The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1863-10-01


ana resolved nc. 70 lave Teaas..es, on the retreat treat: , ;hyg
before the Alabama, Georgia. and Mississippi troops"
The rebels having fed southwark from their
late position at Chattanooga, Gen. Rosecrans
army, about the 25th of August, crossed the
Tennessee River, and was following Bragg's dis
heartened remnant into Georgia. The railroad
that connects Chattanooga with Atlanta, in CEN
trail Georgia. has been destroyed, so that the
connection between the two wings of the rebel
army has been broken. The prospect for the
rebels in this quarter looks rather gloomy.
At the same time Gen. Grant was moving
his forces towards Mobile. quietly but rapidly,
with the purpose. it is presumed. of attacking
the rebels concentrated in It's vicinity, though
nobody appears to know just where he was or
what were his plans. A considerable naval force
WAS also collecting near the port, which of
itself had q suspicious look, as though it might
have been ordered there 10 Cooperate with the
land forces in the attack. Gen. Joe Johnston,
who has command at Mobile. regarding the
- calamity at Vicksburg as of - peculiar signi-
fcance,'' calls upon every able-bodied man in
the country TO report for duty, and urges owners
of slaves to send them at once 10 work on the
notifications. The Georgia papers appeal earn
estly TO the people to prepare themselves for
the threatened invasion By General Rosecrans,
and, indeed, throughout the entire Confederacy
the symptoms Of apprehension and dependency
are universal and unmistakable. The Mont
gomery Mail views the position of Joe John
ston in any light as a choice of difficulties,
acknowledging that his forces are outnum-
bered three to one"
Gen. Banks was busy with the rebel guerillas
in Louisiana. of whom small bands still infest
the State, though no large or organized forces
Of rebels exist there. In Arkansas where larger
bodies are found, there has been some skirmish-
ing, but the warfare west Of the Mississippi
River Possesses now only II secondary import
ance, and can have no special bearing on the
suppression of the rebellion, which is fast being
contracted and confined To the seabOard Slave
States. 1t is stated in late kilograms that Gen.
Kirby Smith has been appointed by JEFF. Davis
a. provisional Secretary OF War 10 manage mat
ters west OF the Mississippi, since that portion
Of the Confederacy has become dismembered
from the rest. He will probably do as well as
any one, for there IL little else t. perform hut
pay out confederate shinplasters, worth eight
cents or less in gold 70 the dollar.
An important statement comes TO hand, which
appears reliable, to the effect that J-H. Davis,
after conference with the rebel State Governors,
has decided To call out and arm half a million
of SlQreS, in defense of the rebel cause, or, in
other words, in DEFENSE OF SLAVERY. These
new black cOnScriptS-tor they can only he
forced into service-are to he promised their
freedom and fifty acres of land a. a reward for
their LOYALTY and PATRIOTISM. NJ stronger proof
could he udduced IT, show the hupeles>neSs of
the rebellion than this last shift of its leaders,
for it clearly says that white soldiers are not
ohtain4hle. The idea I at slaves can he hrIhed
or even compelled to fight in order that their
masters may, by cunqnering, continue To en-
slave their fellow blacks, is rreppsternus. and
could only have been proposed as a last erperi-
ment To save the leaders of this rebellion from
the doom which their treason merits, and which
must soon nvertake them.
The re-opening of the Mississippi River to
trade and travel appears to be established, and
IL may ne cUnSIueTtIi az ne Vt the groatcrt viz
tories vet gained, and one which promises the
most permanent results. The fact that many
of the planters and more influential residents
along the river are now Fastening to take the
oath of allegiance 10 the government, is of itself
a good omen, although one prime reason for it
may be to evade the operation OF the confsca-
ton act. The restoration Of trade II the valley
of the Mississippi will do more than any other
one thing could, 10 dissipate the delusiDn into
which the leaders of the rebellion have seduced
the Southern people regarding the Objects of
the war. ReStor0tion and peace are possible and
1clH get be accomplished.
[Some further remarks on this subject and Eu-
ropean affairs. are deferred till next issue.