Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1863-11-18
Items from Rebel Newspapers.

The Cincinnati Commercial of Mon
day is largely devoted to extracts from
Richmond papers. The dates are up to
the 11th inst The news furnished US by
the Richmond papers is interesting, and
| calculated to encourage patriots in the
prosecution of the war. The complaints,
entreaties and denunciations with which
the rebel Press is filed are unmistaks-
Bile evidence that the Confederacy is in
the pangs of approaching dissolution.
The spasmodical efforts made here and
there by their armies still in the field
are but the muscular indications of rap
idly expiring strength. rad.
The Richmond Dispatch of the 10th
argues that the rebel disaster on the
Rappahannock was not so bad as at first
reported 1t admits that the number of
rebels who fell into our hands was about
800, but thinks this, loss is more than
equalized by the gallantry displayed by
two brigades in fighting so many Yam
KEGS such great length of time 1t says
the fight was of most terrific character,
and highly creditable to the rebel sol
diers.. e eAot fafr-l-
The Enquirer, however, of the 11th,
appears to be disgustedJ with these sur
renders, and especially displeased with
the authorities for not furnishing severe
ly the officers who permit them. Its com
ments are SO vinegarish on this point tina.
we feel like copying them in full ia
The people and army of the Confed-
crate States have been so much compli-
mented upon the prowess and gallant
| ry of their arms, so much hattered upon
what has been accomplished, that they
hare lost sight of the fact that more
surrenders haze been made by their ar
mics than by the dTnties of any other
nation. What nation, in three gears of
scGr, erer lo,0ered their flag eleven times
| in surrender There have been eleven
Confederate surrenders since this war
began. Near Rich Mountain, at Halter
as, at Island No. 10, at Fort Henry, at
Fort Donelson, at Roanoke Island, at
Forts Phillip and jackson, at Arkansas
Post, at Vicksburg, at Port Hudson, and
at Cumberland Gap. And then there
has not been an instance of punishment
in this long list of disasters; but on the
contrary, promotion has in some cases
followed swift upon the surrender. If
the history of this war will show as much
| gallantry in the fight as that of any 9TH
er war. it will also exhibit more surren-
ders than ever befell the arms of any
other nation during the same period of
time; and zoe cannot point to any Sara
gossG, GironG, Londonderry or Genoa,
to offset this long catalogue Of unsuc-
ees:ti1 sieges. DIG oJ hEG
The Enquirer then proceeds to dem
onstrate that the main difficulty in the
way of European recognition is these sur.
renders 1t insists that if some meas
ures are not taken to punish officers who
so frequently hoist the white flag, and
\ who permit themselves to be surprised
the cause Of the Confederacy is lost
We think the Examiner is altogether
right
| A letter from Chattanooga Valley
dated the I'd, furnishes little of interest
1t says the situation there is unchanged
No effort has been made to dislodge tn,
Yankees from their position in Lookou
Valley, and on Raecoon Mountain, sine,
the failure of Gen. Longstreet's attempt
Had that attack been made sooner, tn
correspondent thinks, it might have beel
successful He then describes the diff
culties which Gen. Bragg will have t.
surmount, in order to drive Gen. Thoma
from Chattanooga, as follows:
As was stated in recent letter, tn
enemy now hold Lookout Valley, lyin,
between the mountain of that name ant
Raccoon Mountain, and the entire lin,
of the Nashville and Chattanooga Rail
road, from Nashville to a point distan
from Browns Ferry not more than on
r mile. itiiti4ff : e1it- r.-.
He holds, also, the Tennessee river
from the Ferry down to Bridgeport
Since getting possession of the valley
he has fortified his position, and it is a
ready almost, if not quite, as strong a
Chattanooga. In his front, as be face
toward Lookout Mountain, is Lookou
o Creek, which is too near his works fc
), US to attempt to bridge it, an
in his rear and on his TANKS are the RI
er and RaccooH Mountain. This is nj
all. if attacked in the valley, he can
= reinforced from Chattanooga by mean
of his pontoon bridges, and recross Nj
casin Bend more rapidly and safely tha
q we could reinforce our column of attacl
for our reinforcements would have
pass around the north end of Lookol
D., Mountain, where they would be expose
to the fire of the Moccasin batteries an
I. the works in the vicinity of the ferr
So, also, if an attack were made upo
Chattanooga, the enemy could receiy
reinforcements from the valley and fe
&c ry more expeditiously than we could SCI
rt troops from our left to the center,
:. from the center to the left; and this b
cause the enemy would move upon
:. right line, while we moved upon the al
of circle, --.,,. s.-;r
= From Browns Ferry to the furthe
point on the enemy's lines in front
- Chattanooga the distance does not e
z ceed tgo miles and half; and from
ferry to the nearest point on the railro
= it is not more than one mile. If n
[, molested, of course the enemy viii e
tend the railroad up to the ferry, whe
there is range of hills behind which
can erect his depot buildings, and pl
tect his teams from the fire of our bi
Ms teries on Lookout When the railro
M shall have thus been extended, and
line from Bridgeport put in running