The War news.
No startling news was received yesterday from any direction.
The two armies on the
Southside remain in the positions held for several days, no new movement has taken place, and perfect quiet prevails.
The Yankee gunboats still infest the river, but seem to have suspended their waste of ammunition in shelling the woods.
Fort Clifton and other points on the shores of the
James and the
Appomattox.
Beast Batler, pent up in a narrow ship of land in the county of
Chesterfield, has ample time to send lying dispatches to
Washington of the extent of his operations; but should he attempt to widen his sphere of action by another advance upon
Gen Beauregard, he will doubtless find that officer ready to meet him.--Meantime the people must be patient.
Exciting news cannot be constantly coming, and the present full in events will prevent a surfer of the popular appetite when the storm breaks loose afresh.
Persons who left the lines yesterday represent everything quiet in that direction.
The War Office had no news of interest last right, and beyond a report that some vitality was apparent on the enemy's right (our left) we have nothing to announce.
There was, indeed, a rumor last evening that the enemy made a feeble attempt on Wednesday right to capture our outer works, but was repulsed with a loss to him of sixty killed, while our loss was only one.
This racks confirmation, and probably emanated from that individual who has become so distinguished in this war, "the reliable gentleman." Another report is that
McClellan is new with
Grant, and acting as a restraint upon his impetuosity; in other word, those who believe this story pretend to see in it a reason why
Grant does not offer batted to
General Lee.
The report, however, may be but if so, and if
McClellan has any in fnce over
Grant's actions, the latter would hardly be apt to select the
Peninsula as a line of operations.
McClellan tried that route once, and abandoned it in grief and despair; and the experiment cost him his camels, as well as the soubriquet of the "Young
Napoleon."
The train last evening brought down one hundred and forty prisoners, taken by
Mahone's command in Tuesdays fight.
We have received some further particulars of the affair in
Charles City county, to which brief allusion was made yesterday.
The expedition, which consisted of a portion of
Gen. Fitz. Lee's cavalry division, started from Matthews Court House and proceeded to Hennon's wharf, on
James river, a point nearly opposite Fort Powhatan.
At one o'clock on Tuesday our men dismounted and pushed forward through the woods which.
He between the river road and the river, driving in the enemy's negro pickets, who fled incontinently to the fortifications.
Our troops then moved on the works, which are situated on a high bluff, and consist of strong fortifications, protected in front by a deep ditch and long abattis.
The attack was made upon the west front of the fort, and the negro troops, without making much resistance, ran down the bluff to the beach, where they remained during the fight.
The white troops, however, stood their ground.
Just as our men charged the works the gunboats in the river opened a furious fire upon them, which was hotly seconded by musketry from the fortifications.
It was immediately discovered that the enemy had thrown strong reinforcements across from Fort Powhatan, where a large force was stationed, and in this state of affairs our troops were withdrawn from the contest, with small loss in killed and wounded.
Two negroes were taken prisoners.
Thus ended an enterprise which was extremely hazardous on our part, when it is considered that the enemy had the advantage of strong fortifications and the aid of gunboats.
