, 1862-07-26

han anywhere else in the country, and from
the very men who viii be made to fight against
1e in case re delay.
The valley Of East Tennessee is one Of the
most fertile and most thick1E settled Of any In
the South. Probably it is the most produc-
From 1t the confederates have drawn q large
proportion Of their supplies. 200. 900 hogs
alone were raised in the district. all or most
of them have been taken by the armies o. the
Eouth- At the present time it is one Of their
most reliable sources for theirsnpplies.
It is continual reproach upoo the enter
prise and sagacity ct our commanders that the
great trunk line Of railroad between Mont
gDmery and Richmond, running through the
backbone Of the contederaey and aloag the
great bed of hreadstuds for the South, IL In
Uninterrupted operation The heroic spirits
the spring, and were summarly shot and
hanged for the deeds. Our armies are now and
have been. encamped for weeks within fifty
Hiles Of this railroad, with friendly people
intervening. and yet We have found no one
with the courage! or the ssgaclty to break up
this line Of communication. Il is useless to
recount the difficulties; it IS the business ofa
general to overcome difficulties. The immense
benefits to be drawn by this stroke should
have brought It long ago. I !.
The confederates abandoned Cumberland
Gap. It is 4 strong place. No considerable
force can ever come from the rear; they mus1
come from the 'front.' Then why, We ash, dt
do they not destroy the communication Of The
rebels at Chattaupog7 or eastwaI1e
The truth Is there is a terrible aud fata1 pa1a
lysls sfAicting our armies through their CON
commanders. The uplands Of Tennessee ami
alabama are neither so hot nor SO remote a!
the wildg Of Arkansas and Missouri The ad
yantageS Of piercing the heart Of the confede
racy are large. aud important, st1ategica1l,
considered.
We have GOO or 1000 men at Gumber1ant
Gap, many Of them Ten1esseeans. Thes
men a1e anxious to get home SO as to Eeliey
their perEecuted wives and families; they vii
fight to do It, but tor son: reasons they ar
not permitted
It has been suggested to US by prominen
and Intelligent persons from that section tha
| it would De well if the public attention, au
| that Of tie authorities, could be drawn to thi
| matter. From an Investigation into the fact
We are convinced that there Is an impedimen
/ somewhere which needs to be knocked out {
| the way, When We 1ooS at the map, at th
] position Of our forces, when We take the te'
| tinony OF intelligent people on the suhjec
I there seems to us no good reason why such
I period Of iuaetion should be lowed to eusu
in this vicinity.
| The rebel army at Knoxville is probabl
near 10000 Strong, under Gen. Kirby Suitl
of railroad and Important towns, but by
timely movement upon Knoxville it is moral
certain the enemy would abandon It. 1t
time there Was battle In East Tennessee!
The merrfm4c No. q
| From the New York World 2ad.
The success athieged By the rebel iron~cla
ram Arkansas in running through our eati
Mississippi fleet admontshes the goTernme7
to be on its guard against the MeHimac N
?, now nearly completed at Richmond. Tue
il no doubt ut all a8 to the existence and fl
midable character Of this vessel She r
| seen by several Of our surgeons in Riehmon
aud By Col Charles of the Tammany Eet
nent, who is now ia this city wounded T.
new vessel is described as being fornidat
ram. If the Navy Department. has prorid
anything Of the Kind for the Jam
River it Is not known to the publ
| ard while this state Of thin
continues mnch upeasiness will be felt.
would be awkward If some fine morning
array Of formidable batteries should sudder
1uskc their appearance on the banks Of t
James River below the position Of our arm
and ut the same time the new ram attack o
wooden 1eet above. Neither the Galena 4
the Monitor are Fan5, and would thereft
scarcely be able to impede the progress Of |
Merimac No 2, if she is thickly Hon-clad,
| reported. # there are to be any more Mel
| mac raids, let us be at least prepared
them.