The national Republican., 1862-02-19
THE SITUATION.

We are not ss yet In possession Of full details
Of the brilliant victory which has given Us Fort
Donelson. We have comparatively few par
dculars ss to the losses Of the land force, or
concerning the incidents Of the fight. But we
know enough Of II to be able to congratulate
our readers on the greatest victory Of the war.
1t has given US one Of the most important
strongholds Of the enemy. 1t has given us three
generals and fifteen thousand prisoners. We
know enough Of 1t to be assured that Buckner,
Johnston. and Bushrod are ours, and that
Floyd, true to bis past history" stole from the
United States Government taking with him
Pillow and FIVE thousand men. We know that
the navy engaged did Its work nobly, and suf
fered severely; We know that our losses have
been very great-one account saying that four
hundred we're killed and eight hundred wound.
I'd. We know that our troops behaved with
An enthusiasm beyond all precedent; day and
night they were fighting, or ready for the onset
They were without shelter-some of the time
without sufficient food-expossd to q pslting
rain; but their courage and temper never failed,
and with light hearts they went toward death.
All these things We know; but for connected
narrative Of the siege and surrender, we must
wait little time.
OF course, all eyes are turned with intense
interest ss TO the results Of the vigorous meas.
ures which the spirited dispatches of Com.
Poote promise to US.
The enemy, shattered and disheartened a. il,
is, hss probably been concentrating Its whole
force on the Cumberland. and between Bowling
Green and Nashville. The point between Fort
Donelson and Nashville where they will, as 1t
is thought, make stand, is Clsrksville. There
strong defenslve works have been in construc.
ton for some time, and desperate resistance
is looked for. Upon Nashville. then, by wsy
Of the Cumberland river, and by land from
Bowling Green, will the whole army Of Gen.
Buell. and the navy Of Com. Foote proceed,
wiping out Clarksville on the way, and exter.
minating any rebel forces who are rash enough
70 impede the onward victorious march Of the
Union troops From all sides, with promptness
and vigor, the enemy is 10 be attacked rolled
together like scroll. Our army against him
numbers nearly 10000, and defeat is an i'm.
possibility.
We also have very encouraging news from
Gen. Price. 1t is rumored that be, with bis
whole army, has been captured. This is not
impossible, as the latest positive news from
him seemed TO make bis overthrow certain
On Friday be was twenty nine miles from
Springfield, and our forces were five miles In
bis rear. General Curtis was pursuing him,
and Seigel was advancing upon him from
another quarter. Later than this we hear that
Gen. Curtis has succeeded In capturing one
colonel, one lieutenant colonel, two captains,
and more privates than be knows what to do
with. This looks az il the rebel army under
Price were fairly broken up, though the intelli.
gence does not come in such definite form.
He has been sptly termed the flying general,
strong only In retreat and We can only hone
the bird has been taken " on the wing" and
safely bagged by this time.
The news In relation to the CAPTURE of sa-
vsnnsh has not as yet been confirmed, but we
must remember that unpleasant news for the
rebel ride comes slowly from rebel sources
The last positive knowledge we had of that DO
sition was that the supply Of water for that city
had been cut of, and 1t Is fair to presume that
the city fell an easy victim to our brave forces.
IL the capture of that city has not already been
made, we may confidently expect to hear Of It
before many days.
And thus the ball is moving on. From VIC
tory 10 victory our glorious band of freemen
Will move on, until we shall pour down the
throats OF the rebels the bitter drauvbt which
they thought they were preparing for n,