Maybe, my impression is the Times editors are as optimistic as their reports allow, still sometimes too much so.
And overall, except in Virginia & New Mexico, Union forces have done reasonably well, winning more than half of 35 decisive engagements in West Virginia, Kentucky, Missouri, Florida & North Carolina:
Summary of Civil War Engagements as of Oct 21, 1861:
Engagements in Confederate states:
| State | Union Victories | Confederate Victories | Inconclusive | Total Engagements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Virginia | 3 | 10 | 4 | 17 |
| North Carolina | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Florida | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Louisiana | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Total Engagements in CSA | 5 | 12 | 5 | 22 |
Engagements in Union states/territories:
| State | Union Victories | Confederate Victories | Inconclusive | Total Engagements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| West Virginia | 9 | 2 | 1 | 12 |
| Missouri | 8 | 9 | 1 | 18 |
| New Mexico | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Kentucky | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Total Engagements in Union | 19 | 17 | 2 | 38 |
| Total Engagements to date | 24 | 29 | 7 | 60 |