The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1862-12-06
BURLINGTON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1862

4 Special Correspondence Of the Chicago Times.
THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER ExPEDI
TION.
objects Of the Movement, re.
CArRo, ILL.,, Nov. 20.
4 The mighty Preparations making ct this an
other points for the campaign against Vicksbur
seem to nnonopolize public attention, at least il
the Northwest, to the exclusion OF all other mat
ters Thus the movement from Helena weel
Or two eince, designed to get possession of tn
White River as base of future operations, bu
which failed most ignominiously simply from th
lack OF brains at its head, was scarcely noticed
sherman's advance from Memphis, with power
fol force, has eluded publicity simply becaus,
Of lack Of public interest in the movement
Even the advance of the Grand Army Of Gen
Grart from La Grange causes no particular sen
sation, Notwithstanding the prevalent epinior
that be will have grand battle with the rebel.
under Pemberton ere many days. Public interest
now centres With the long promised grand move
ment directly
DOWN THE MISSISSIPPI.
| 1t makes no difference that the movements
mentioned are auxiliary to the great one designed
to open the Mississippi throughout its length,
| the people want to see the direct movement
There is widespread, deep, and absorbing in
| terest throughout the great Northwest in the
campaign nov opening, and it is but natural that
the flower of the Northwest is embarked in this
enterprise, but also that the Northwest is, in a
measure, blockaded, and this is an effort to
break that blockade. The Mississippi River is,
and always has been, the natural highway over
! which the surplus products of great portion of
tnat underlined territory commonly known as the
Northwest hnd their way to market The rail-
roads leading from this territory to the seaboard
are totally inadequate to the transportation of
these marveiousy vast surplus stores This has
been fully demonstrated during the past two
fractional seasons. The great trunk lines of
railroad that, since 1855, have none of them
been able to earn dividend, however small,
have suddenly found their earnings exceeding ali
precedent, their lines blocked up by the supera-
bundant freight, more business Offering than they
can possibly dispose of, and their treasures be-
coming so full as 10 necessitate dividends And
| while the railroads have thus grown rich, the
people have become impoverished. 1t is sin.
guiar spectacle to see vast population literally
struggling with poverty in the midst of plenty
Of all the staples of lite such as the world never
saw. Yet this is the condition Of the farming
population of the great Northwest And why is
1t? Simply because their highway to market is
blockaded. The railroads can give them no re-
let. The cost Of transportation for bushel Of
corn from Central or Southern Illinois to New
York Or Boston is nearly as much as the corn is
worth after ithas reached it's market. Her Q, it
| is that occasionally the sight is presented,
on the beautiful and productive prsiries of Illi-
nois, of corn used for fuel. 1t is not worth send
ing to market; the farmer has more than he can
use himself; fuel costs him money which he has
not, while his cribs are groanipg with the golden
cereal, which, while it will not bring money, will
burn. Why should it not be consumed?
1t is because of this state of affairs,-because
the capacity Of the Mississippi is unlimited, and
with its free navigation the corn and wheat OF
Illinois, WisconsiB, Minnesota, Iowa and Mis-
souri, can reach profitable market, and be made
to remunerate the grower for his time and labor
spent in its production, that the people Of the
Great Northwest manifest deep interest in all
movements looking to and promising the speedy
le-opening of this great thorougbfare.
| THE RIVER OPEN TO v1cKsBuRG
| Through the operations of the Mississippi
squadron, under the efficient and energetic com.
mand Of Acting Rear Admiral Porter, guerrilla
parties along the river, hence to the farthest
point below here occupied by our forces, have
been efectLally squelched. It is fact, not yet
fully appreciated, that from Cairo to the mouth
|
navigate the stream with ss much safety ss sim
liar craft may cross the great Lakes. This was
not the case Q month ago; but since then there
has been . change. A month ago the river was
unsafe for all but armed vessels anywhere below
Columbus. Some wholesome lessons have been
taught the vagabond freebooters of the South,
alias, guesrillas, alas partisan rangers, which
have resulted in their complete withdrawal from
the river And today cotton buyers are indus
triously engaged in hunting out the precious
fibre three hundred miles below Helena. This
is single result of the vigorous policy of the
present commander of naval operations here.
REBEL POSITIONS ON TaE River.
Thus, then, the river is open, and its naviga.
ton undisputed TO loyal merchantmen, as far
down ss the mouth of the Yazoo, or say three
fourths of the way to New Orleans. just be-
low the mouth Of the Yazoo, at Vicksbrrg We
have good reason to know the rebels have some
rather formidable batteries, which have hitherto
been sufficient to Withstand our assaults We
also know that but short distance above New
Orleans they have blockaded the river in sim.
liar manner. So that between Vicksburg and
New Orleans the river 10 in possession Of the
rebels. At several points between these two
places they are said to have erected batteries OF
more Or lees formidable character One at
| xOrt auueOu, U OuOIb UIU68OCO 8OOVe O8tOO
Rouge, on tae Mississippi side of the river, is
reported a. particularly strong, rivalipg even
Vicksburg In its impreguability. Thus We have
stretch of river, four hundred miles in length,
and strongly fortified both atits exuemities and
at various points throughout it's length, which
must be wfested from the possession of the re-
bells before the Great Northwest will be relieved
| from this oppressive blockade and have their
vested right of the free navigation oil the Mis-
sssppi restored 70 them. Toaccomplish this ID
the work of the winter campaign now about
opening. Those who fancy it is to be an essy
task have willfully closed their eyes to the
wholesome lessons this war has already taught
"a. e..'..........,,.,, ...,' q.
METALS OF 1HI PAST.
The rebels at one time, under mighty pres
sure Of adverse circumstances, we're prepared to
surrender the entire river to our posseesion.-
When their strongholds above Memphis were
wrested from them, one after the other, and the
victorious feet Of Admiral Farrsgut bad forced
the surrender Of the mouth of the river, they no
1~~ >nAn. At Al IS IN =