The New York herald., 1862-02-10

THE SITUATION.

411G Si1O A'I1ON.
The intelligence which we receive every day
from the different sections of military and naval
commands confirms our confidence in the sagacity
Of the plans laid down by General Mcclellan, of
which the victory at Mill Springs, the capture of
Fort sHenry, and the latest action at Roanoke
Island are part. To carry out these plans sue
cessfully we needed q thoroughly trained and dis
ciplned army, and this the commanding General
has now at his disposal, thanks to the patient at
tention he has given to the organization of the
'roops, and the appointment of competent officers
to command them. Discipline has impaired conf.
dence to the men, and success will undoubtedly
follow success until the final censummation Of the
campaign is reached. The last news Of importance
comes from the Burnside expedition.
Intelligence has reached us of the commence.
ment of an attack on Roanoke Island by Commo-
dore Goidsborough, of the navy, on the morn
ing of Friday, the 7th inst. The account
comes through Norfolk and Fortress Monroe,
ing at Norfolk. He reports that the Union forces
had been twice repulsed, but that fighting was
going on when the courier left. Now, as the
attack upon Roanoke Island was to have
been made by the Union gunboats, and portion
of our troops were only to be landed after the
batteries had been silenced, We do not see how
there could have been repulse of our forces
The gunboats were all aHoat and could not be re.
pulsed by the forts if the fight going on at the
last accounts, as the despatch states.
The probability is that we shall, to-day or to-
morrow, hear Of the capture Of the island,
although the rebels have made immense exertions
to save it, They have thrown up five forts, with an
intrenched camp in the centre and have garrisoned
their works with 5000 troops. They have the
west side of the island and the eastern side of the
mainland defended by heavy ordnance, in order to
prevent the passage of our gunboats through Croa-
tan Sound-the only communication for vessels
with Albemarle Sound But there is no doubt
that we shall have news of their being shelled
out, as the gunboats of the Union expedition,
numbering seventeen, are most powerfully armed.
Among other weapons we might mention dozen
9-inch guns, two 1Oc-pounder riHed guns, three or
four S0-pounders and q number of S-inch shell
and 32-pounders. We publish in another
column full particulars of the attack, as
far as it has progressed. with Q map desig-
mating the various localities. The capture of
Roanoke Island viii be very important, for it com
mands all the water communication along the
whole North Carolina coast, as well as of portion
of South Eastern Virginia, thus enabling to cut of
all supplies by water from Norfolk; so that here
after, and until the rebels can recapture Roanoke
Island, they will be compelled to get their supplies
entirely by land.
Although no official reports reached Washington
yesterday from General Burnside, or from our
Generals in Tennessee and Kentucky, the War and
Navy Departments expect to hear to-day not only
of the capture Of Roanoke Island, but of Fort
ponelson, on the Cumberland river.
despatch TO the Cincinnati Commercial gives
some important information relative to the move.
ments of Gen. Thomas division in Kentucky. for
which we were not unprepared. 1t appears that
Gen. Thomas Is about to invade East Tennessee at
three different points simultaneously. Gen. Carter
Is to go through Cumberland Cap; Gen. schoepf
Is to advance by the central route, and Gen.
Thomas, with McCooke's and Mansons brigades
win cross at Mill Springs, the scene of the late
victory. They will Immediately march on Knox
vile, and If successful, will take possession of the
railroad thus cutting of communication between
the rebel army in the West and the seat Of the re.
bel government at Richmond.
We give to-day some very interesting particulars
Of the late affair at Sandy Hook, Nd, under Col.
Geary's command-which took place on Thursday
lsst-from our own correspondent It will be seen
that the gross violation of flag of truce, perpe-
trsted by the rebels has been desperately avenged.
The rebel troops in their retreat from Fort
Henry were said to have proceeded to Paris, in
Henry county, Tennessee, twenty miles west OF
Fort Henry, and few miles from the Tennessee
river, 1t is the present northern terminus of the