Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-01-30
THE EVENING STAR.
bowling sUBMIssIvELY.
From the Petersburg Express, Jan. 2


The tidings of the heavy reverse which our
arms have met with in Kentucky are gloomy,
but do not depress or discourage Us. Proyi-
dence has for some wise purpose checked the
current Of victory which has so long been run
ming in our favor, and we bow submissively to
the dispensstion. We believe il will be ulti-
mately for our good, although at present we
may not be exactly able to see how. We be-
Eeve that Heaven is directing events 50 as to
secure in the end grand and glorious issue
to the struggle in the complete demolition Of
the Yankee power and the establishment upon
firm and lasting foundation of the independ-
ence and sovereignty Of the Southern Confed-
eraey and its incorporation in the family Of
nations
Our first and full trust is in the Divine favor
in the overruling Providence Of Him, with
out whose smiles no cause on earth can pros
per- So far we have had the most cheering
evidences that He is on our side, and in the
recent disaster at Somerset we see nothing to
shake our faith or trust in His protection. On
the contrary, we are moro deeply impressed
than ever with the thought that He is direct
ing the course of this iniquitous war in a way
to confound its guilty authors, and to plunge
them in irredeemable ruin and shame. Two
dlscomitures are not to be weighed against
nearly dozen signal victories.
The Lincoln journals will now spread them
selves. AT last has been achieved a success
We own up like men to the blow which We
have received, but we are by no means cast
down. "One swallow does not make a sum-
mer," and this Yankee triumph does not begin
TO make conquest of the South. 1t will only
serve to rouse and strengthen the energies Of
her sons, and give new visor and impetus to
their Onslaughts. We have lost battle. but
We are not in the least dispirited by it. Defeat
has no terror for US, any more than it had tor
the Romans when, almost under the walls of
their city, their armies were beaten by Pyrrhus
and afterwards by Hannibal. Not one of the
Generals who lead the armies of Lincoln is a
Pyrrhus or q Hannibal, or the shadow of
either, while we have many commanders
worthy Of comparison with the Scipios and
Marcelluses who achieved the deliverance of
Rome from infinitely more formidable inyasions
than this Of the Yankees
We feel unutterable sorrow for the loss of
the brave ZsllicOffer, who like the Iamented
Garnett, has fallen martyr to the glorious
cause for which he so fearlessly four6t and
whose memory will be embalmed in the affec-
tons OF his country for generations to come
he was a noble specimen Of the patriot and
hero, and his loss is grievously to be deplored
and sternly to be avenged
Since the foregoing was written we have re-
ceived special dispatch from Knoxville,
which will be found under the telegraph head
1t furnishes important additional particulars
OF the battle. 1t will be seen that the Confed-
crate defeat, although bad, was not as disas-
trous as 1t was first represented to be. Except
the surgeons, none Of our men were taken
prisoners. The guns were all spiked and many
OF them thrown in the river, and, although lost
to US, they were equally lost to the enemy.
our hst OF Killed and wounded is a very mod
crate one, considering the disparity of forces
and the severity and duration of the battle
The Federal loss, from their own account. was
heayy-no doubt nearly double what was ours
Our army recrossed the Cumberland, and were
retreating without much confusion. Whether
the enemy crossed the river in pursuit is not
known. we presume that they did not, as
they must have been in a very Crippled CON
ditlon after such a long and bloody fight
On the whole, our opinion, from the lights
before US, is that it was victory a good deal
like that Of Pyrrhus over the Romans at Ascu-
lum, which caused that renowned warrior to
exclalm, after 1t was gained, that one more
such would be his undoing.
We have no doubt, when the whole truth
comes to be known, that the fighting in this
battle on the Confederate side was one of the
most desperate character, and that the hero
ism displayed in it by our officers and troops
has not been surpassed in any conflict that has
taken place since the war began.
The Lynehburg Virginian says:-Gen. Zol-
icoffer was native Of North Carolina, but
emigrated when a boy to the State Of his
adoption. Not only is the death OF such a
man a serious loss to US at this time. but we
fear that the engagement in which he met his
end Is the most serious reverse that we have
yet experienced. How shall it be repaired
The enemy will doubtless push on to KnoY-
vile, to get possession of the most important
line Of railroads in the South A Gordon IL
being drawn around Virginia, and she NAV he
within the foul coils of the serpent upIess the
important point now referred to be strength
ened Immediately.