The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-04-09
Yves tern Victories.

The Western Department of the Army of the
Republic is doing at least It's share Of the fight
ing, and has gained thus far rather more than
Its share of the glory. The siege and capture
of IslalsG No. 10 has, take it altogether, proved
q wonderful achievement. On Sunday, the 10Th
day of last month, Com. Foote commenced his
ATTACK upon the rebe! Notifications. On the 9th
Org OF April just three weeks after the opening
of his batteries the Island surrendered. Scarcely
y man of his force has been killed or wounded
the rebels can possibly extract from their defeat,
is, that their stand az that point compelled TO
make pause Of twenty days in the expedition
down the Mississippi. The rebels saved nothing
except some portion of their troops. Their loss
an ordnance stores and munitions of war is i'm
mense.
Com. Foote has moved cautiously and deib-
eratejy III every step Of this siege. At first the
public were much disappointed because the
hrjlliancy, dash, and love of close quarters dis
played by the gallant Commodore in his previous
battles, had led the public to expect that he
would rush Immediately upon the rebel batteries
Toote had TWO reasons for not doing this
danger that it might not be successful, and the
damage that his boats must sustain, even if the
onset were victorious. He caused a canal or
channel to be made through the swamp on the
Missouri shore, and through that sent to New
Madrid Transports and barges Two of his
agunboats run the blockade Of the Island in spite
of the rebel batteries When he had accom-
plished these enterprises, the rebels We're at his
mercy. And they understood it as soon as he,
and Immediately evacuated their batteries on the
Tennessee shore, and made such efforts az they
could to escape from General Popes command
who gave them little spare time, and bagged
5000 or more of them in spite of their speed -
Eoote and Pope We're completely successful at
all points, and another Gibraltar, another i'm
pregnable position, another last ditch, in which
the rebels would VIGOROUSLY maintain their
flag, or gloiously die in it's defense, has been
carried by Northern mudslls, and :. nary" "a
rebel found who could by any possibility of
speed escape. -The Mississippi is now open for
many miles further South. The rebels have
some Notifications above Memphis, but nothing
that is supposed to be as formidable us No. 10.
Foote, of course, will Immediately continue his
voyage down the river on his triumphant way
TO the Gulf.
And more glorious and significant and i'm
portant than even this brilliant achievement on
the Mississippi, is the victory of our troops UNI
der Grant and Buell. ut Pitlsburg Landing. The
rebels there had their pet Generals, those who,
they fondly hoped, were invincible, and to whose
superior skill they trusted to stay and turn back
the advancing tide Of the conquering Union ar
nies There were Beauregard, Bragg, Polk,
Jchnson. and many more who had assembled
with their forces in Southwest Tennessee and
Northern Mississippi, to there fight great bat
rle for the possession Of the valley of the Lower
Mississippi They were unquestionably in largo
force, and had their best material of war. both
men and arms veterans as they called them, of
many hard fought battle, fields. They were
undoubtedly confident Of victory. They at
tackled us, either because assured 0! victory, or
with purpose of fighting battle before
Grants column was fully reinforced by troops
under Bucll. In the early part of the battle, they
possibly gained some advantages. just enough
to make the foundation for the lying telegraph
from Mobils to Norfolk Of great rebel success.