New-York daily tribune., 1862-04-12
RRTROsPRCTIvR.

RKTROSPECTIVE.
If it is too much to say that three months
ago darkness and gloom sbrOuded the Union
cause. that at home the National credit was
tottering, and abroad We we're treated with
scarcely disguised contempt, it is, at least,
true that with the opening of the year some
distrust and much despondeDcy pervaded the
public mind But in these three months n
change as cheering has come over our affairs
az the events are remarkable by which it has
been accomplished. Let us briefly review
them:
Order No. of President Lincoln marked
the inauguration Of new era illustrated IN
tie East by the gallant Burnside and Shields,
and in the West by q succession of victories
hardly surpassed in the history of any cam
paiQn on record. On tue 10th of January last
occurred the affair at Mill Spring. the harbn-
ger of q rev day. In that fight the right
wing of the Rebel army in Kentucky was
destroyed, the position at Bowling Green
was f,anked, aud Tennessee opened to invasioo
February 6, Fort Henry was taken, aud we
OF the Rebel strongholds at Bowling Green and
at Columbus. Nine days later the Rebels
evacuated Bowling Green and it was occupied
by Gen. Mitchell without the firing of gun.
February I6, Fort Donelson fell; on the 25ih
Of the same month Nashville was occupied by
Union troops. March a. the evacuation Of
Columbus afforded another bloodless but
most important victory. On tho 18th, New
Madrid was evacuated by the Rebels, whos'
re.yea,ng footsteps were pressed upon 81
8 closely that vast quantities of camp equipag'
and supplies of all kinds fell into our hands
, March 10, came the news Of the hard-fough
field Of Pea Ridge, in which the combinel
forces of McCuoch, Price and Van Dorm, sus
tanned a final defeat, and Missouri was re
deemed. Upon oil this comes the news of thu
reduction of Island No. 10, and of the victory
at Pittsburg which though it may have been vel
nigh missed by the delays of q diatory General
wi prove, let us trust in the end 4 signal ad
vantage.
In contemplating the series of events,
of which this ia only the meress outline,
4 II seems more like skillfully arranged
drama than Ike campaign prosecuted
under great difficulties, 80 rapid and har-
monious have been the movements. undis-
tuIbed by single serious reverse. 1t is only
when we reckon up its visible, tangible results,
aud attempt to form some idea of the conse.
qbences sure speedily to follow, that we can
at all realize the real nature of the stupendOus
game that has been played before our eyes.
In brief the results Of the campaign thus fai
are: Some 25, 600 prisoners; untold amounts Of
military stores and equipments; hundreds OF
guns; innumerable flags and every species Of
trophy, the loss of which inspires discourage.
ment and the gain, elatioD, in the minds ol
soldiers; the complete Generalization aud
partial dispersion Of armies, which must num-
Der in the aggregate at least 600 men; the
final Liberation from Rebel occupancy Of Mis-
sour. Kentucky and Tennessee; and the open
ing to the advance Of 1900 Union soldiers,
flushed with victory, the States OF Mississippi,
Alabama, Louisiana and Texas.
All this has been accomplished by men who,
until they were brought together before Fort
Donelson, Lad never faced the perils Of sol
der's h'e; men " 80 hastily drawn together
" from tAe four quarters of the North-WesI
:" that hardly any two regiments had ever mel
% under the same brigade organization" These
raw levie. have been hurled against the mos
formidable lortifcaticns; have made long and
difficult marches; have beaten and dispersed
great armies have wrenched from the grasI
Of Treason and Rebellion vast emplre--and
all in the space Of ten weeks. These events
7 show what our brave soldiers are capable o
when they have Generals to lead them.
Yesterday was the anniversary Of the attack
upon Fort Sumter, aud to-day the loyalty oi
the country. and its confidence in tho wisdom
of its Chief Magistrate, are as enthusiastic and
unialtetng a. 10 that frat moment Of iis