture. The
victory of Generals Grant and Buell. on Sun
day, which drove General Beauregsrd back in
confusion towards Corinth, has changed all the
scene, and has dashed the hopes of the rebels for
q successful defence Of the Mississippi. From
intelligent sources we are informed that large
part Of this great rebel army Of Corinth is COM
posed Of mere striplings, raw recruits, and
badly armed; that there are whole regiments OF
pixies and shotguns.