New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-02-21
CHARLIE sTSN.

Y
Of Branchyille and Columbia confirmed The
popular impression, and hence the announce
mont that this wicked city Is really evacuated
by the enemy. evokcs far less enthusiasm and
rraiitude than would have attended Ii con-
quest by any OF the fleets and armies "hcn
from time to time have been directed specially
acainst it. We are rather amazed, on re-
lection, that it should never have been sur
rendered before in obedience to some COM
mandcr with genius enough to conceive such o
movement rs Gen. Sherman is now triumph
antly executing. Aud there could scarcely be
better tribute to1is supremacy as military
Header than this same confidence OF the public,
which led them TO regard his campaign as on.
impending fatality over the Rebellion and
which marked out Charleston as a sure VIC
tim to his conquering march.
But let US forget Gen. Sherman for moment,
and remember only what Charleston hos been
to the Rebellion and what its fate ioretokcns.
The city which fired the first shot against the
Flag of the Union; which for thirty years before
had unremittngly toiled to mature the con-
spiracv tpt the gun against Sumter pro-
claimed to the world which stood at once
as the representative Of the idea and OF the
military strength Of the Rcbellion from
which proceeded the vital force that ha,
Kept these pestlent agencies of civil war III mo-
ton. and on the defense Of which was law
ishcd the best military genius the South could
supply; the city whose permancncc under the
Confederate flag has been the continuing evi-
dence to Europe Of The vitality Of the Conied-
eracv and the unfaling resolution Of It's sup
lporters; the city which has for four years re-
PEELED every assault the Union coald deliver
against it-this city has fallen az last Fallen,
not because It's walls were weaker, or
its harbor less impregnably protected or
the spirit of its people less implacably mimi
cal to the Union they conspired to destroy; but
fallen because the Rebellion was falling; be-
cause the great States that had formed them
selves into an insurgcnt ConfedeIaey were riyen
lasunder; because there was no longer coun-
try behind the city; because Charleston stood
now for itself alone and could become only the
unyaluod spoil Of an army marching past 1t IN
stead of the coveted trophy Of a great force
spending IFS strength to compass the possession
of q fortified stronghold. The confession OF its
conquest is voice of doom to every city over
which the Rebel fac still floats. Not too much
has been said OF the moral effect Of it, ial.
For what is this moral influence bat
| that which determines or modiGcs the whole
purpose Of q doubling peoplel To-day the
South stands irresOlute, confronted on every
hand by the accUmulating evidences OF its
weakness, and ofits utter inability much longer
to oppose the armies Of the Union. It. people
have been taught to cling with fondnes' 70 a
few names as symbols Of their hopes and repre-
sontativcs Of their dsloyal cause, and TO augur
Of victory Or defeat as these were upheld or
| suffered to fall. One Of them yanishes, soon
to be followed by the only other that is more
lindissolubly blended with the existence of
the Confederacy. Who doubts the effect,
hc disbursement, the augmcnting convic-
ton among the people Of the South that their
cause is lost and the Union is saved
The Rebels seem to have evacuated on
Tuesday, as their own account says, but it was
not till Friday, the 18th, that their movement
iwas discovered On the latter day Admiral
Dahlgren sent word to the Navy Department
that the Rebels were abandoning The town,
and that he was On bis way TO it, There
Sumter or any other Of The forts defending the
harbor, and as soon "a the fleet can make their
way through the long-dreaded torpedoes and
Other distractions TO the channel, Or a. soon as
Gen. Gillmore's forces advance against the land
delenscs, we shall hear that the Stars and
Stripes are once more floating over Charleston,
never TO be again displaced