Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1864-01-07

Tks Old yesr closed st IL O'CLOCK on
Thursday night, and the New Year was
ushered in with co'd and bowling winds. It
will, perhaps, 10 Interesting for rs to take
. retrospective glance at the important
events Of the past year, aud at what is prob
rbiy in store for us during the year just
commenced.
This time last year how diGerenta feeling
did we all have, in reEsrdto what is upper
mont in al our minds--the great War that
was then and is set in progress. Then, we
had not yet recovered from Burnside's dis
,st,ous snd bloody repulse On the heights
OF fredericksburg. The Army ofthe Cum
b. rland was inactive. Grant was apparent
" unable to accomplish anything. A gloom
was settling over the country, and every
loyal heart was almost ready 10 believe that
the great Father Of us all bad forsaksn Us.
Ga tho FIRST OF JANUARY, 1863 President
Lincoln issued his sublime PROCLAMATION
OF EMANCIPATION, and in day or two
thereafter came the clash of arms from the
bloody field Of Stone River. Rosecrans,
and the Army Of the Cumberland, opened
our Year Of Victories with the decisive aud
bloody defeat Of Bragg's army at Stone Riv-
or. The country breathed frcer. Then
came the great battle of Gettysburg, where
the flower Of the Rebel armies, under their
ab,est General, was met and defeated by
tho Army of the Potomac. Scarcely had
loyal men got through conRratulating each
other oyer this victory, until the lightning
flashed the news over the country OF the
surrender OF Vicksburg to Gen. Grant, with
over 10000 prisoners, as many small arms,
aud a hundred cannon. This surrender
took place after Grant had defeated them
in pitched battles, fought in rapid success
sion at Champion Hills, Raymond, Jack
son, and a half dozen other places. And
then, to crown oil this, came the news Of
Banks splendid victory at Port Hudson, by
which the last Rebel stronghold on the Mis-
sissippi was surrendered into the hands Of
the Union forces, and the navigation Of that
river opened to commerce from its source &c
its mouth.
Il The reverse at Charlottesville in May
depressed the country for some time, but ir
the end it proved to be great gain for US
The death ofStonewall Jackson, caused by 8
wound received there, was great loss to tn.
enemy, and promises to be as fatal to theil
cause as was that of Dundee to the House
ofStuart. Gen. Lees success there com
PEELED him to make movement 10 his turn
and he advanced into Pennsylvania. Get
tysburg amply repaid US for Chancellorsville
! Late in the Summer Gen. Rosecrans ad
vanced upon Chattanooga, and Gen. Burn
side took possession Of Knoxville, withou
serious opposition. Rosecrans suffered {
temporary reverse at Chicksmauga in Sep
tember, but in November Gen. Grant, who
had succeeded Rosccrans in command, in
fiicted a terrible and crushing defeat upor
| Bragg, and At . later period Burnside re
pulsed Longstrset, before Knoxville. will
great slaughter.
These victories the Rebels cannot recove
: from. Our brave armies have completel
j quartered the so-callsd Confederacy. Texa
Q from which they obtained their principa
= supplies OF besf cattle-is thoroughly iso
n lated--cut Of. They have but one port 81
y the Atlantic seaboard, and it is being rapid
. y sealed up. Everywhere our armies "
r victorious. Our currency is sound, and a
credit good. Their ourrency is worthless
they have No credit.
The political incidents Of 1868 are as On
couraging as the incidents Of war. Towar
the close OF the year 1862 there was wide
spread discomfort, The people were di'
satisfied with the conduct Of the war. an
this led to the apparent defeat Of the wa
party in many States, and to the decreas
ofits strength in others. The elections @
1868 truly expressed the feelings Of the pee
y pie. In every State but New Jersey th
; war party Was successful. In Ohio the ms
jority was over 100000; in New York 80
= 600; in Pennsylvania $4,000; in Massach,
setts 10000; in Iowa $4,000; in Maine %
y 900; in California 10000. Aud so o
throughout the country.
. The New Year opens under glorious aus
Q pices. We believe next Summers cam
n paign will end the war; Guerrilas ma
n keep ii up for while. on small scale; bu
b after few Of them are hung, they will 20
y tired oftkat business. Many of the, State
which have beon in insurrection are takin
i, steps to re-orgsnixs State Governments; An
in q shor. time Louisiana, Tennsssss, Al
kansas, and other States, will be on th
highway to Freedom and Progress.