We have received Northern papers as late as the 24th of April. The subjoined summary of recent events embodies no news of special importance, and in its perusal the reader will make the usual allowance for misstatement and exaggeration:
From Portress Monroe.
Portress Monroe April 22.
--A small rowboat arrived here this morning from Norfolk, containing three men, one woman and two children.
The refugees report the Merrimac still at Gosport Navy-Yard.
Workmen were engaged in placing iron shields over the port holes.
It was supposed that the improvements would be completed and the Merrimac would be out again in two or three days.
The Merrimac, they say, was aground on the last day that she came out, as was generally supposed here, but whether injured or not was not stated.
Nothing was said, however, about the bursting of any of her guns, and that supposition was undoubtedly incorrect.
The steamer Jamestown and the steaming Beaufort went up James river on Friday, and the Yorktown on Sunday, to obtain coal at Richmond.
They took in tow a number of schooners loaded with iron to be rolled into plates at the iron works in Richmond.
Four new gunboats had been launched at the Navy Yard, and four more are in course of construction at Norfolk.
A portion of them will, it is supposed, be covered with the iron plates above mentioned.
The previously reported engagement between the troops of Gen. Burnside and a Georgia regiment took place on Saturday.
The Union troops are said to have numbered 500, (not five thousand) The rebel troops consisted of the Third Georgia regiment, Colonel Wright, and the engagement took place, not an first stated at Elizabeth City, but on the canal above that place.
The rebel loss was 15 killed and 35 wounded. They were only partially equipped, and many lacked muskets and ammunition, and they are said to have run on being attacked.
The Union troops held their ground until they had buried their dead and carried away their wounded, when they retired.
Eleven graves of Union soldiers were subsequently counted on the battle-field.
One of the refugees visited Richmond last week.
He states that there were very few troops either there or at Norfolk, they mostly having been sent to Yorktown.
Fourteen thousand troops are said to have passed through Richmond one day last week, bound for Yorktown.
The whole party of refugees came from Savannah.
One of the men, who is accompanied with his wife and children, belongs in Halifax.
Another is a native of New Yorks, and is a carpenter.
The third is one of the crew of the Fingal, which run the blockade some time since at Savannah, and who was sent here, as will be remembered, from Norfolk by a flag of truce some weeks since, but were immediately returned by Gen. Wool.
The rest of the crew are still in Norfolk.
Up to last Saturday they were supported by the British Consul, but a recent dispatch from Lord Lyons has thrown them upon their own resources, and it is supposed they will be forced to enlist in the rebel navy.
One of the men, who left Savannah on the 1st of April, confirms the reports of the great consternation there incident upon the expected attack on Fort Pulaski and the city.
The steamer Fingal, and other vessels in the harbor, were ready to be sunk or burnt.
Considerable mortality prevailed among the rebel troops in the vicinity of Savannah.
Our informant says they have been dying in large numbers from sickness induced on account of the dirty condition in which they keep themselves.
As heretofore frequently stated, the city might have been easily taken by our troops at the time of their first landing at Port Royal.
An attack was then confidently expected, and the whole city was in a state of intense excitement and alarm.
The Federal statement of the battle at South Mills, N. C., given above, is so grossly false as to astonish even those who are accustomed to peruse the columns of the Northern journals.
It is by such lying reports that the Yankees have become infatuated with the idea of easily subjugating the South.
Another extract has an allusion to the same fight.
We copy from the Baltimore American, of the 24th: ‘
The steamer Adelaide, Capt. Jas. Cannon, reached here this morning about 8 o'clock, with a large number of passengers, nearly all of whom were connected with the army or navy.
The United States steamer Cossack reached Old Point yesterday afternoon from Hatteras Inlet, and amongst the passengers were Col. John Summer and Captain Carnes, late of the Second Maryland regiment.
These officers, in consequence of difficulties of a military character, resigned their commissions.
Gen. Burnside expressed deep regret that any misunderstanding should have occurred, and was both to part with them.
On Wednesday the Cossack was boarded off the Inlet by a boat's crew from one of the naval vessels; who informed them of an action which had occurred at the locks of the canal near Elizabeth City on the previous Monday.
Colonel Hawkins's New York Zouaves were attacked by the Confederates, and the Federal casualties were sit down at fifty killed and wounded. The Adjutant of the regiment was one of the killed, and the Colonel received a bullet wound in the right breast, which is not of a serious character.
This is no doubt the came fight previously reported, but the time in which it occurred is probably an error.
The Cossack anchored in Hampton Roads for the purpose of receiving coal and water, and will steams direct for New York.
She has on board fifteen bodies of officers who were killed in a former fight, and
one hundred and fifty wounded soldiers.--The latter will be cared for in the New York hospitals.
The town of Newbern is represented as well governed, the strictest military law being enforced.
But few residents, comparatively speaking, had returned to the place, but all who were there were well treated by the Federal troops.
The officers are generally quartered in the deserted houses, and the remainder protected by the guard.
Under the directions of Gen. Burnside, the troops had thrown up heavy earthworks commanding all the approaches to the place, and some strong barricades at the suburbs of the town, the line of Federal pickets extending nearly twenty miles. The Second Maryland regiment, mustering 900 men, were in good health; only four being down with the measles. ’
Affair near Yorktown.
The special correspondent of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes: Camp Winfield Scott, Near Yorktown, April 22d.
As the telegraph has already informed you, we have had a flag of truce from rebeldom.--On Saturday afternoon a rebel Colonel appeared with a white flag near the dam at Lee's Mills, and on being met by one of our pickets, delivered an envelope for "The commanding Officer of the Brigade of Federal troops in front."
It was sent to General--, and on being opened was dated P. M., and was found to contain a request for a cessation of hostilities for two hours, until our dead, who were lying in front of their front, could be buried, and signed "Paul L. Semmes, Brigadier-General. " An answer was sent at 2.60 P. M. "To the General commanding the forces opposite," stating that the bodies of our men would be received at the middle of the dam or stream, and signed by command of the General commanding forces opposite. A. A. G.
A reply was received, dated 4 P. M., that the proposition to send the bodies to middle of dam is accepted, and hostilities will be suspended for two hours from receipt of reply.
Several of the rebel shells fired at Lee's Mills did not explode, as the fuse was not properly arranged.
On examination they were pronounced by one of our artillery officers to be of the old pattern left in the Norfolk Navy-Yard.
The powder in them was found to be of a superior quality to those we used at he same time.
Query, where do they get it? ‘
From another letter, dated April 13, we copy the following:
This morning William Henry, a private in the Fifth Vermont, was killed by the enemy's sharp- shooters while passing along in front of one of General Smith's batteries.
The enemy betrays great anxiety to continue his works, but our light batteries annoy and harass him continually.
This morning their guns, which the Eighth Rhode Island battery silenced yesterday, were invisible behind the sand-bags, accumulated during the night, which the Rhode Islanders systematically knocked away as soon as daylight appeared.
In the course of the night considerable firing took place at the point where the skirmish of the 16th occurred.
The rebel pickets tried to approach our lines, and were fired upon; they answered it, and a rapid but harmless fire was kept up between them for some time.
The long roll was beaten through the camps, every one was roused, baggage packed, and brigades prepared to repel the expected sortie.--The alarm was repeated an hour or two later, but without causing so much excitement.
The gun which wounded Lieut. Wagner of the Topographical Engineers yesterday is an iron piece, rather large, and apparently mounted on a field carriage; it was only fired a few times during the day, the Rhode Island Battery driving the gunners to cover, and apparently injuring their iron gun, likewise silencing two brace pieces which the rebels brought to bear on the battery. Wagner behaved with great coolness; his left arm was shattered by the shot, and his plane-table knocked to pieces.
With his one arm he mounted his horse and rode for surgical assistance, supporting the broken arm with the hand of the other.
The injured member was amputated, and the Lieutenant is doing well.
The signal party at this point, commanded by Lieutenant Daniels, is busy arranging stations, and has already proved itself an important assistance to the Generals of the army.
By their glasses the nature of the enemy's works at this point is plainly distinguishable, rifle pits, masked guns, earth works, and field forts away back to woods, which are interlaced with vines, and arranged like a gigantic fence.
Here and there long rows of sharpened stakes pointing outwards and driven into the ground.
Behind and connecting the works are covered ways.
Along one of these a carriage is occasionally seen, supposed to contain Jeff. Davis.
A white horseman, too, (there is a ubiquitous white horseman, who makes himself prominent wherever the rebels are seen.) gallops about the works, receiving the compliments of the season with marked indifference.
Men, white and black, are shoveling in the works all the time, the negroes especially being forced into exposed places.
Litters are in service this morning within their lines, carrying off the wounded or killed by our case shots. ’
Since dead.
from the West.
The Northern and Western papers continue to publish long accounts of the battle of Shiloh, and although they still claim a victory on the second day, are nevertheless forced to make admissions which betray a nervous apprehension of the result of the next fight on the Tennessee river.
We copy from the correspondence of the Chicago Tribunes: ‘
We have already collected 10,000 stand of arms, a few of them of the old flint-lock pattern, but mostly of good quality and effective It is a mistaken idea that the rebels are destitute of arms.
They have an abundance of the most approved and modern patterns, and are by no means ignorant of their use.
Gen. Halleck has taken up his quarters one-half a mile from the landing in a large tent.
He is looking well.
His army is in excellent spirits, and even the regiments that had suffered most are not demoralized, but eager to meet the enemy again.
Yesterday, just about daylight, I was awakened by an extensive volley of musketry, evidently proceeding from our extreme advance.
Immediately the different regiments began to place themselves in readiness for an attack.
Batteries hitched on their horses, and for a time the impression gained ground that our line was attacked from Corinth.
The musketry was sharp and rapid for a half hour, and then ceased as suddenly as it commenced.
I learned the cause during the day. General Sherman received orders to advance his division three miles towards Corinth in advance of our lines.
In the execution of his order, he came in contact with an infantry Confederate force and about one thousand cavalry, with whom he had a sharp skirmish, resulting in the driving in of the enemy and our holding the desired position.
I have not learned the extent of our loss or that of the enemy.
It was probably inconsiderable.
I am told that it is the intention of Gen. Halleck to advance slowly, say a half a mile daily, and hold the advanced position at all hazards.
I take it this advance is the inauguration of this system of tactics.
One thing is certain, no considerable advance can be made until the drying of the roads.
At present they are impassable for artillery.
A lady has just arrived at Savannah from Corinth with dates to the 15th inst. She reports that the rebels considered the battle of Sunday and Monday last as a brilliant victory for the Confederate arms.
They had demonstrated the ability of their troops to drive off the Federals, and characterized the disgraceful rout of Sunday as equal to the Bull Run panic.
They say that the only circumstance that saved our forces from utter annihilation was the opportune arrival of Gen. Buell's forces.
The intelligence was telegraphed to Southern papers, and caused universal joy throughout the entire Confederacy.
Since the "evacuation" of their position at Pittsburg, they have diligently fortified Corinth, dug rifle pits, thrown up abattis of trees to impede the progress of Federal infantry and cavalry, and planted heavy guns upon the eminences by which Corinth is surrounded, and are confident of success.
Our informant insists that the enemy's force at Corinth numbers fully 170,000 men, and are confident of running the "damned Yankees" from Tennessee.
Captain Madison, of Clark county, Illinois, Siege Battery, is entitled to the honor of killing the rebel General Johnston.
A shell from his 64 pounder exploded in front of a tree near which he was standing, and killed him and six of his Staff.
[The concluding paragraph of the above is untrue] ’
Will Beauregard fight again?
An escaped prisoner thinks that Beauregard had about ninety thousand men. They were well armed, and from their appearance the best troops of the Southern army. Beauregard has displayed great ability in organizing so powerful an army in so short a period of time as has intervened since their reverse at Fort Donelson. Will he fight again? I think there is no doubt that there will be another hard-fought contest in the vicinity of Corinth, or at the Grand Junction, even if Memphis falls. He can without difficulty make his army equal to General Halleck's in numbers. When he retired, instead of being chased to Corinth, the retreat was conducted in good order, and his reserves, which protected the rear, encamped on Monday night only nine miles from Pittsburg. All the accounts which you have had of Buell's chasing them to Corinth are pleasant actions The manner in which Beauregard withdrew his army leads us to the belief that he is not going to abandon the contest and allow General Halleck to down through the South unmolested. I understand that General Halleck expects another contest, but some days must pass before it can be ventured on. The army must be reorganized. But Beauregard will not be likely to be an aggressor the second time. He has had a lesson, and will be wary how he moves in the future.The Yankees Counselled to learn wisdom.
When shall we learn wisdom? When shall we understand that great events hang on little things? All hands concur that a grave responsibility rests with those in command in not having, pickets posted as they should have been. In front of Prentiss's command the pickets were not a half mile distant.--Beauregard's advance slept within 1,200 yards of Prentiss's camp on Saturday night. I am informed, also, that Gen. Grant was informed by the residents that Beauregard intended to attack him, but the report was not believed. No steps were taken to ascertain the correctness of the report. No reconnaissances were made. The enemy selected his time, made his advance with 75,000 men, and the army of Gen. Grant rested unsuspectingly. It was supposed that Beauregard would obligingly wait to be attacked. Another mistake was the position of the army. It was on the west bank of the river, without means of escape if attacked by a superior force. It is presumed that General Grant supposed his force on the west bank was sufficiently large, in as much as he had no expectation of an attack from Beauregard. Another admitted mistake was the placing of raw regiments in the advance. The troops composing Prentices a division were mainly raw. Waterhouse's battery received their guns and horses only the week previous. I am informed that several of the regiments first attacked fled with precipitate haste, carrying confusion to others in the rear. But the troops which has been longer in the service marched boldly to the attack. It seems that there was no superior officer on the field in the forenoon of Sunday. The divisionary commanders of course gave orders to their several commands; but there was no unity of action, and of course there was confusion. Not expecting an attack, there had been no forethought for such a contingency. We have had Big Bethel and Ball's Bluff, which were out and out blunders, and we had supposed the day of blunders past. Let us hope that this is the last. Eternal vigilance is the price of success in war. A little prudence, an attention to one of the first rules governing an army in the field, would have saved thousands of lives. Since writing the above, I have learned that the battle really commenced at half-past 1 in the morning. It seems that Major Powell, of the Twenty-fifth Missouri, was sent out with three hundred men to capture a body of rebel cavalry which for three days had been in sight about a mile from General Prentiss's camp. Major Powell was an old Texan Ranger, and fought with Sam Houston against the Mexicans. He understood border warfare, and it was his intention to sweep round the rebels as a fisherman stretches his seine. Instead of finding a small force of cavalry, he found three regiments of infantry. He was driven back, and strange as it may appear (I have the information from a gentleman who was in Prentiss's camp at the time) no alarm was given. The division was not called to arms; but officers and men slept as soundly as though the enemy were a thousand miles off. At seven o'clock the enemy were close upon Prentiss. That General rode up to Colonel Peabody, of the Twenty-fifth Missouri, and reprimanded him in these words; "Sir, you have brought on an attack for which I am not prepared." The truth, at that time, had not dawned upon the mind of General Prentiss. He evidently was not aware that the entire army of Beauregard was bearing down upon him to cleave his force from the other divisions. Fifteen minutes later and General Prentiss was a prisoner and Colonel Peabody was killed! The whole affair demands an investigation.Expectation of attack.
But it is astonishing that higher officers, knowing the probability of attack, took no visible measures to prepare for it. I have heretofore spoken of General Grant's saying, as early at least as Friday, that he thought an attack very probable Knowing the force at Corinth, and that his troops thus menaced were between an overpowering enemy in front and a deep river in rear, probability of attack was certainly serious enough matter to demand preparation. A remark of General Sherman's about the probability of attack was characteristic. Some one asked him, a week or two before the fight, what he thought of the position at Pittsburg Landing? "I think we are in very great danger of attack," was his reply, and he went on to give his reason. "Why, then, do you not urge your views upon the Commanding General?"-- "Oh!" with a shrug of his shoulders, "they'd call me crazy again!"British officers hurrahing for the South.
The Baltimore American gets the following from a reliable source: Annapolis, Md., April 22, 1862. For the last three weeks our harbor has been graced with the presence of H. H. sloop-of-war Racer, Captain Lyons, R. N. This is one of the vessels considered requisite by the British Government to look out and watch over its interests in the contest now going on between the loyal and rebellious States of the Union. And while no objection is made to their presence amongst us, still we might expect at least that our feelings should be paid some little respect to while enjoying the hospitality of our own ports. But such has not been the case here from both officers and men. We have had open and loud sympathies expressed for the rebels — the men hurrahing through our streets for Jeff. Davis and ridiculing the American flag, and the officers expressing very freely their hopes "that the South may succeed." Yet all this may have been done to tickle the secesh females of this place, who have made themselves ridiculous by the manner in which they have run after these officers until every female propriety has been disgusted, and that, too, by the would-be F. F. Va. Heretofore I have been taught to believe that female society, to be appreciated, should be sought after; but in this case things have been reversed, and these females have put themselves to every trouble to seek the company of these officers. Day after day, through wind and rain, could they be seen going to and fro from this ship. A friend endeavored to palliate their conduct by saying "they had been so long without having had any attention paid them that they were willing to sacrifice even female propriety and respect for the sake of a little attention.Attempted escape of Col. Thomas.
Lieut. Thomas, the "French lady," confined in Fort Lafayette for transferring the steamer St. Nicholas to the custody of the rebels last summer, escaped from Fort Lafayette on Monday night. He had procured a number of tin cans, which he corked tightly and tied about his waist, when he took to the water and swam toward the Long Island shore. He was discovered by the sentinel, and a boat being put into requisition he was brought back and conveyed to his old quarters. Thomas was at first confined in Fort McHenry, in this city, where he made several efforts to clear out, but not succeeding finally pretended insanity. At one time his release seemed probable, when he suddenly regained his faculties, and was detained and sent North. The steamer St. Nicholas, which he managed to transfer to the rebel authorities, was committed to the flames in front of Fredericksburg last week by the rebels themselves, fearing that she might fall into the hands of Gen. McDowell's army.A fast steamer fitted out as A privateer.
The following correspondence has passed between Lloyd's and the Underwriter's room of Liverpool, respecting the fitting out of a Confederate vessel for the capture and destruction of Federal vessels: Lloyd's April 3.
Sir:
I am directed to acquaint you that a report is current at Lloyd's, which, from the confident manner in which it is put forward, is believed, of a vessel having been recently fitted out at an expense of £20,000, (at what port is not known,) to cruise in the Atlantic for the express purpose of capturing and destroying all vessels bearing the Federal flag.
The committee, considering it a matter of the greatest importance to all persons engaged in the trade with America, instruct me to give you notice of the fact; and to state that they will feel obliged by your instituting any inquiry in your power into the matter, and telegraphing the result, and also by your afterwards communicating by letter any information bearing on the subject.
Thomas Court, Esq., Underwriters' Rooms, Liverpool.
The following is a copy of a dispatch received in reply to the above:
The Yorkshire, captured by Confederates, should be Yorktown.
The Ovieto, which left this on the 19th, is supposed to be the vessel alluded to in your letter.
She left in ballast I write you fully.
Copy of a dispatch received on the 5th of April:
The information you wanted was not collected last night, and a letter will be sent this evening.
Steamer mentioned is understood to be for Confederates.
She has English register.
Left this manned with a crew of 50 men. She sailed on the 22d (not 19th) under sealed orders, I believe.
To the foregoing the Baltimore American adds:
The Ovieto, according to rumor, is intended for the service of the rebels in destroying Northern commerce on the Atlantic.
The Ovieto was built at Liverpool ostensibly for the Italian Government, and is consequently adapted for warlike purposes.
She measures 150 tons, is capable of carrying several guns of the largest calibre on a draft of about twelve feet, and is represented as one of the finest and fastest vessels of her class afloat.
The vessel was regularly cleared at Liverpool for Palermo in ballast, and had a crew of about fifty
men on board.
Very contradictory statements were current as to the real destination of the vessel, her armament, &c.
According to some reports, the vessel had arms and ammunition on board when she left the Mersey, but this is positively denied, and the denial is accompanied by the assertion that she had not an ounce of powder nor a single gun on board, and that her bona fide destination was Palermo.
Other reports are that the vessel will doubtless go to Palermo, and that she will thence proceed to Bermuda, where she will take on board the armament and ammunition specially sent there for her. She is then (says rumor) to take the sea, either as a privateer or as a war vessel commissioned by the Confederates.
The Ovieto left Liverpool under sealed orders.
Sir:
Yankee Operations in North Alabama.
A correspondent of a Northern paper writes: ‘ Our leaders have been considerably exercised concerning the whereabouts of the division of the army under Gen. Mitchell. He has been heard from at Luka, Miss. It will be recollected that he left Nashville and proceeded South ward, by way of Murfreesboro', at the same time that Buell started across the country from Nashville to Columbia and Pittsburg. Nothing was heard from him for several weeks, outside of military at least.--Yesterday intelligence was brought that he had arrived at Decatur, at the head of Muscle Shoals, forty-four miles by railroad above Tuscumbia, where there is a bridge across the Tennessee river, used by the Memphis and Charleston Railroad.--Crossing this bridge to the western side of the river with his division, he burned the bridge and thus destroyed the communication with Virginia, whence the rebels have for weeks past brought immense supplies and large numbers of troops. The bridge across Bear Creek had been previously destroyed by the gunboats Lexington and Tyler and a detachment of troops from this post, but the breaking off of the communication was necessarily but temporary, as the stream was comparatively an insignificant one, and could be easily spanned by a temporary structure, or, if necessary, forded. The destruction of the Decatur bridge must be exceedingly annoying to the rebels, necessitating the employment of steamers and flat boats to ferry over their troops. A gentleman familiar with the region informs me that there are three steamers above the shoals, and any quantity of barges, so that the mere destruction of the bridge does not absolutely destroy communication. Gen. Mitchell, to make his work altogether effectual, has torn up the railroad track as far as Iuka, which is 20 miles cast of Corinth, near the Alabama line. From Decatur he proceeded, to Florence, and destroyed the railroad bridge there. The wreck has been floating down the Tennessee for 24 hours, furnishing incontestable evidence of the thoroughness of its destruction. Gen. Smith (Paducah Smith) is in command of the post at Savannah. He has been on the sick list for some time, and until quite recently has been considered convalescent. I understand to-day that his disease has taken an unfavorable turn, and that fears are entertained for his recovery. The wounded are dying at Savannah at the rate of eight or ten a day. ’From Fort Wright.
Cairo, April 23.
--A dispatch from the fleet, dated yesterday, says that for three days not a gun has been fired, the combatants being seemingly satisfied to save their powder until something can be accomplished by its discharge.
The rebels are reported to have fourteen gunboats off the fort, together with the ram Manassas, the latter and seven of the former arriving on Sunday.
Commodore Hollins has returned from New Orleans with the McRae.
The steamer De Soto left the fleet yesterday, with one hundred bales of cotton for Cairo, being the first shipment North since the commencement of hostilities.
It is reported that the hospital at Mound City will be suspended until the water subsides.
The sick and wounded there will be transferred to other hospitals.
The steamer Tigress arrived this afternoon from Pittsburg Landing.
The officers of the 12th Iowa regiment are on board.
They report the water falling.
Their regiment has but twelve effective men left. 