Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1863-04-13
The Situation of Affairs.


From the news to be found in this paper,
1t will be seen that the great Spring cam
paign is opening in every direction. ln'Eas-
tern North Carolina Gen. Hill has laid seige
to the town of Washington, which he has in
such position, it is said, as to prevent the
yankees escaping from the place or receiving
-reinforcements. But little is known of the
operations of our army there, or the designs
of the commanding General, but there seems
to be a sanguine confidence that Gen. Hill
can and will take the town when his pur-
poses can be best served thereby. His OPP
e~rations around Washington, though direc-
ted at one spot, it is thought by the journal
of this city, have a wider meaning than the
capture of that town. If he is successful,
the larger portion of the State which is now
in the enemy's hands, again reyerts to US,
and the stay of the foeman within our Dor
ders will be rendered dangerous and unprof-
table. Gen. Hills campaign, to us, embra-
ces the restoration of the State, and its
freedom from a foreign yoke. A small por-
ton Of it bordering on the sounds and largo
rivers will still be under the domination O.
~gunboats, but the majority of the people and
most of the territory will be freed from ter
ror and constant apprehension.
The long expected and long delayed attack
on Charleston. was inaugurated on the 7th,
as full accounts of which as have come to
hand, will be found under our War News
h~A 1t appears, however, that after a five
hours he"~>n the 7th, in which the yankee
lron-clads were oa"-. worsted, they have no
anxiety to resume the co..~gG. have
no news VI tostho 11th instant, Oh no
oardmem pclng renewed. Every BODY
confident that.Gen. Beauro-.@uefs' ooe oe-
not onlv n ke--- IRON heet-two out of
strov - already withdrawn-one sunk and
me other seriously damaged.
The attempts to take the gallant City of
Vicksburg seems about to be abandoned
the 4azoo Pass expedition has proven a
grand failure, and all their Mississippi move
ments arrant humbugs.
In Tennessee the prospect is that a terrific
engagement will soon take place between
Bragg's-an Rosencrans' armies, by which
the States of Tennessee and Kentucky will
DO won or lost. We feel very confident of
the success of that struggle. Rosencrans
will be routed and driven off, and the whole
OF those States be in the possession of the
Confederate army before sixty days shall
have expired.
We see by the New York Herald that as
the hopes of reducing Vicksburg are dimin-
ished, the invasion of Texas by the Rio
Grande is receiving the attention of Lin
coins Government. Already has Banks left
the Mississippi river and started to Berwick's
Bay, with the design, doubtless, of estab-
fishing a Gordon of Federal posts from that
point to Red River, in order to cut off our
communication with the rans-Mississippi
country, a darling object of the enemy. This
object it is which has caused such an ener.
getlc prosecution of the wa, in the Vest
But eatiied thus far by VickSburg and the
batteries on Red river from closing our &C.
cess TO Texas, the enemy is now dropping
behind the Mississippi and our defences, and
will endsavor by the new move to effect the
purpose which thus far he has been unable
to effect. Thus every where the design of
the coming campaign is to make every battle
decisive OF the fate of a sovereign State.