The New York herald., 1863-03-17

BY bringing his whole army to timely
junction with that Of Beauregard Subse-
Quently, at Shiloh, Sidney Johnston tried the
same strategical combination, though not with,
the same success. Beauregard, in abandoning
Corinth and in sending forward . portion of
his troops to the relief of Richmond, and Stone
wall jackson, IN slipping out Of the valley Of
Virginia and in pushing forward to the Chicka-
hominy, repeated on larger scale, and more
disastrously to our weakened army, the sue
cessful game of Manassas. With 10. Johnston,
therefore, the originator of this system of rebel
warfare, in charge of the rebel armies of the
Southwest, we think it altogether likely that he
may have resolved to abandon Vicksburg in
order to make bold effort for the capture Of
Nashville.
We think, too, that the probabilities Of sue
cess are sufficiently tempting to induce him to
undertake this daring enterprise. From yicks-
burg, across the State of Mississippi, and into
the heart of Alabama, and thence northward
through that State and Georgia, there is a con-
tinuous line Of railways (with one break con-
nected by steambOats) to Chattanooga BY this
route the whole rebel army may be removed
from Vicksburg to Chattanooga in twenty days.
We know not but this task may even now be
that the junction indicated has been effected;
that the united armies of Pemberton and Bragg
have commenced their advance upon General
Rosecrans, while the forces of General Grant
are some five hundred miles below on the Mis-
sissippi, and We may well inquire, how are the
rebels to be prevented from capturing Nash
vile, or from overrunning the State of Ken
lucky, even to LOuisvilleg
All accounts agree in representing the cotton
States very near a general famine. For the
first year of the war the rebel armies were sub
sisted from the abundant supplies Of the wheat,
corn, beef and pork producing border slave
States which they occupied; for the cotton
States down to the outbreak of the rebellion
were devoted to cotton, and drew the bulk of
their solid articles of subsistence from the border
slave States and from the Northwest. But ex
pelled from the supplies of the border States,
the rebels, in the second year of the war, pro-
ceeded to the necessary task Of producing their
Their cxpcrim mt however, was only partial
success. The cultivation Of their soil was materi-
ally interrupted by the absorbing business Of
the war, including heavy conscription, aud
the season in many districts was unfavorable.
Thus the supplies raised within the limits of the
rebellion last year are nearly consumed by
their wasteiul armies and improvident negroes.
hoc Of nd
Texas yet remain to them but with these in
imminent danger Of being absolutely cut off
with the loss of Vicksburg, is it not natural that
Johnston should realize the necessity Of a bold
movement for the Eranaries and pork houses
and fat cattle Of Kentucky and the teeming val
ley of the Ohio river:
Perhaps, too, the rebel chiefs may have been
deluded by the late copperhead movements in
the Northwest into the idea Of powerful insur-
rectionary diversion in that quarter with an
other formidable invasion Of Kentucky. The
all important question Of rebel subsistence,
however, ought to be sufficient to admonish
President Lincoln and the heads of the War
Office Of the danger Of leaving General Rosecrans
in his present exposed position without rein
IOICchcus. VusteNcI Iuoy VIC enC SAsOs SsotS
Of things at vicksburg, the safety Of Nashville
should not be left in doubt. We know that Gen.
Rosecrans and his heroic soldiers against any
odds, will do all that skill, prudence and daring
bravery can accomplish; but we may well
dread collision between him and half starv-
ed rebel army Of twice the numerical strength
OF his own. Granted that while we are in the
dark as to the precise situation Of affairs in the
Southwest the government is well advised
still, from the scanty light before us, we see
enough, to our own judgment, to suggest the
necessity of strengthening Gen. Rosecrans, and
without delay
We have the rebellion now fairly upon the
hip but single grand mistake may spoil all
our promising combinations, from Fredericks-
burg to Vicksburg. Hence, as an organ Of the
people Of the loyal States, who supply the sol
ders and foot the bills Of the government, we
call upon il to see to it that in tie event of its
evacuation OF vicksburg the rebel army from
that quarter shall never find its way to Nash
vile, but shall be driven ba ok in the attempt
to the alternative Of submission, dispersion or
destruction
Important from Mcxico-Advance OF the
French ON Puebla.
BY the arrival Of the Melita, from Ha-
yana. we have advices from Mexico to the