The Abingdon Virginian. [volume] (Abingdon [Va.]) 1849-1883, 1863-04-17
ssThe situation.,,


ssThe SituatiOn.,,
This is the caption invariably used by the
New York Herald, describing the positions
and prospects of the various divisions offthe
Yankee army. We use it for a like purpose
with regard to the armies of the Confederacy.
From the best information in our posses
sion, the Yankee ssfeeler" at Charleston has
resulted in a Yankee "fzzle." After long
and thorough preparation, they came with q
formidable feet of iron-clad turreted monsters,
confident of reducing Forts Sumpter and
Moultrie, and Of sacking the city Of Charles
ton. Fol. the purpose Of removing torpedoes
they imagined to be in the bottom of the har-
Dor, they had constructed mysterious craft
and christened it sThe Devil" On Tuesday,
the It'll, they made their long prepared for
and long looked for attack, and after several
hours heavy eannonading, they came out se-
cond best, crawfshed out of harms way, and
have since kept at q safe and respectful dis
lance. A full description Of the fight is given
in another column.
s. At Vicksburg, Yankee prowess and Yankee
luck have been about the same. Finding the
capture of that gallant little city hopeless.
they went to digging, as Yankees only can
dig, to turn the course, or rather change the
channel Of the Mississippi, and thus make
Vicksburg an inland town. Before the canal
was finished, the floods came down and chok-
ed up their big ditch, and from that time to
this, shell now and then from Vicksburg
has kept them between thawk and buzzard,"
and the last account from that direction is,
they had thrown down their shovels and
picks, gathered up their arms and buds, and
were vending their way up the river. The
probability is, they have gone to- reinforce
Rosecrans. That wiley chieftain, fearing
repetition of his Murfreesboro' disaster, has
been afraid to attack our forces at Tullahoma
without vastly superior force, and hence it
is believed Grant has reinforced him from
Ficksburg for tbs purpose of whipping our
army with overwhelming numbers, and then
to march overland and attempt to take Vicks-
burg in the rear. This, We say, is the gene
raj impression. Let them come-Gen. John
ston is prepared for them, and thus deprived
,of the use of their gunboats, and distant from
their base of supplies, he will gobble them up
before they are aware of it.
Ports Hudson and Pemberton still hold
their own and are daily growing stronger
The officers in command have no fears of their
ability to hold out and repulse all the fleets
that may approach them.
Burnside, it is rumored, is crossing Ken
lucky in three columns, for the purpose Of TAX
ing possession of East Tennessee. He may
have large army in Kentucky, but we have
no idea be has it divided into three columns,
nor do we believe he will attempt to enter
East Tennessee. That is ''too far from wa
tar" Morgan, and Cluke, and Marshall, and
Pegram, &c., &c.. will co apel him to mass
his forces, and he will not venture far out of
bluegrass To hold Kentucky, without at
tempting to invade Tennessee. will, we shink,
cap the climax of his ambition.
Gen. Lees army, we understand, is on the
move. The baggage has all been sent back,
and there is not a tent in all his forces. Stu
arts cavalry is said to be in Fauquier and
Loudon, and the main army has crossed the
North branch of the Rappahannock. Hooker,
it is said, has retreated. Our men are repre-
sented as being in very fine condition, full Of
energy and hope, and unusually eager for the
conflict and confident of success.
As the roads have gotten in tolerable con-
dition, and the season far enough advanced.
we may expect thrilling tidings in the next
two or three weeks. For our own parts, We
have no fears of the ultimate triumph Of our