The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1862-05-06
THE WAR IN THE UNITED STATES.

Battles at IsIa nd No. Ten and Pitfsburr
Landing. and the Retreat OF the Rebels
from Manassas-Th he Tax Bill. &C.. Sc,
From the London Times, April 81.
But, in reality, the whole Of these successes
| along tho coasts OF North Carolina and Florida
are. it is decared advantage to the South
| and an evil to their opponents. Let any one look
| at the map, and he will see that both districts
pea Ridge and Beaufort, N. o. widely remote from
the scene OF active operations. The campaign will not
be decided by little towns the coast but by great
armies in the field, and some point Of ground the
presence Of 10 900 men, their absence may decide
the fate Of battle and campaign. Now, tho result OF
these on the coast Is to throw Is 600
troops which idle into the active service of the
/ field, and to withdraw 1900 Northern troops from
1 the fold to while away their time in bathing.
The effect is TO strengthen the comparative force Of
the South the really vital point by 80 900 men.
Nor is this ALL What is the cost TO the North Of this
branch of its operations? Burnside's expedition alone
must be costing more than the entire outlay OF the
| British forces in the Crimea. II is now much larger
than the army at the Alma, and every twice the
/ rate of pay And what will be the position OF these
1 men few weeks hence. Already before the summer
begins typhoid fever and smallpox have broken ont in
tho expedition under Sherman, which is building hos
| pltaIs instead of taking Savannah
Thus VIC find that tho only event which has occurred
up the present time OF serious injury to the South is
the fall OF Fort pone5on, before numbers by Northern
accounts the proportion OF three That when
stripped OF all eAaggelation was really weghty blow
and followed BY unworthy confusion But what are
the resnls month has since elapsed the most critical
OF the year, for in few weeks the Cumbcr-
land and Tennessee rivers will TO be navigable by
gunboas. On many time is Of vital i'm, or.
lance yet what has boon done? a Governor appointed
tho oidsivo 10 the people that could nave been
ornd Nashville is occupied, and the papers are sup
pressed but meanwhile the Southern forces have col
iec,cd at Jackson Memphis Decatur, and Chattanooga
and the main Southern army OF the West has never
been engaged.
Chattanooga is central position OF great value. In
the midst OF hilly country healthy and dcfensible
against twotod numbers IL by lines OF ra
way with Virginia, Charleston, Savannah, Now Orleans
Mobile and Memphis Hence, army placed here could
division a. once TO any Of those points, or r itself
threatened could receive aid from each OF them In the
event disaster tho Northern that army would
rcoccupy Nashville, could any large force pass fur
ther south and leave in tho rear Hence wo shall be
likely fad this prominent position in the future OF
the war should the Southern forces be driven out OF tho
border States.
Il IS indeed true all parties in the North assume
that the loss Of Virginia would terminate the struggle
But they equally certain that the loss Of Fort
Donnelson the Southerners would throw down their
arms and strong this deuson that cotton which
had touched forty cents pound actually fell to TWEEN
ty The loss Of both Virginia and North Carolina woud
still leave tho original confederacy intact. Il was
tho view Of many OF the ablcst politicians Of the
Gulf States that the adhesion OF the border States
would be disadvantage to them-that, standing
acne they OF one mind on ALL points while the ac
cesson OF those states would introduce, to extent
other interests. Further they held that the border
States would be Of value their natural allies
within the camp OF their adversaries than il enlisted
their side. Hence. the loss Of the whole Of these
states would simply bring back the movement TO its
original Dimensions and to the position which many of
lis abest men deemed from the first to be most adyan
tageous. II 10 true there would be for o time great
loss prestige but that has not generally been much
considered by men fighting for Independence. In a mill
gs Of the South. Of which their opponents have yet 70
experience the Effects
Many indeed believe that the moral effect would be
decisive here the division or the country into states
each la itself thoroughly and independently organized
and in size kingdom, acts as barrier TO the progress
OF moral influences. 10 read think New Or
and Charleston come within the field OF view
this is not the spot There they separated
by vast distance: occurrence al one OF them IL 10
the other a remote event. II New Orleans were taken
there would be panic for time throughout Louisiana
bal at Charleston the effect would probably be burning
rko-a I'm le0r
At moment the chances appear greatly that the
army Of General Mcclellan III be arrested BY dIiculties
OF transit that II will achieve any great success In
advancing with army which has been TRANSPORTED
by Sea no must OF necessity DO weak in cavalry and
comparatively SO IN artillery Tho loss Of battle would
be to him absolute ruin, while the Southern forces
would have Richmond 10 fall back upon There
has boon abundance Of time, men, and materials 70
render the lines around Richmond strong enough to ar
rest very superior numbers, while 1t is quite possible
that he find there forces equal la numbsr 10 MD
ocnin the midst Of their resources in command OF tho
Southern railways, and actunted by a spirit which
under like circumstances, has seldom been found
wanting in any race Of men What would be tho aspect
OF tho war If Mcclellan should fail to take Rich.
mond and fall back upon his transports-what the
effect tho money market Of Naw York; Such
an srrac her e rst s,,v shan,d as that
frigatos and three gunboats that Bull should be
rer.eyed by returning from II second time to Wash.
ington. Yet both these nprobsbities have occurred
such the opinions and hopes OF the Southern peo
pie They may be founded Elusive views OF the war
OF their own strength and their advsrsaries weakness
but they Indicate that the people resolute and con
dent aud that the submission which the North is pre-
dieting is in very distant future.
From the London Times April 22l
The tdings Of a great battle fought in America and
the report OF Of thousands SLAIN wounded and cap
turcd come 10 spur tagging interest In the trans
atlantic civil The indecisve and uncertain skir
mishes OF the last months had induced the English
public TO wait with patience for ultimate results rather
than 10 follow with excitement the vcissudcs OF the
contest The gradual approaches by river and by sea-
the landing Of isolated expeditions upon different portions
Of tho coast the advance Of gunboats pushing their
the great Army Of the Potomac il they were parts Of
some and scheme, parts OF scheme vast In its
whole yet 80 delicate in rs details that could not DO
at this great distance, and with the mper
feet gsograp hica know hdgs Of the villages and town.
ships OF America which 10 possessed in the country
see what this opening Of the game was TO lead TO-
Hitherto only the pawns had been pushed for.
ward. the important Confederate pieces had bean
driven back upon the board, and the impor,sri
federal pieces had been worked into Q position
for attack. few paws had bssn taken on
other sidc but we had FOR the most part begun TO
wait until great swoop Of the queen or some
dangerous check from knight should recall us to
tho table and give an anxious interest 10 the game
Al last this has happened. The China brings ne news
OF three great events. rho FIRST seems to be clear
enough On the sih inst Island No 10 surrendered to
the federal gunboats. The Mississippi therefore, Il 70
this extent clear or Confederate obstruction and tho gun
boats Of the fcdsras can descend The great river until
they meet with some impeachment or AZ thoy think
il wise TO trust themselves far until they gain the
neighbofhood OF New Orleans The federal adj.
vices boast that hundred siege guns and six
thousand prisoners have been captured upon this
island. Putting aside these numbers which ex-
perence teaches us 10 distrust, the probability
Is that tho loss o. the Conederates was very great upon
the capture ~ so important position. 50 long they
shut themselves up IN forts the cosst upon nay
gable rivers, this must be tho result ~ principle
cyon ef old fashioned warfare that all orcatoDs may
be taken with given force and Ia a given time. With
the great ory possessed by the ederals in ships
stores and artillery, this becomes much rapid
tanty and in the present relative condition Of the
two navios may take 1t for granted that when
the Confederatcs give battle at point which can be
reached by ships they must be beaten We DO not pro-
tend TO their tactics in defending these river