The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1863-01-09
The Progress of the Past Year.

results oil the war have been made
quate to the vast expenditure OF men
and means, we are inclined TO over
look the progress that we have act
ually made. A year ago Missouri
was in the hands OF the rebels. Our
army, after an unfortunate change OF
OF commanders, had retreated, abau-
doning the greater part OF the state
to the enemy and leaving thousands
OF loyal inhabitants to the alterna-
tive Of exile or rebel barbarities
Now Missouri is recovered, and a
loyal Legislature is preparing meas
ures to enaGcipate it forever from
the irrepressible cause OF rebellion.
and our army OF the frontier, after
an unvarying course Of victories, is
pushing its successes into Arkansas.
A yesr ago the greater part OF
Kentucky, all of Tennessee and the
Mississippi river up to Cairo, we're
in the hands OF the insurgents
Now We occupy Kentucky, and the
capital and river towns OF Tennes-
see. The victories OF Mill Spring,
Fort Donelson, and the recent vic
tory at Corinth, have established the
glory OF our arms, while the con,in,
ued failure OF the great preparation
and expenditures OF the Confederates
in the West 10 accomplish or to at
tempt anything adequate, has given
rise to general censurc, and discour-
agement and recrim,nstion among
themselves. And tn the river our
gnnboats have ccessively captured
Fort Henry, the fortified places OF
Columbus, Island No. 10 and Fort
Randolph, and the city OF Memphis,
the most important river town be.
tween st. Louis and New Orleans, :,
aud our land forces have captured
tho strong Notifications at New
NJ lrid.
A year ago tho entire Southern
coast was in the nndisputed possess
ion OF the insurgents, save the solita
ry Fort Pickens. Now we hold the
coast OF North Carolina, won by
brilliant victorics of both naval and
land 'orces, and by the siege and re
duction Of first class fort. We hold
the principal harbor OF Georgia by
the siege and capture OF Fort Pulas-
kl, a feat exceedingly creditable to
our arms. We occupy the coast OF
South Carolina, where the loyal
natives rush TO our lines by thous
ands and are ready to enlist in our
military servi %, asking no other re
ward thau liberty, the common
birthright; and those who have been
tried as soldiers have aquitted them
selves nobly, demonstrating that
the rebel Districts themselves can
furnish to our hands the means OF
putting down this rebellion.
Since a year ago the great com.
mercial metropolis OF the Confeder
acy hts been captured by a naval
action, which will rank among the
most bri liant in the annals of naval
warfare, even il there are any equal
to il The victory aunihilated the
incipient Confederate navy, shut
the lower Mississippi to the rebels,
p!acei the river towns and the great
,ugar growing district of louisiana
In our power, and struck out all the
resources which the capital and
commerce Of the great city OF the
South coild furnish the rebellion
Also our guns now command Gal
weston, and the inhabitants look to
them tor protection against the reb'
els in the interior.
But onr progress in conquest lie
greatly exceeded By our progress in
preparing means for future success,
and in removing the obstacles which
ave hitherto retarde their vigorous
,ction. In every part Of the vast
field OF the war we have disciplined
armies, superior to the rebels in ev.
cry respect, awaiting only a pratica-
5le season for operations. The
moral obstacles which have grown
out OF the ilea that rebellion might
be cured by tenderness and toIers
ton. and that these nearest to it in
sympathies, or most disposed to con
cilitate it by degrading the Consti-
tuition and government, were the saf-
est leaders of the army, and that the
subjugation OF the rebellion was to
he subservient to the protection Of
lts cause and chief support, have to
great extent heen removed. W.
are encouraged at least to believe
hat such ideas will no longer con.
troll military appointments and mil,
itary policy at the head of affairs.
nor allowed to waste precious cam
paigning eessons together with i'm
mense means; and we may hope
that in time the weakness, Indirect
;on and uniaithfulness which these
IDEAS have introduced into the army
will be rooted ont, and now that th,
Government has concluded to strike
the canse OF rebellion, it will NOT
permit it's purpose to be thwarted
and the patriotic army wasted BY
officers who would make the pr,s,r
vation Of slavery paramount in carry
ing on the war.
At sea we have within the last
year created an iron. clad navy
which is now organizing for the
Southern service, sufficient to plac
every southern port in :our power