The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1880-03-04
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The wear 1851 closed gloomily f9f ~
cante 81 he upios Tho srmy q lhs
Pplomtt under Mcclellan had not made
i..s e4pccsd move; Asson and sl'doli
hAI b-fa surrendered, Cougress VS.
surrounded wilbibe gravt.g d.acuAicn.
Early IN 1867 Bnfnsids's aeei w0 wreck
and CAmerou's resignation made room
ga tor uew secretary d War, of whose
.spseliy spd energy .he people bad no
seeafme kuoweledae Greai etPeeiA'
lions wetsenlertalned o. important move.
nens and successes in what was popn.
larry called The West, bnt Of whst might
be planning Or happening 10 ,be far
Wcsl, Ia those remote Territories which
were not even correctly laid down on lhe
maps, not one person In one hundred
thousand, from the Presiden, dowd, had
a thought or care; though most anxious
solicitude would not have been misplaced,
as shall forthwith appear.
Surveying iuiher ibe situStIon In the
far South and West, we find In the frst
place that the rebels bad complete pos.
scion OF the great State OF Texas.
Twiggs bad traitoronsly surrendered al
the troops under bis command, with forts,
arms, ammunation, and supplies OF al
kinds, and many OF the men bad been
paroled. This vast region Afforded IN
admirable base for extended military
operations, and Il was not long befors
advantage was to be taken OF it, 10 th1
autumn Of 1861. II was somewhat ~
follows that the Confederate leaders
argued the mstter
Assuming that they could hold their
own east OF the Mississippi, moys
could be made westward OF that river
having every promise Of success. and
which II successful would give immense
material and moral advantage TO tho
South. The plan was nothing less eI.
tensive than the capture OF California,
aud subsection OF five other States and
Territories. -.
For the execution OF this brilliant
enterprise The programme was simple.
A powerful column should march by n,
Paso into New Mexico, defeat or flank
Candy at Fort Craig, aud occupy Santa
Fe Next would como Fort Union, cor
tanning au admirable arsenal and supply
pepot fitted In good season by Floyd
with most convenient stock OF arms
ammunition aud stores, Thence tho
march norlhward would be easy, aud tho
prizes would fail rapidly into the hands
of the troops. Indians and Mormon
were probable and valuable allies. Th
sure result could hardly fail to be th ]
complete aud speedy control OF q rieh
State, a splendid sea coast, and forts
from which men.of.war tnd privatcers
could issue to sweep tbs Pacific. This
would hasten recognition by Europeen
nations, would lead to sthe breaking OF
the Atlantic blockade by England and
France, and then the end would come.
What then, were the weak points In
the plan? They were three. First, The
rebels make the mistake, which they
repeated over and over again, of attach.
ing importance TO the support to come
from disa1ected people and districts
where tho general sediment was loyal.
Second, they where hopeicssly misled
about the sentiments of the Mexican
population of New Mexico, and forgot or
ignored the animosity born years eiore
of the Texan Santa Fe expedition, aud
still deeply ranking. Third, they made
fatal miscalculation in undertaking the
stern patriotism, the unfinching courage
aud the fierce energy Of the men who
were laying the foundation OF our Gen.
tennial State OF Colorado while braviug
priyation and hardship in the search for
gold.
That Ethese .events were not
known aud have not since been known Ia
the East Is hardly surprising, in view OF
| the fact that other matters OF transeen'
dent importance, far or nearer home,
were coniempoi aneous with them. Fort
Henry was taken on FEBRUARY g. Roanoke
Island on FEBRUARY 8, aud Fort Donelso1
on FEBRUARY l6. The battle OF Pea Kldgo
ended on March 8, tie Monitor fought
the Merrimac on March 8, aud the great
engagement at Shiloh occurred on April b
and Z. Probably not Cne 10 ten thousand
suspected that such threatening move
meni was making in the rear o. our arm
les aud would have been equally surprising
and lerriable to have heard suddenly that
junction had been effected by tbe rebels
with the Mormons, aud that mischief had
already been done which could bo repair
II at all, only at the cost OF hundreds o
lives and millions OF money. Instead 0
this, the bright days OF May saw elbley,
disheartened aud demorallzed, resting at
that same Fort Bliss from which he bal
marched with Tell purpose four month
before. The valley OF the Rio GrAndo
would know him no more, and be doubi-
less sought bis accustomed consolation
10 the flowing bowl.