The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-02-21

Charleston, Savannah or vioksburg. We think
1t most probable that General GRAFT and Ad-
miral Porter will lead off in the dance at Vicks-
burg The rains, which have reduced the soil
OF Virginia and Tennessee to an impossible
quagmire to artillery and ammunition wagons,
have flooded the Mississippi to overlooking.
thus rendering, as it may now be truly called,
that finland sea" powerful ally to our mill
tary operations along its banks. Thus the right
flank, If not the rear Of Vicksburg, may be
reached by water; or the gauntlet of the rebel
batteries in front may be run or avoided by our
whole squadron Of gunboats and transports.
The ram Queen Of the West and the gunboat
lndianola are already below, effectively cutting
off the important supplies from Western Loui-
siana and Texas destined for the rebel army az
Vicksburg. Remembering the fate Of those
stupendous rebel works at Columbus, Island
No. 10, Fort Wright and other places up the
river, we can have no doubt of the complete re-
opening Of the Mississippi during the present
food.
Meantime, Beauregsrd has ordered all nom
combatants to retire from Charleston and Sa-
vannah, in anticipation of an early land and
naval attack upon one or both of those cities,
and he has CALLED upon all able-bodied men
remaining in South Carolina and Georgia to
come to the rescue, and with pixies and scythes
if they can find no better weapons. 1t is appa-
rent that he is somewhat alarmed; but that he
will make terrible resistance cannot DO doubt
L. Ill
has been submitted to several bombardments
to try her armor will, however, we predict be
found equal to the work before them, together
with the cooperating land forces.
Anticipating, then, before the lapse of many
days, such news from vicksburg, Charleston
and Savannah as will electrify the whole coun-
try, and silence the discordant camors and
noisy treason Of abolition disunionists and
democratic submissionists to JEFF. Davis we
hold our position by the side Of the fleets and
armies of the Union, and confidently rely upon
them to rs-establish the Union, against Southern
rebels and Northern incendiaries, and against
separation, submission or foreign intervention.
Our HARBoR DEFENcEs.-The indifference SO
generally manifested on the subject of our har-
Dor defences is one of the strangest features Of
these critical times. If France or any other of
the great maritime Powers were to declare war
against us tomorrow they would find us in this
respect wholly unprepared. There is nothing
to prevent the monster iron-clad frigates on
which English and French engineers have been
expanding so much Of their inventive skill from
steaming into New York and Boston harx,rs,
capturing our shipping and compelling thi4 m
mediate surrender of both cities. 1t is astonish-
ing that, with the examples which we have be-
fore our eyes Of what may be done.in the way
of harbor defences by the expenditure Of little
money, we have not before this taken steps to
guard against these dangers. That which the
rebels have accomplished at Savannah and
Charleston, and which costs us so much
preparation to overcome, might have been
effected here at our leisure and on
thoroughly impregnable scale. The natural
features of our harbor render it peculiarly
adapted to the new style Of defences which the
adoption of iron-clad vessels of war has made
indispensable. If we delay putting them in
execution the dang br will come suddenly upon
us, and find us helpless. Louis Napoleon is
concentrating large force in the Gulf Of
Mexico; and one Of his first steps, in the
event Of difficulty with us, will be to despatch
several of his monster iron-clads to New York,
being we'll aware that we are not in condition
to resist them. Not day, not an hour, should
therefore be lost in voting the requisite sums
for sheathing with iron the forts that defend
our harbors, and for constructing others where
they may be deemed necessary. A couple Of
months energetically employed would put us
in such condition Of defence as would enable
us to bid defiance to the strongest foreign naval
force that could be sent to operate against US.
TRIBUTE TO THE BRAVERY or 0UR NGw YORK
SoLDIERs.-The rebels at one time professcd to
hold in utter contempt the soldierly qualities OF
the troops taken from New York and other
Northern cities. They have dropped this kind
OF talk and with good reason. No soldiers in
the world have shown more dash and endu-
rance than the very men they affected to
despise. There is scarcely battle field since
the commencement Of the war that has not
been whtened with their bones, and there has
not been a single Official report which has
not borne testimony, both individually and
collectively, to their splendid fighting qualities.
In addition to the numerous evidences Of this
kind which have appeared in our columns, we
publish this morning an extract from report
Of General Rosseau after the battle of MUIR
freesboro, in which he speaks in glowing
terms of the conduct Of the brigade Of
regular troops, for the most part New
Workers., which formed part Of the Third
division OF the Fourteenth army corps,
under his command, on that occasion. OF the
Eighteenth infantry, Majors Townsend formerly