Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1862-05-02
The Two Foci of the Rebellion.

Inc Two Focl or the Rebellion.
! The present position of the armed
strength of the rebels is striking com.
ment on their threatened mode OF resist.
, ance. They have declared that it wa.
/; their policy-owing TO our superiority oI
numbers and their local advanlages--tc
/ hazard no decisive engagements at first
but by a series Of retreats to entice ouI
armies far into the interior, where we
should waste a great part of our strength
: IN keeping open communications and get
f ting forward supplies, and where guer
lila mode Of warfare, on their side, couiC
be waged with greatest effect. A II car
see that this would have been a very an.
moving if not embarrassing plan of resiS-
tance. But in fact, the rebels, as a civil
lied people, could not realize their own
theories. Il is the tendency Of modern
warfare to eliminate at few decisive
points-and the rebels have had TO yield
to the law, though they would have bro
ken it if they could, as they have all
other laws.
If we look on the map at the rebel
and the loyal sections Of the country, as
they lie side by side, we shall see that
they extend in length toward the north
east and the south-west-the loyal region
lying much more easterIy in its whole
extent. Hence, if the Eastern and Wes-
tern States, respectively, were to move
down their attacking !arces upon the re-
bel States, the two centres of attack
would naturally be, the one on the ex-
treme east of the rebel domains, and the
other considerably east of the western
limits Such we find to be the case when
we look at the position Of Yorktown and
of Corinth. The former is the natural
shield and outworks of Richmond, the
heart Of Virginia, and the movement Of
the forces in the present contest only fol-
lows in the track which was marked out
in the Revolutionary war. It would
seem from this that war, like commerce,
has its natural aud prsdestined channels.
The western focus Of rebel defense was
originally designed to be further north,
on the line between Bowling Green and
Columbus, but our troops having skilfu-
ly availed themselves of the opening
presented by the high water of the Ten
nessee and Cumberland rivers, the whole
rebel line was thrust back to the lower
edge Of Tennessee.
There are, of course, other important
points Of operatiou-as in Central Nir-
ginia, North Carolina, Savannah and
New Orleans-but the two great centres
Of contest, essentially decisive in their
nature, are Yorktown and Corinth.-
Every man feels that if we are success
ful at both of these places, tie rebellion
will have been settled in substance. It
may writhe for some time, but its life
will have been crushed out. The rebels
we may add, have the same conviction.
Let US, therefore, be patient. AT Cor
nth it will unquestionably take some
little time TO put our forces in complete
ighting condition. The victory at Pitts
Durgh was worse than some defeats in its
leranging effects. Take ten thousand
men out Of all the companies Of all the
'egiments Of an army, and the reorgani-
zation cannot be expected to be the work
If day. But Ialleck will achieve the {
york, and as rapidly as the nature Of the
.ase admitted. At Yorktown our forces 5
encounter a peculiarly strong and diff I
.ult position, and the moving up of the
iege trains and the perfocting of all the l
of the attack will necessa-
lily require time. Besides, we should 5
lot fall into the error that all of McCiel- d
ans arrangements are confined to the 5
title field before Yorktown. 1t will be 5
ound, we think, that Banks and Mellow
II and Burnside have their parts in the
mighty combination, and will deliver
heir stroke in due season. Let US be
Journal.