The battle at Belmont would have been a decisive victory for the federal troops but for the rebel reinforcements, which compelled their retreat. This disastrous termination of the engagement, however, completely changes its aspect, and we find in it no cause for congratulation, although it furnishes an other instance of the pluck and heroism of our men, and shows that, with a fair field and equal numbers, we are more than a match for our enemies. The battle at Belmont was the battle of Bull Run on a reduced scale. Our troops had been fighting till they were exhausted, and with great success, capturing the rebel position, with a large number of prisoners and twelve guns, when the enemy reappeared in strong force and drove them back to the river, where they re-embarked on the steamers in which they had crossed, under a murderous fire, and not alone from the rebels, for in the confusion the two gunboats engaged in firing into the hostile ranks poured their grapeshot among friends as well as foes. There appears to have been a want of foresight in the landing of these 3,500 troops on the southern bank of the Mississippi, where they had, we have seen, to contend against double their number. The generalship was, therefore, at fault. But there is nothing without its uses, and every loss we suffer now will tend to lessen our losses in the future, by giving our generals experience. They have done well already, but they will do much better. The early battles of the French resulted unfavorably to them, but the experience thereby acquired carried them on afterwards from victory to victory, until they became masters of Europe.
We must moreover in our case remember that the reason why the South has been so far successful in resisting the force of the federal arms is, that for the last fifteen years she has been preparing in every possible way for this great struggle, while we at the North never believed it would take place, and consequently made no preparations till after the bombardment of Fort Sumter. But we have, nevertheless, the power and the money to overwhelm the Southern conspirators. We only require enthusiasm and unity to crush out every trace of this rebellion, and the accomplishment of that result is a mere question of time. Our army is becoming more efficient every day, and that army may be increased indefinitely from among the loyal millions of the North. But what resources has the South? Nothing more than she has already developed. With a bankrupt exchequer, a ragged and starving soldiery, and nothing more to fall back upon, she will be soon glad to return bleeding and repentant to tho Union, which in her folly and wickedness she had forsaken.
New York Herald, New York, NY