Year: 1863

t10ns


Appearances indicate the possibility that So.
res Of great battles will soon be fought at the va
rious points at which the rebel armies now face
the armies of the Union. General Grant, with the
several armies that acknowledge his command
represents the grand advance by which we
have already redeemed the greater part of the
country claimed for the rebellion; and General
Meade, with the Army Of the Potomac--the force
that, by its proximity to the rebel capital is to
prevent the diversion to the Southwest Of any
more of those excellent troops that decided the
day against Rosecrans-or, otherwise, the force
that is to take advantage Of any circumstance
that may arise in our favor, and even to seize
the rebel capital, If it shall be found that so
many of its defenders have already gone else
where as to make such seizure feasible.


Six great battles have been fought in the
open field by the rebels, and four places
Of very great strength have stood sieges, in the
attempt to stay our progress in the Southwest.
But that progress has been constant and steady,
and we are now, therefore, in the very heart of
their territory. Failing to destroy the Army
of the Cumberland in the attempt by battle at
Chickamauga, the Southern general hoped to
shut il up and capture il in Chattanooga. But
General Grant, by simple man9Hre, estab-
lished his communications and his safety beyond
question, and gained success equal to a vic
tory. Beaten thus for second time, the next
attempt was the movement of Longstreet
against Burnside, and so on Grants line; and
this seems likely to fail ALSO as Longstreet has
certainly found his master at Knoxville. Dis
tressed by the failure Of these many attempts,
and weakened by the absence Of the force
under Longstreet,i it is scarcely possible that
the rebel AMY in the Southwest would be able
TO stand an advance Of the force under Grant,
which every circumstance seems to invite.
Nor Is IL probable that the rebel army in
Virginia will be able TO resist an advance OF
the Army Of the Potomac, under Its hitherto
successful commander. Burnside is able to
hold his position; Grant is doubtless in suff-
cient force now to destroy Bragg, and we be
lieve that the Army Of the Potomac is now
strong enough and in the right condition and un-
der the right man, to annihilate the army under
Lee II Il shall meet It. But, while matters are
thus hopeful in the field, how do they stand at
Washington with respect to these operations!
For, inasmuch as oil our great attempts have
fallen short Of success simply through inffu-
ences that have emansted from that city, Il Is
not enough to know how matters stand in the
Held; but to be able TO form any Judgment we
must also know how matters stand at the ma
tional capital. Matters there are just as we
should wish them to be.


Upon the ancient and excellent authority OF
the rabbins, II is known that . dispute once
arose between the real, original Abraham, the
ancestor Of so many spectators, and Nimrod
the mighty hunter. Nimrod did not conduct
the dispute on the most approved principles Of
fair play, and Abraham appeared to have the
worst of it. Thereupon the Father OF bis people,
by means Of some occult power, sent plague
against the mighty hunter. Now this plague
was q gnat Certainly II was very small
plague TO be sent against mighty hunter; but
the gnat did lie work well. II buzzcd In NimroPs
ears In his eyes and nose, aud in his mouth;
stung him, aud thea bazzed again. Nobody