The very latest.
The Baltimore
Gazette, of the 16th inst., has been received.
The following is copied from the editorial news summary:
On Wednesday morning last,
Gen. Buford, in command of a Confederate force, appeared before Fort Halleck, at
Columbus, Ky., and demanded its surrender, but allowed a respite of five hours in which to remove the women and children.
The latter were sent to
Cairo, and in the meanwhile, two steamers arrived at
Columbus from the
lower Mississippi with three thousand veterans, on their way home on furlough.
These were landed, and it was believed would enable the commandant at Fort Halleck to make good his defence of that post.
Whether he was able to do so, or was obliged to capitulate, is left by the telegram in doubt.
The information on this point is singularly vague.
We are told that the steamer Olive Branch subsequently reached
Cairo, and represented that there was fighting during the entire day; that when she passed the latter place there was a cessation of hostilities, and that negotiations were pending, as a flag of truce was flying.
After the steamer had passed up the river, the report states that fighting was resumed, and that the
Federal flag was seen to
come down, but in spite of this apparent confirmation of the surrender, it was believed that the flag was simply shot away, as there seemed to be efforts made to raise it again.
From
Paducah, we learn that the
Confederates have again possession of that place, and yesterday (15th) renewed the attack on the
Federal forces stationed there.
Col. Hicks, in command of the fort, had been summoned to surrender, but declined to accede to the demand.
A telegram, dated
Cairo, April 14, gives the following version of the capture of
Fort Pillow, sixty miles above
Memphis:
‘
Forrest, with 6,000 men, attacked
Fort Pillow Tuesday morning. Soon after the attack,
Forrest sent a flag of truce demanding a surrender of the fort and garrison, meanwhile disposing his forces so as to gain an advantage.
The flag of truce was refused, and the fighting was resumed.
Afterwards a second flag came in, which was
also refused. At 11 o'clock, the rebels came in swarms, compelling our surrender.
’
Immediately ensued a scene which utterly baffles description.
The incarnate fiends commenced an in discriminate butchery of whites and blacks, including those of both colors previously wounded.
The colored soldiers becoming demoralized rushed to the rear their white officers having thrown down their arms.
Both whites and blacks were then bayonetted, shop or sabered.
Out of the garrison of six hundred only two hundred remained alive.
Six guns were captured by the rebels and carried off.
Financial Matters — fall in gold.
At the First Board, New York Exchange, on the 14th, gold opened at 173½ at 4 o'clock was selling at 174½, and closed at 10 P. M. at 171¾.
The New York
Tribune, of the 14th, says:
‘
Sterling bills were quoted at 205 during the flurry in gold, but are too much unsettled to make quotations of use. It is understood that the Treasury Department is on the market with $800,000.
’
The
Secretary of the Treasury has been in communication to day with leading financial people, and the street is full of rumors as to what he means to do. The report which gave the gold and stock gambiers the greatest alarm was that he would offer a large amount of bonds upon moderate notice for the most they would bring, and steadily sell bonds for the future wants of the
Government.
Bank officers are anxious to know what
Mr. Chase will do, and with reason.
They are dangerously expanded as a body, and cannot pay their debts except in interest bearing notes, and are overloaded with fancy stocks as collaterals.
Miscellaneous.
The New Orleans
Bee, of the 7th, says that the
French had occupied
Matamoras without opposi- tion.
Two regiments had landed, and all communication with the interior was for the time interrupted.
New Orleans advices of the 9th have been received at New York.
The reported sinking, in
Mobile Bay, of the Confederate ram
Tennessee, is unfounded.
A disastrous fire occurred in New Orleans on the 8th.
The warehouses of
E. A. York and
A. F. Cochrane were destroyed, involving a loss of several hundred thousand dollars.
The
Paris correspondent of the New York
Times says that one of the vessels built at
Bordeaux for the rebels has been launched, and an English vessel was lying there with equipments.
The
Rappahannock has been enclosed in a dock at
Calais by order of the
French Government.
