The War.
We make up the following summary from the latest papers received at this office.
The
Tazewell (Va.) Democrat, of the 19th inst., chronicles a brilliant exploit performed by one of the brave men of the Wests:
Our citizens were startled last week by the news of a Union force approaching this county by way of Tug river, under the leadership of
Lieut. Newman; whereupon about 50 brave cavillers from the east end of the county, joined by a portion of the 8th Virginia cavalry, hastily set off to meet this band of thieves and murderers, determined to capture them if possible.
After proceeding some distance, they learned that the enemy camped on the
Laurel Fork of Tug the night before they started in pursuit of them, and had from that point already commenced retracting their steps.
Our cavalry finding it impossible to overtake the retreating enemy, abandoned the pursuit, and returned home, but vengeance did not stop here.
Newman and his band as they came up had captured some ten or fifteen of the most prominent Secessionists in
Wyoming, and there were brave hearts lying in ambush to avenge these and the many other outrages committed upon good and loyal citizens of that county.
Newman was in advance of the main force some miles riding beside W. H.
Henderson one of his captives, when he desired some person party conceated behind a cluster of dwarf laurel, about 25 steps from the road.
He immediately halted and ordered a surrender; this not being obeyed, he discharged two barrels of his revolver at the man, and leaped from his horse, whereupon the brave and intrepid avenger of his country's wrongs stepped out in fall view; a simultaneous fire occurred, and
Ferdinand Newman fell dead — a rifle ball entered his brain just above the right eye. His followers, on hearing of the death of their chief, hastily administered King Abe's oath of allegiance to a portion of the prisoners — abandoned them and fled in wild confusion to the woods.
Newman, naturally daring and impetuous, was a willing tool in the hands of the fanatical
Rosecrans, for the execution of the Satanic design — the subjugation of the
South, which, in a few short months, have well nigh reduced to destitution a country once flourishing and prosperous.
The name of the man who has thus relieved his country of the presence of a monster, and for a time put his blind followers to flight, is
George Morgan, of
Wyoming, who is now here sporting the veritable coat, cap, revolter, and sword, decorated with Federal insignia," that graded the form of the
Union chief.
He has also
Newman's pocket-book, filled with effected papers from Headquarters.
Department of Western Virginia, Wareing, which fully identify the man and his mission a recruiting officer in the
Federal service.
Mr. Morgan is a poor man, with a large family, but one of ‘"nature's noblemen"’ His conduct must elicit both praise and gratitude from every patriotic heart.
Since the above was written,
Mr. Morgan's sun brings intelligence that this band of robbers, infuriated at the loss of
Newman, have rallied, and, led by
Captain Jackson, advanced again, on Monday last, as far as
Morgan's residence — have ransacked and almost demolished his humble dwelling — compelled his wife to cook her own provisions for them by fire made from the loge of the house, and on leaving carried off the bacon and other necessaries laid in for the use of the family.
This fort, which the telegraph advises us the
Federal commence bombarding lately, is thus described by a camp correspondent:
Fort Pillow, where we are now encamped, is on the
Tennessee side of the
Mississippi, about twenty miles above
Randolph, and about eighty-five miles above
Memphis.
It is an immense entrenched camp, situated in the pilus of the hilliest of the
Tennessee hills — The fortifications on the river consist of a rifle battery (six 82-pounder') on the bluff and the water battery below, thirteen 82-pounders, smooth bore, and one 11 inch
Columbia, now being mounted.
A deep ditch, rampant, and fine military road, extend from the river front on the right to the river front on the left, in the form of a
horse shoe, on the brow of the highest hills, fully mounted with heavy cannon at the silent angles, some idea of the extent of which may be formed by the fact that it would require 20,000 men formed in line of battle to cover its circuit.
In the rear, outside the ramparts, the woods are not only cut, but a tripped of all limbs for over 500 yards, and is again further strengthened by an almost impassable morass, which stretches inwards and upwards of the river as far as the eye can reach.
The channel of the river is within one hundred yards of the batteries, and no boots, of however light draught, can pass at a greater distance.
It would seem impossible, from the nature of its defences, that artillery could be brought to bear on any point, and that, well provisioned and garrisoned, it could hold out against the whole army and navy of the Lincolnites.
The Mississippi.
In urging the adoption of every means for he defence of the
Mississippi, the
Vicksburg Whig says:
‘
If we lose the
Mississippi, we lose
Louisiana,
Arkansas, and
Texas.
We lose all the sugar, and much of the stock and grain-growing lands of the
Confederacy.
They will be cut off and of no benefit to us. The
East will be severed from the
West A complete possession of all the territory west of the
Mississippi is a physical and moral essential to our cause.
The branches of a mutual commerce, of idea, sentiment, trade, and blood, are warped together more closely than the knurled boughs of those kindred forests, which attach a wining brotherhood along our border line.
We must not allow apathy and over confidence to cut them off from us. They must remain with us. Our present life and future career are staked upon the issue.
If we lose them now it will take years of fighting to regain them.
Everything would beat the mercy of the enemy, and all our ‘"pleasant places"’ would be filled with vandals, while misery and rain would mark their every step.
We hope our authorities will look to this matter at once, and place the
Mississippi river in a proper state of defence.
Let every available point be fortified, and with brave and invincible hearts and strong and powerful arms we can hold our own, though the world should be arrayed against us.
’
The enemy's preparations Below New Orleans.
In order that the public may understand the plan of the
Federal attack upon New Orleans, we copy from a Baltimore
American, published in March last, the following:
Commodore David D. Porter's mortar fleet, with the
Harriet Lane as the flagship, left
Ship Island on the 14th inst., and was to be followed in a few days by
Commodore Farrgut's fleet of also pro-of-war and gunboats.
Their destination was understood to be the
Southwest Pass from which they were to open fire on
Forts Jackson and Philip, which guard the passage to New Orleans.
The departure of this immense fleet is reported to have been a grand sight, stretching, in line for many miles along the ocean, as far as the eye could reach, in the following order:
- First Division.--Schooners Norfolk Packet, Olive A. Lee C. V. William, Arietta, Wm. Barron, Sophronia.
- Second Division.--Schooners Z. A. Ward, Sidney C. Jones, Matthew Vessey, Maria J. Carlton, Orvitta, Adolph Huge, Geo Mangham.
- Third Division.--Bark Horace Beals; schrs John Griffith, Sarah Brine, Racar, bring Sea Foam; schrs Henry James, Dan Smith.
Reserve Steamers.--Steamers
Occorurs,
Harriet Lane,
Owaska,
Westfield,
Cliff on,
Miami,
Jackson,
R. B. Forhe.
Com. Farragut's fleet consists of the sloop-of-war
Harford, (his flag ship,) the
Pensacola, the
Brooklyn, and the abbots
Pinola Sciota; Itaska, and most of the other ten new gunboats recently built, with other small class war steamer, said to number twenty three in all.
It is presumed by the officers on board the
Constitution that the work of reducing
Forts Jackson and Philip was commenced somedays since.
It was supposed that some of the mortar boats would take position in an inlet in the rear of
Fort Jackson, while the others would advance up the
Southwest Pass within shelling distance and endeavor to drive the forces out of the forts.
In the meantime the gun boats would silence a battery created about a mile below the forts for the protection of a barricade in the river intended to prevent the passage of
Commodore Farragut's fleet up in front of the forts.
This barricade was said to be composed of logs chained together and fastened to the choices by heavy chains.
It was fixed sorts to be opened to allow the passage of revel vessels a pleasure.
When this barricade shall be removed, and the channel of the river opened to the entire fleet, a sharp and decision contest may be anticipated.
If therefore should continue impervious to the bombs of the mortar fleet, those who are acquainted with the character and energy of
Commodore Farragut, anticipate that he will lead his whole fleet directly under their guns, and by repeated broadside of grape and shrapnel, endeavor to drive the gunners from their position.
We may, therefore, expect exciting news from New Orleans in a few days.
The troops still remain at
Ship Island, and were in good health and spirits.
They were being perfected in drill, and becoming most
efficient troops.
Gen. Butter had not arrived when the
Constitution left, but they passed him going in with reinforcements.
From a gentlemen who left
Corinth on the 20th of April, the Atalante
Commonwealth learns that the main body of the
Federal previously nine miles from the recent battle-field, have fallen still further back, leaving nothing but a strong picket-guard to protect their old encampment.
The motive for this is supposed to be either to divert
Beauregard's attention from
Corinth, and to weaken his force there, or else they intend to go down the
Tennessee river in gunboats, march across the country, and make a direct attack upon
Memphis Gen. Beauregard remains quiet behind his fortifications, and it is not known that he designs any early movements upon the enemy.
His lines have not been extended by this recent movement of his foe, and very little skirmishing occurs.
The officers of the army are confident that the great battle of the
West must be fought at
Corinth, and, 'tis said, that a council of war has decided upon the retaining of all the Confederate forces there, leaving the enemy to pursue uninterrupted, his march towards
Memphis — No doubt
Gen. B is satisfied that nothing serious is contemplated by this movement, or that
Memphis is sufficiently protected from any attack in that quarter.
Very heavy rains had fallen at
Corinth when our informant left, and the prospect was that bad weather would continue for some time.
The roads were already nearly impassable for artillery and wagons, and with more rain it would soon be impossible for either army to make any important movements by land.
Property Surrendered with Fort Pulaski
The Savannah
Republican gives the following list of the armament and other property captured by the enemy with
Fort Pulaski.
The commissary stores embrace only such as are estimated to have been on hand at the date of the surrender:
Armament of the Fort.
- 5.10 inch Columbiads.
- 9.8 inch
- 3.42 pounder guns.
- 25.84 pounder guns.
- 2.4 inch rifle guns, imported, English.
- 1.24 pounder Blank Casemate Howiser.
- 1.12 pounder Mounted Howitzer.
- 2.02 pounder Field Howitzer.
- 1.12 inch Mortar.
- 4.10 inch. Mortar.
- 400 stand of small arms, with accoutrements.
Ammunition.
The amount of powder in the fort at the commencement of the bombardment was about 45,000 pounds, with 180 rounds of shot and shell to the gun. There were also 20,000 rounds of musket and rifle cartridges.
Commissary stores
| Mess Beef | 128 barrels |
| Mess Pork | 170 barrels |
| Flour and Hard Oread | 700 barrels |
| Rice | 60 tierces |
| Coffee | 3,000 lbs |
| Sugar | 7,000 lbs |
| Vinegar | 6 bbls |
| Candles | 660 lbs |
| Soap | 800 lbs |
| Salt | 5 bushels |
| Delta Apples | 85 bushels |
| Welskey | 5 bb's |
| Molasses | 2,000 gall's |
The Wilmington
Journal, of Saturday last, says:
‘
We have a rumor this morning from
Fort Macon.
It is vague, and we give it for what it is worth.
It appears to be pretty certain that the fort is not taken.
The rumor adds that
Col. White has been able to prevent the enemy from erecting any batteries fear enough to the sort to be dangerous to it, as he sweeps the banks with his guns, and fires on every craft that makes its appearance within range.
Also, that the enemy had for the time ceased firing, and there was only an occasional gun from the fort when they made any move or showed themselves near enough.
’
