, 1862-02-18
ERI1Es oF TfaE f;REAT Y1CrQRY.

1AA9 VE AAk2 02AAAA A<
The storming OF Fort Donelson is the
turning point in the war. The back Of the
secession serpent was broken by the blow
That captured therebel fortress, 1t was the
centre Of their Western lines Of defense
7hc key Of their position which in
our hands, opens wide the door
that leads into the heart Of Re5cldom.
The Kingdom Of Davis will now quickly
tumble about Lis ears like cob house It
is bcyond the strength and resources Of the
rebels to make a successful stand at any
point The Tennessee river now open to
the Muscle Shoals, will enable our Generals
10 throw 9 column into northern Alabama
where ii is believed that d considerable por-
lion Of The people will gladly take shelter
under the folds Of Inc dear old fag..
The fall Of Donclson opens the Cumber-
land to our CUR boats to the capital Of Ten
ncssec, and indeed clear up that river to
1Iu Springs, the late camp Of Zolico!Ier's
E&rce. It is not likely that any serious re-
sistancc will bc offered to the advance of
Our ,ictorious lcgions either at Clatksvil1c
or Nashville The threat Of the rebel lead
Ers. tliat they would bum the latter city on
1lic approach, Of the Fetlerals, will hardly
JIG carried into execution. Such au act Of
vandalism would not rctard the progress
of OFT conqueriag cohorts, and would
tend 10 madden and arouse the Union
men Of that State to wage var Of
determination against the rebel oppressors
and iDcendiaries. There is nothing but
1llc bad state Of the roads to prevent Buell.
from throwing strong column into loyal
Knoxville within week, and rallying
about the Stars and Stripes the loyal and
sorely persecuted mountaineers of the
Switzerland Of America. It is believed
that len thousand Of the noa-slareholding
neighbors and friends Of Andy johnson will
turn cut and lelp cxpel the secessionists
from East Tennessee. This country once
in our hands, all communication between
Richmond and the Southwestis cut Of It
is like tapping the jugular vein to seize
that great artery Of rebel communication.
From Knoxville the road Is open and in
viling into North Carolina The west
ETH portions Of that State contain
a population cursed with the presence
Of hut few slaves, and consequently COM
1aratiyely loyal in sentiment. 4. column
OF Buel1's army moving castwardly, would
moi hare far to march to form a juno
lion with Burnside troops advancing into
lie interior Of the "Old North State; -
thereby isolating the rebel Virg ginnians from
the other parts Of Seeessia, AMI ,obliging
1lltn: 10 submit to the National authority,
however reluctantly The force on the Po-
tomac ought to make short work of the re-
eistanec The Virginia rebels could offer.
Columbus. ifnot evacuated, soon will be;
the panic-strickcn and demoralized garri-
son cannot be brought up to the scratch.
T]e fIFt glimpse they get Of Commo:
dore Foote'S gunboats, will be their
signal for precipitatc flight Oncc
in possession Of that position, and
The Tay is clear 70 Memphis That city
is wholly indcfensible against combined
land and water assault, and we do not be-
lievc that the rebels Will make stand there
TheF~M surrender it without struggle
A few days hence, VIII find the national en-.
Ilcm waving over it. Then we get int
the cotton region. The foculent fibre i:
produced in prolific abundance in the sur
rounding country. Large shipments o
cotton purchased and con6scated- vii
shortly he seen pressing northward On tn
Illinois Central road, and eastward up tn
:, Ohio, making its way to our cotton facto
1ies In New England
Thus, with the capture Of Fort Donelso
: by cur brave Western soldiers, Tennesse
falls like ripe pear into the lap Of th
Tninn. .-.
But the fruits ffof this important victor
are not Ill gathafed when Tennessee is n
stored to the Union The father Of waten
stops not in his course at Memphis. b,
flows with increasing volume to the Gn
That great NATIONAL highway can be TIA
ersed By the gunboat feet to: New orlear
There are no forts On his banks that cani1
pe,1e tie descent Of Foote'S fleet: The b
mortars can easily silence any batteries t
rebels have planted l,etwee Memphis al
the Balize. "A land force Of so, 900 N
may be spared from our western armies
accompany the grand expedition and ia
possession Of the fields p1owed By the mt
1ars, and clear away: any remaining
struct3ons.
From the day the Mississippi was clos
by The rebels 10 this time, the resolution
1hc people Of the West has not wa7ered
faltcred in the purpose to hcw their way
the Cuff and restore the free aud 1ininpt
ed navigation Of that national highway,
well rs to punish and crush rebellion alo
it's banks. That high resolve IS snow on
ere of accomplishment H. -.
The Mississippi river once open from
source to lis delta, there will be no m
1alk Of Intervention" OF "papcr bio
aces" on the part Of John: Bull OF La
Napoleon Then, on to the: Balize, br
-Western warriors, and give the seEpen
secession its eternal qpiets1s-! ~ =. =:
Our sAdicts carried tie salvation Of