The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1862-05-14

W fA-Nf
surrender df NORFOLK to Union force
from fortrets Monroe, under Gen. Wool /;
the destrud tion By FIRE of the iron-plated
Rebel stead Lship Virginia formerly the
u. S. steanl frigate Merrimac); the cap
ture-thou oh still to be confrmed-by
the U. s. irb rbnclad steamer Galena, duriug
an expedit ion up James River: of the
Rebel steamer jamestown, and the sink
ing of. he4 consort, the Yorktown; the
continued pursuit of the flying Rebel
main ARMY to New Kent Court House,
barely w4Dty-seven miles from Rich
mond, viii le our extreme advance (con-
sistiDg Of dhe 9Th Illinois Caval'y) was,
at p. m. oT Saturday, five miles further
ahead, or barely twenty-five miles from
Richmond while the Rebels, still retreat
<ag in gold order, driving in all their
stragglers hnd destroying all bridges, food i,
forage, and whatever else might be of
service to our army, are in light before
them, and are expected TO make a reso
lutte stand at Bottom bridge, at the head
of the Chi Fckahominy, fifteen miles this
side Of Richmond. Add to this that the
Rebel fod lila On the Mississippi, under
the exubeF Feut HolIlns, made on saturday
dvsperad attack on Com. Foote'S feet
of gunboats tomporarily commanded by
Capt G. II. Davis, and were badly whip
ped after Pn hours fighting, losing three
of their eight gunboats in the encounter,
and it Wi be realized that never was
days new from SO many and such re-
mote points SO auspicious to the speedy
collapse Q the rebellion.
Probab| " the most desperate, brilliant
and thoro bghly successful fighting ofthis
war was Ihat whereby the National feet
on the n Mississippi assailcd and passed
the forts ST. Philip and Jackson intended
to bar thd ascent Of the river, broke the
big chain thrown across the mighty cus-
rent, captured, sunk, or disabled the IRON
clad ramd fire. ships, and gunboats of the
Rebels, forced their way up to New Or
leans, took possession of that Rebel en-
porium, 4nd compelled the forts left be
hind to surrender. Though not the most
y, this was, as whole, the most
brilliant achievement of the war. But
the fighting of the Grand Army of the
Potomac has been splendid, and the
recent gfneralship of Mcclellan com-
mands ud diversa praise. From the hour
that Ior ktown was evacuated by the
Rebels as Hntenable, their retreating col |.
ums have been pressed with great vigor, /.
and it seems with caution and judgement
as well. An army retreating through a
friendly and difficult country, breaking
down the bridges as 1t passes, and destroy
ing all tH st could serve It's pursGers, can
of course outstrp those pursuers, and by D..
turning uddenly in force upon their ad- |
vance, ca b engage them with great ad- /
vantage 1n numbers or push them back
on their pain body. Hence our advance
under II ooker and Hentzleman had to
fight aga Inst odds at Williamsburg or give
ground dFsastrously; aud SO with frank
Inns and Sedgwick : Divisions, hurried
off by rdnsports to West Point to inter-
cept the flight of the Rebels But 10
either Cd Sc the Confederates were ulti-
mately dbfeated and compelled to acce-
crate thdlr flight, so that the moral effect
Of these combats is decidedly favorable, /
though their losses in action may not
have grehtly exceeded our own An army
Of SeveDty y or Eighty Thousand electives,
retreatiuE over It's own ground without
having fought and lost a pitched baItlc,
has SELDOM been pushed back faster, or
with smaller loss to its assailants, than
The Rebel host since it stole away from
It's int 'enchments at Yorktown With
reasonable good fortune Cen Mcclellan
will be in Richmond this week.-N T.
Tribune. Monday, Nay l2h.
On Saturday afternoon most destruc-
tive fire commenced in the city of Troy,