The New York herald., 1865-02-23

The Capture OF Wfimington-Our Recent
Glorious Successes.
Fort AndefsOn, on the Cape Fear river, was
evacusted by the enemy on Sunday last, and
was Immediately afterwards occupied by part
of Major General Schoheld's force. This was
the last Of the important defences Of Whining
ton. AS our readers win see by the excellent
map we give to-day, 1t b situated on the west
bank Of the stream, short distance below the
city, and its fire covered the distractions which
the rebel engineers bad placed in the river.
The approach to the city by water was, there
fore, apparently impossible while the rebels
held this position. But the fall of this fort was
all probability succeeded by the fall of Wiz
mington. Our Monitors at once pushed up the
river as our soldiers pushed after the enemy.
Wilmington was no doubt occupied few hours
after the evacuation Of Fort Anderson, and Is
probably now held by us.
Thus we gain another in the grand series Of
successes that gives such substantial assurance
Of the triumph Of our cause, and we add one
more to the train of disasters that Is so evil
dently crushing the confederacy out Of existence.
The victory at Nashville, the capture OF Savan-
nah, Branchville, Columbia, Charleston, Fort
Fisher, and now Fort Anderson and Whining
ton, may be classed together as the great recent
successes that have put our ultimate triumph be-
yond all doubt; that abundantly satisfy tho
people for all the exertion that has been made
and that encourage the country to 60 gloriously
forward to what remains to be done. And the
same events are the ones that have finally
shown to Europe and to the Southern people
our real power and the utter hopelessness Of
the rebel cause, and that now spread discou-
ragement Generalization and despair like an
epidemic through the rebel States and armies.
The evacuation Of Wilmington, like that
Of Charleston, was no doubt . necessity Of
the enemy's position. Forces left at such
points would Of course be isolated and
inevitably lost; while their concentration
on the main force leaves . faint hope that
they may yet be Of some service. Hence, as
Beauregard struggles northward from Colum-
bia, and Hardee from Charleston, Bragg must,
when the general struggle gets as far north
ward as Wilmington, inevitably join it and
struggle on in the same direction. This is what
he has done. It is naturally urged that what
we are thus bringing about is q concentration
of the enemy's forces under Lee. It will be
found in due time that this concentration is q
delusive one for the enemy and an advan-
tageous one for us. 1t will strengthen Lee but
little. These hurried marches under circum-
stances Of so much encouragement are the most
destructive influences that are ever brought to
bear on an armed force. The fercest battle of
the war would not reduce the forces of
Hardee and Bragg in mere number
to anything like the same extent that desertion
will reduce them on this march. The obvi-
ous advantage Of destroying as many as pos
sible of these separate organizations by the
same great blow merely needs statement The
natural wish Of the weary and over marched
Union soldier that we "could get the secesh all
In one corner" is one that the secesh themselves,
hurried ON by Sherman, are now doing their
utmost to crafty.
The fall of Wilmington will insure the safety
Of Sherman's further advance, and viii facilitate
the general operation against the rebel capital.
If Beauregard, Hardee and Bragg, concentrat-
ing in North Carolina, and reinforced by Lee,
should attempt to solve the present rebel diff
culties by blow at Sherman, Wilmington will
afford us an easy opportunity to reinforce that
great soldier, while it will also afford an efa-
cient base from which he can be supplied for
The ultimate advance into Virginia, Id case Lee
shall elect to make his final fight near to the
position he now holds.