Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1862-03-27
The Fall Of Fort Donelsoi In Eng.
land.

From the London Times, MarheI
After nine months Of helpless ~inaction or
inglorious campaigning, the Federal armies
have ut length achieveda genuine victory.
The success OF Gen. Grant and his colleagu, 10
a. Fort Donelson appears, in a military
point OF view, &c have been decisive, and
1t Will probably be attained by political con-
sequences Of material importance. II il
but the capture OF a fort, no doubt, But
that fort contained an army, il was the key
of q position, 1t Opensthe r6id to further
advances, and the obstinacy Of the co0tsst
shows the value which both parties had set
upon the possession Of tha place. The
Fedorals can now advance from the West
toward the East, and establish themselves
in the rear OF the force by which Gen. Mo
ClellaD, with the main army of the Union
lists, has so long been kept at bay.
If this force, however, Is mater;sllv
weakened, Gen. Mcclellan can at length
advance, and then all the armies of the
North will be poured at once into the States
Of the South. 0ffEI1A -
1t cannot be denied that the Northerners
have shown great tenacity Of purpose in
continuing their preparations and renewing
their efforts in the face of discouragine
failures. We attach little weight to their
maritime expeditions. Except for the mere
uiNOtoiO1 VI uioItdCtiOu WHICH JQeY. may
} create, the operations on the coast Of North
Carolina will probably be of no avail. It IL
in Kentucky and Tennessee that the inn
|, portant blows have been dealt, and here the
! Federal forces are taking the Geld on a III
gantic scale. ! Besides the 10000 under
Gen. Grant, $4,000 are said to- be in arms
! : under Gen. Buell., and q third army is spoken
7 OF beside The operations, too, Of these
= commanders appear to have been we'll con-
ceived and skillfully combined, andif thew
. should succeed in their advances il is clear
: that a new aspect will be given to the war.
y We do not suppose that the Confederates
Y consider the day lost as yet, even in those
. parts which are now the scene of action
They fought desperately at Fort Donelson,
q and exaoteI conditions before they surren-
dered. They are preparing, We are told. for
!, fresh resistance in a new position, and il
y they have evacuated one district after an
other they may well find their account In 40
doing. K defeat would tell more severely
against their enemies than against them
II The Southern Generals are falling back IN.
y on u country more entirely their own, where.
: : as the Federals as they proceed will be leav.
ing their supports behind. What the strength
Of the Confederates may be we cannot say
~ The true strength of the South in thu
y way of resistance has yet to be felt. lThey
IT, are still a match for their antagonist onSh'
~ Potomac; and if they have suffered wv
u great defeats in the West, they have VOL
two battles in Virginia. Fight for fight
y. they have had their fair share Of victory
y. u and the effect now produced by the success
of the North is due in some degree to tn
~ s~urpiseSwhich such a novelty oocasions-
ii These recent triumphs, in short, theug'
N, they have undoubtedly improved the posi-
ton of the North as regards any possibl
!. negotiation for a division. of territory, hav
10, scarcely brought the Federal Government
u, nc any nearer than before to a rsconstruotio
ny of the Union. ~