New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-08-19

The painful uncertainty which has for days
overhung the Union arms in the Southwest
is at length fully and eloriously dspeled. We
gave in our last conclusive refutatons Of
The false Rebel bulletins announcing a signal
triumph of their arms and the capture of the
principal portion of the Union forces in the
northern part of East Tennessee guarding the
important pass into Kentucky, at Cumberland
Gap. So far from any such disaster, the two
smart skirmshes which have alone broken the
topper that had long prevailed in that quarter
have resulted to the advantage Of the National
cause. We still bold the Gap, and the de-
monstraticns Of the Rebels upon it have been
repused with far greater loss to them than to
Us. The Rebel bulletins affirming Union
defeat, with the loss Of 5000, 5000 or (in
their biggest bouoce) 1000 prisoners, are
simply fabricatons, a. We know by messengers
who left the Gap two days after our disaster
is said to have occurred.
So with regard to affairs on the lower Mis-.
sis,ippi. When the siege Of Yicksburg was
raised, leaving the Rebel ram Arkansas un-
harmed at her dock (and the operations against
Vicksburg, whether by land or water, were
60 feebly, irresoutey prosecuted as to dis.
grace those who directed thcm) it was mani.
fest that Baton Rouge would soon be attacked
by the Rebels. II mos 80 attacked at daylight
on the 9th inst" tbs traitor Breckenridge ;"
leading the column Of assault. Gen. Williams
on our aide, though lie Lad but 5000 effective
me aUainaf = all Ia
of the shelter of the town, but formed his men
outside as if on parade, met and repulsed the
euemys repeated charges. and finally drove
them from the field, leaving their dead to be
buried and their wounded to be cared for by
our soldiers. The loss Of the Rebels is con.
slderaby more than ours, and they retreated
ten miles that night, having evidently no ill.,
clination to renew the attack with their pres.
ent forces.
Breckenridge, in his bulletin, accounts for
bis repulse by the failure of the ram Arkansas
70 come TO his aid. She did Mt come because
she could Mt. She was on her way to help
him, by Smelling our troops from the river
while no assailed them from the land, when
she encountered the Union gunbOat Essex,
which was looking for her. The Arkansas Sc
lected an advantageous position in bend of
the Mississippi and awaited her antagonist.
The Essex closed with her, battered her with
roundshot till she had worked a practicable
hole in her stern, then sheed her till she
lodged shell in the rams inwards, which set
her on fire, burning her till her magazine
caught and exploded, and sent what remained
Of her to the bottom. The survivors Of her
crew had of course previously escaped by flight
to the adjacent shore. So the last in commits
sion Of the Rebel navy went under.
Such are the recent events in the South.
West which, as they were first perverted
through Rebel kilograms, were pronounced
"squally" for the Union cause. There were
no gunboats sunk nor transports taken of
Baton Rouge BY the Arkansas as they boast.
fully reported-for that redoubtable ram never
saw Baton Rouge. The Union forces about
Cumberland Gap have not been defeated cn1