Arkansas true Democrat., 1862-02-06
FonTREss MoNRoE. Jan. IT.. N.


 doubt, read with some interest and concern the recent reports, taken from Southern newspapers, touching the operations of the federal fleet at North Edisto, South Caro- lima, recently, and they will anxiously await the arrival of the next transport from Port Royal for the union adyices. In the meantime, few speculative remarks, based upon the reports, as published in the Charleston Mercury, of January 2 and 3, may not be devoid of interest at this time. Although we look for nothing favorable to federal arms insthis inestimable rebel sheet wo have right to form conclusions from what Is published therein as facts. Edisto is the name oi a large island on the coast of South Carolina. forming an entle district of that State. 1t was one of the wealthiest cotton and rice growing districts of the "irst Confederate State. :" and possession oi 1t has only been rein quihhed from the diIest necessity. The island of Edisto Is curiously formed by an arm of the sea. entering at what is call ed South Etisto Inlet. traversing q vast tract of land of over 20 miles square. ani eTnpyting into the sea again through Noth [ iisto Inlet, but greatly augmented by the em bodiment of the streams of creeks, rIvulets and springs.
 Fort E.disto Inlet is navigable. 1t is said, some miles south of Willstown, for the largest vessels. and scAooners eau sail entirely around the island. W,lstown k situated cn the Charleston and Savannah railroad. It contains only few hundred inhabitants, and k, at beat, dull place.
 IL was to this town, standing as 1t does only a few miles from the banks of the North Edi4to, that Commodore Dupon, acting in concert with General Sherman, has thought proper to send fleet of gun. boats and brigade of soldiers, and while WiIiatown and the railroad were to be taken possession of, Edisto Island was to be se- cured as place of re.uge in case of any disaster. and as base of future operations
 Al the same time, General Wright was to move with 3 strong force inland. vest of Beaufort, and take possession of Station No. of the Charleston and Savannah railroad, and if both expeditions proved happily successful, one would have railroad communication with the other, as we'll as teegraphic. Our troops would be between Charleston, and the rebel forces, and be- tween Savannab and the rebel troops, making the latter liable to disaster from want of food, long marches and close quarters with powerful and resolute enc my.
 Taking this view, we~sha)l not be sur prisod if the next steamer shou,d bring us the welcome news that General Evans has been defeated at Station No. i, Colonel Maxey Gregg at Station No. Z, Colonel Jones at WilI>town, and Charleston iu great danger Ut capture even as Q mass ot charred ruins; whilst the people of Savan. nah and Colp:abia grow frantic in dread of the Yankees
 I.aaving Charleston b rot and be forever blotLa.}ol by the 'srat hole squadron, what m excellent thing 1t would be if we could notice q year hence tho planting of fine Yankee colony of thrifty, industrious, and prosperous Americans in South Caro- lima, and theerection of a great commercial city, where the rickety village of Beaufort now stands
 In aIluding to ,ho condition of things at Tyuee anu whereabouts, the Savannah News of yesterday says:
 Matters on the coast remain pretty much 9s they were B week aga. On Tybee the Yankees keep out of both range and sight, but arc understood to be strengthening their batteries which command tie ea- trance to onr harbor. If any works are preparing for ccorationy on Pulaski they haze .sot heen discovered,
 / Qnitea aeet-it IS said ten vessels--cayne in at Warsaw Wednesday evening" probs ply for shelter against the rough weather at aea. Yesterday all except three disep- peaied, and went to sea.
 The utmost activity prevails along our coast, olI batteries being strengthened and new ones erected If the Yankees >hould succeed in reaching the Georgia main, they will do 1t with rankx fearfnlly thinned. aud ind their troubles just begun.