We continue our clippings from late Northern papers received in this city:
Arrival of the Groegranna.
--The steamer
Georgeanna,
Captain Sol. Pearson, arrived at her wharf shortly after six o'clock yesterday morning, and brought important intelligence relative to the operations of the fleet at Beanfort.
The two brass cannon mentioned, were brought up on the boat in charge of
Mr. Rawlings, the Adams Express messenger, and forwarded to
Washington.
The pieces are rifled, and are the most perfect specimens of workmanship that have been seen since the breaking out of the war. It is said that a large quantity of similar pieces are being used by the rebels in different portions of the
South, and that they are manufactured in the navy-yard in
Norfolk.
It was stated to us by a passenger on the Georgeanna, that upon the
Federal soldiers assuming command of one of the forts at
Port Royal, two of the soldiers opened a door leading to the magazine, when a terrific explosion occurred, instantly killing the two soldiers, and wounding a number of others.
It is supposed that the savage rebels, before abandondoning the fort, affixed an infernal machine to the magazine door, which, upon being ignited, ignited the powder and caused the explosion.
When the news by the Blenville became generally known among the soldiers at
Fortress Monroe and Newport News, the excitement was of the willest character.
The soldiers danced and capered about in high glee, and rent the air with wild huzzas at the success of their brethren in arms.
Official Accounts--Com. Dupont's dispatches to the Navy Department.
--
Capt. Steedman, of the steamer
Bienville, arrived here at noon to-day, bringing official dispatches from the Great Expedition.
He is also the bearer of two of the
Rebels' "Confederate flags," one Rebel
Palmetto flag, and also brings the
American flag first planted in
South Carolina over
Fort Walker.
Capt. Steedman reports that the captured forts are magnificent, with covered ways and bomb- proofs.
All that our troops had to do was to occupy them.
They can be held against any force.
Among the most efficient vessels in the fleet were to be found the new gun-boats, and of which the Navy Department had 22 constructed expressly for such purposes, and their success, both in the gale and under fire, was perfect.
The negroes are wild and plundering their masters' houses.
The whites have been driving the negroes away by force and shooting them down, but they still come down to the gun-boats.
The moment
Gen. Drayton took to his horse in the panic of the 7th, his two hundred servants went directly to the
Wabash.
This is worthy of notice, as putting down the nonsense that slaves were ready to fight for their masters.
They surrounded
Capt. Ammen in crowds, at
Beaufort, one of them calling out, in the joy of his heart, "I didn't think you could do it, massa. "
Order of Congratulation to the army and Navy.
On the reception of the official dispatches the following order was issued:
General Order.
This Department announces to the navy and to the country its high gratification at the brilliant success of the combined navy and army forces, respectively commanded by
Flag Officer S. F. Dupont and
Brig. General T. W. Sherman, in the capture of
Forts Walker and
Beauregard, commanding the entrance to Port Royal harbor,
South Carolina.
To commemorate this signal victory, it is ordered that a national salute be fired from each Navy-yard at meridian on the day after the receipt of this order.
The
Springfield (Mo.) correspondent of the New York
Times gives an amusing account of the state of affairs at
Springfield immediately preceding and following the removal of
Fremont.
The following extracts are worthy the perusal of our readers:
The removal.
"Late on Saturday night, one of three messengers sent forward by
Col. Leonard Sweet, from
St. Louis, succeeded including the vigilance of the guards stationed to prevent access to
Gen. Fremont's headquarters, and served on the
General personally the orders from
Washington.
Upon this there was, of course, unutterable consternation and commotion in and around headquarters, and it appeared doubtful for several hours what course
General Fremont would pursue.
Many of his leading personal adherents, chiefly of the Tentonic stripe, were in favor of disregarding the removal, and refusing to recognize
Gen. Hunter's appointment — a course which, if they had persisted in, (and it was not abandoned till late last evening,) would have caused a very considerable row, for
Gen. Hunter is not the sort of man it would be safe to trifle with.
In the end, however, wiser councils prevailed,
Gens. Siegel and
Asboth both refusing to countenance or be concerned in the mutiny; and
Gen. Fremont, it must be said, either not knowing anything of the contemplated movements, or opposing them, as in duty bound, with all his force.
On this point, however, we are in the dark.
Certain only it is that a council, now known as the "Council of Insubordination," was held last evening only a few hours before
Gen. Hunter's arrival; that regular invitations to it had been issued, and that the affair looked very threatening until suppressed by the emphatic course of
Gen. Siegel."
The Theatrical battle.
Dozens of messengers were forth with posted off in all directions.
These missives represented that
Price with 40,000 men was within ten or twelve miles of
Springfield.
The informants added that the pickets of the enemy could be seen by the
National pickets on the south side of
Springfield, and that thousands of Union men and their families were flocking in for protection.
So widely had this report been circulated and credited, that a regular panic existed throughout the town, many of the women and camp followers taking the road to
Bolivar,
Buffalo and
Rolla on the run, while portions, also — and these not small — of the newly raised and disaffected soldiery gave plain signs of "undue excitement."
These dispatch men bore, also, the astounding news that
Gen. Fremont had concluded to leave
Springfield on Sunday morning, without waiting for the arrival of his successor!
This afterwards proved to be partly true and partly false,
Gen. Fremont with his body guard and personal retainers, having actually started on the road to
Rolla yesterday morning, and advanced ten miles on his way. But again, the sober second thought stepped in to save him, and he returned to
Springfield in the afternoon, remaining until this morning.
Immediately on receiving news of his appointment,
Gen. Hunter himself pushed on to
Springfield with three companies of the 1st Missouri cavalry, a distance of 33 miles, and over the most execrable roads ever seen.
All the way along the line, as I have been informed, by a member of the escort, fresh, and yet fresh dispatches, were poured into his hands, all "piling up the agony," so to speak, about the danger of
Springfield, and the certainty that the place would be attacked by overwhelming numbers before early daylight this morning.
Special messengers, on foaming steeds, dashed out of all the dark bridle paths, through the woods, carrying the dismal tidings of near disaster to the new incumbent of the Western Department.
Never before were seen such long faces on any orderlies, express riders, or military guides.
Each added some new particulars to the sketch of general dismay, so that as
Gen. Hunter rode along in hot haste, (though still a good deal incredulous,) his escort were listening, with strained ears, for the first heavy guns that would announce the commencement of the bombardment and capture of
Springfield by the rebels.
These things are only mentioned to serve as a fitting commentary on "the victory" which
Gen. Fremont, in his parting address, told the "soldiers of the
Mississippi army" they were "just about to win!" Never was there a worse panic in any army than that which raged through the 20,000 men assembled here, from sunrise to sunset yesterday.
Not
Washington, in the forty-eight hours following
Bull Run, was any more a prey to terror, confusion, and the total obliteration of all discipline.
This is a fact which will be borne out by the concurrent testimony of every intelligent officer present, and this, perhaps, may have been the "splendid example" to which
Major General Fremont refers in his stump speech.
At or about 9 o'clock last evening
Gen. Hunter arrived in town, and soon after called at
Gen. Fremont's late headquarters, where a council of the more prominent
Generals had been assembled to meet him. The interview lasted about an hour, and the only thing known concerning its results may be summed up in the fact that
Gen. H. returned to his quarters, accompanied by
Gen. Pope--both laughing very heartily at something which your correspondent does not even venture to surmise.
Certain it is only that the excited and feverish sentiment of
Springfield instantly subsided.
The soldiers, who were passing hurriedly round their camps, at length remembered that tattoo had been sounded, and retired to their tents, (such of them as had any.) Many long and haggard faces gradually but steadily resumed their wonted aspect of circular stupidity, and all our streets were dull, orderly, and quiet as these of a
New England village by moonlight.
Exit the battle.
But never morning opened more peacefully or sweetly — the sun shining with the fever of July on the fields of glittering hoar-frost, the blue jays shrieking in the woods, and most of the panic-stricken soldiers of yesterday looking exceedingly ashamed of themselves.
Of the 40,000 men said to be under
Price in our immediate neighborhood, we have received definite information only of two foraging parties, one of about 300, and the other of 410 exactly, who had come down on separate roads to within fifteen or eighteen miles of this place.
We also learn that there are nearly, if not quite, 2,400 rebels about 45 miles from here, and it is said that
Price has 20,000 somewhere down near the
White River, over which he draws his supplies from
Arkansas, the country south of this being an absolute wilderness of fifth hills, producing few eatables save hickory-nuts and black walnuts.
The body guard — the running-off Paymaster.
Meantime, at an early hour this morning,
General Fremont took his leave, his Indian "body guard" riding first, followed by his white "body guard," and the rear being brought up by another Indian "body guard," with a train of uncounted wagons and teams — all being necessary, I suppose, to transport our late
commander's baggage, and that of his little son, who rode with a special train of aids-de camp just behind his father.
The trouble is, however, that
General Fremont carried away with him Deputy
Paymaster Phinney, with the military chest, containing $300,000, so far as known, thus leaving the army absolutely destitute of pay, with the exception of these favored. "body guard people," and the uncommissioned and illegally appointed staff officers, who were all paid off in full immediately after
Fremont had received notification of his removal.
The Exit of "books."
It is said that he carried off with him all his order and special order books, report books, Adjutants' returns, and papers of every kind, carrying all his staff away with him, and not leaving a solitary scrap of paper to state what stores could or should be found in the Subsistence or Quartermaster's department, the strength of the command, the position of the forces, or the data upon which the recent causeless panic was started.
But despite all this chaos into which
Gen. Hunter was pitched headforemost, the place is a changed town and a changed post to-day.
A gentleman arrived here to-day from
North Carolina, for the purpose of obtaining permission to carry to that State the two children of the late
Senator Stephen A. Douglas.
It appears that these boys are entitled to large estates in
North Carolina and
Mississippi, which under the recently enacted law of the rebel Confederacy, are in danger of confiscation on account of the non-residence of the children, although they are infants.
The relatives of their mother are anxious that they shall be brought South to secure their rights in this property.
They are also desirous that
Mrs. Douglas shall accompany them if she will consent.
The Government has recently concluded not to grant passes to go beyond the lines of the
Federal army for such purposes, as it intends to take such action as will render utterly null and void any of the confiscations under the acts of the rebel usurpers of the authority in the
Southern States.
