The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-03-20

description. Our accounts Of the repulse OF
Admiral Farragut's feet in his attempt to run
the rebel batteries at Port Hudson are from
rebel sources; and, judging them by the I'M
blushing Munchausenisms of Beauregard and
Ingraham, we should say these reports are en-
titled to no respect. We know, however, that
Admiral Farragut is not the man to shrink
from a dangerous enterprise, and we know that
while his wooden ships were not proof against
heavy cannon shot, they would be subject for
several miles under the bluffs of Port Hudson
to a plunging fire from the rebel batteries
We therefore accept these rebel reports
of his attempt to run those batteries, and Of his
repulse, as substantially correct. His object
was doubtless to assist the operations Of Gen
erai Banks in the rear Of that place. Driven
back, Admiral Farragut will now have to
await below the approach Of Admiral Por-
ter from above, or General Banks will be
required to do the work with his land
forces from Baton Rouge Of removing
these ugly distractions at Port Hudson. A
Monitor or two, such as the Montauk, is what is
wanted to clear the river between this point
and Vicksburg.
The Yazoo expedition, in the next place, has
been arrested in its downward course by q
rebel redoubt at the junction of the Talla-
hatchie and Yallobusha rivers, which form the
Yazoo. We expect, however, that our next
reports from the expedition will be that this
point has been evacuated or carried by q COM
bined attack of our gunboats and the accom-
panying land forces, and that they are proceed
ing successfully down the river. After getting
in the Yazoo proper we have no doubt the
greatest difficulties of the expedition will have
been passed. The boats. transports and all
protected by cotton bales picked up on their
way, and with the aid of the swift current of
the flooded river, will be able to run the gaunt
let of opposing batteries where they are too
strong to be carried.
Such misadventures as this at Port Hudson,
meantime, may temporarily delay, but they can
not prevent, the final overthrow of the rebellion
Considering the strength of our armies in
the field and their splendid condition, our
naval forces which have not yet been brought
to bear upon the strOngholds Of the enemy, the
enormous war powers, men, means and facili-
ties Of all kinds placed at the disposal Of Presi-
dent Lincoln; and considering the fact that never
before since the beginning of the war have the
armies Of the rebellion been reduced to the
purely defensive system of warfare which they
are now compelled to follow, the prevailing
idea throughout the loyal States is that the days
of rebellion are numbered, making liberal al
II CaV.s
ders in the camp.
1t would indeed be difficult to arrive at any
other conclusion if, in addition to their mex
haustible supplies of men, arms, ships, work.
shops, munitions of war and subsistence we
contemplate the comparative restitution Of the
rebellious States Their army oonscriptions
involve all ablc-bodied white male citizens be.
tween sixteen and fifty years of age their
forced contributions have been aggravated into
impressments and seizures of articles Of army
subsistence wherever they can be found; and
when corn meal is five dollars bushel in Con-
federate scrip, or one dollar and half in specie,
in the comparatively well supplied rebel city of
Richmond, we may safely conclude, not only
that the masses of the people throughout the
cotton States are suffering severely for the want
of food, but that their Confederate paper mo-
ney bubble is on the verge of q collapse.
But there is yet another element. to be taken
into our explanation Of the returning conf
dence of the loyal States in the success of their
struggle for the Union. The rabid, radical
abolition faction Of the North, having been in
dulged to the full extent of all its vagaries Of
confscation and negro emancipation acts and
proclamations, is effectually demolished. Its
silly, fanatical war programme is proven
miserable failure. and this miserable
faction must now retire into the background,
or confess its follies and do something in the
way of atorement. Next in order the cop
perhead or peace faction of the loyal States
has been very suddenly arraigned and con
demncd at the bar Of public opinion. These
copperheads, sticking to the democratic or
conservative party Of the North, like barnacles
to ship, or like. the camp followers Of an
army, intent upon plumber, have been silly
enough to imagine that they are the leaders Of
public opinion. We presume, however, that
they at length begin to entertain different
idea but il they do not, and if they persist in
their course of folly, they will surely be called
to decisive reckoning.
The administration may accept the
loyal Union organizations Of the day
as affording satisfactory guarantee
that SO far as the enforcement q the
late acts Of Congress may be needed to
secure an overwhelming prosecution Of the
war, the government will be cheerfully sus-
tanned by the loyal States. Contrasting, then,
the power Of the Union with the weakness Of
the rebellion, the developments Of strength on
the one side with the disclosures Of exhaustion
on the other, we share in the belief now
prevailing in the loyal States that, with even
ordinary ability, skill and activity on the part
Of the administration and our generals In the
field, the days Of the rebellion are numbered,
and that the end cannot be much longer de-