Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1863-12-04
The Great Victory at Chattanoo,
w. II. WooLF
d l. WooLF

An0 UTeaC VICTORY aG CnaCIauOu'
ga.
The most important victory of the wal
has been won by Gen. Grants army at
Chattanooga. That it is a complete vcto-
ry we cannot doubt, after Gen. Grant,
modest assertion of his belief that it is
so. His dispatches never overstate the
truth, and the accounts we have of the
lite achievements are endorsed by Gen
Grant and Gen. Thomas. They may
therefore be fully credited, and it is safe
to believe that complete reports will more
than sustain them. To have driven the
rebel army from their strong and well
fortified positions around Chattanooga is
in itself great victory, greater than we
could reasonably have hoped, and it has
been the general belief that Bragg could
not be attacked in that position with any
prospect of success, and could only be
driven out by flank movement But
the rebels have been driven back by di-
rect and most gallant assault, aud that
their retreat is disastrous rout is made
clear by the fact that we had taken some
seven thousand prisoners, about as many
small arms, and sixty cannon. up to-
Thursday night. Our troops were still
closely following up the retreating enemy,
determined to compel further fight or q
surrender. Gen. Hooker had reached
Ringgold, some fifteen miles from Chat
tanooga, and about the same distance
from Dalton, the railroad key of that
whole section. Gen. Grant says that be
would be at Red Clay on Friday. This
is on The East Tennessee and Georgia
railroad, below Cleveland, and it is most
important TO occupy this road to prevent
a junction of Long5treet with Bragg, who
will be likely TO raise the siege of Knox
vile and make haste southwark as soon
as he learns of the disaster that has hap.
pen to the rebels at Chattanooga. If
Burnside has held Knoxville till this
time, as there is every reason to believe
he has, Longstreet's situation becomes
most critical, with Burnside ready to fall
on his rear and Hooker and Sherman on
his front if he moves southwark, or q
long and difficult route if he endeavors
to get back to Virginia through East Ten
nessee. 1t is evidently Gen. Grants de.
sign to follow up the rebels and reap the
fruits of his victory. and there is good
reason to believe he will do it, and will
not stop till Rome and Atlanta, with their
tonndries and military stores, are cap.
tured or destroyed.
The consequences of this victory, i'll
successfully followed up, can hardly be
too highly estimated. 1t makes our pos
session Of Tennessee secure. II wins all
the advantage we should have gained by /
Gen. Rosecrans' recent advance, if the
government had been wise enough to r..
inforce his army before the failure at
Chicamauga, instead Of afterwards. III
realizes what was intended three months
ago, and sewers for the second time the
rebel confederacy. II cuts off perma,
nently the best remaining sources of sup
plv for the rebel armies, and will at once
augment the destituton and Discourage
ment which foreshadow the speedy down.
fall Of the rebellion. II we had not am
pie reasons for gratitude before, our gal. |
liant soldiers at Chattanooga furnished Us /
enough new ones to make Thursday a
day of genuine thanksgiving. And not
the least cause for devout gratitude is the
comparatively small loss by which this
glorious victory has been won. The en-.
ersy and daring with which our troops
rushed upon the works of the enemy Sc
cured at once safety and success. Hav-
ing won in the main struggle with so lit
tie effort and loss, the army is fresh and
enthusiastic for the pursuit, and we have
reason TO hope that the army of Bragg
will be so thoroughly defeated and broken
in pieces that Gen. Grant can push on
his campaign and complete the contem-
plated movements in that section at once.
The army of the Potomac is also in
motion. 1t celebrated the national thanks
giving by march towards the enemy.
with the determination TO find and fight
them. There are hints of flank move.
ment by way OF Fredericksburg, by
which, if Lee attempts to fall back to
Richmond, it is hoped be will be inter
eepted. The coming week bids fair to
be the most important of the war, and its
events may prove decisive of the great
struggle and bring the dawn of reunion
enc. Peace.-Springfeld Republican.