From the North.
We find in late papers from the United States several matter of interest, which we append:The Federal frigate Vermont.
The United States gunboat Arousteek, Lt. John C. Beaumont, commanding, arrived at the Philadelphia navy, yard on Sunday evening, and gives an interesting report of her cruise in search of the United States frigate Vermont. She left Boston on the 3d, and fell in with the Vermont on the morning of the 7th inst., in lat 38,28, long 65.30. On the 8th a severe gals occurred, and nothing could be done in aid of the crippled frigate. On the following day, in getting a hawser out of the Vermont, the Aroostock lost her main fore-topmast, which, in falling, carried away the smoke-stack, steam-escape pipe, a portion of her sail, and caused much other damage. The next night her fore-topmast was carried away. The Aroostock remained in company with the Vermont until the evening of the 18th, after the steamer Saxon had come to her assistance. The Aroostock towed the Vermont a portion of the time, out being in a crippled condition herself, could not make much progress, Capt. Beaumont was untiring in his exertions during the nine days he remained with the Vermont. A temporary smoke-stack was fitted up to replace that carried away, which, however, only partially served to free the vessel from the coal gas, and there was much suffering among the officers and crew from this cause. When they left the Vermont, the officers were all well. There was, however, a heavy sick list among the crew, from the exposure incident to the crippled condition of the vessel. One of the crew was drowned in his berth during the night, on the 29th ult., when her rudder was carried away. Two others of the crew died from exposure, and several were frostbitten. On the 15th inst., just before leaving the Vermont, the Aroostock fell in with the schooner Oliver H. Booth, of Poughkeepsie, in distress. She was bound to New York from Georgetown, D. C., having run the blockade, during which she received several shots from the Potomac batteries. She was supplied with sails; previsions, and water from the Vermont. She had on board sixteen of the crew of the Ocean Monarch, abandoned at sea, and had transferred six others to another vessel.Mr. Yancey not captured.
The New York Herald has the following: ‘ It turns out after all that Yancey is still at large, and that the statement of his having recently made a speech in New Orleans has some probability in it. We learn from our correspondent at Key West the manner in which the rumor of his capture got started. It appears that Commander Ridgeley, of the Santiago de Cuba, received a letter from the American Consul General at Havana informing him that Yancey had sailed for a Southern port in the William Mallory. On the 9th, after the receipt of this intelligence, the Water Witch arrived at Key West, having on board the captain and crew of this vessel, which she had captured on the 5th off St. Andrew's Bay. The people of Key West were thrown into a state of great excitement by the rumor, which immediately got into circulation, that Mr. Yancey was among the prisoners, in the disguise of a seaman. A close scrutiny of the crew, however, showed that this impression was unfounded; and, furthermore, our correspondent was informed by the mate of the Mallory that Yancey had left Havana the day before the latter vessel sailed, in a schooner called the Break-of-Day, bound for Mobile. ’Confederate Army stores.
A correspondent of the New York Times, writing of a visit to Bowling Green, Ky., says: ‘ Dr. Phillips, an assistant, showed to us the hospital stores found in the house which the Secession army had left in their flight. In an old safe were 200 bottles of sulphate quinine and a large box of patent lint, bearing on its rolls unmistakable evidence of English manufacture. Several cases of elegant surgical instruments were also found. The sheets and pillow cases left for the sick were of the purest and finest linen, each one marked. A large number of these were presents from ladies. On the bed in which your correspondent slept was a linen sheet, bearing on its corner the following inscription: ‘"To Captain Semmes, of the Jackson Guards, from the ladies of Columbia, Tenn., "’ and a large number of pillow cases bore the names of a committee of ladies from Murfreesboro, Tenn. With these hospital stores were found delicacies of all kinds, such as jellies, wines, farina, &c., besides a large chest of medicines of various kinds, neatly put up and marked. ’Things in Washington.
Washington March 24,
--There have been some intimations of the period at which the present session of Congress might terminate in the debate in the House a few days ago, as early as the first of May was spoken of for the adjournment, but the appearance of business, as well as the subjects for wide discussion, which are now and, will inevitably yet come up justify no such expectation.
Besides the immediate questions of the war, taxation, &c., legislation and discussion in regard to the seceded States will probably carry the session on to July.
The different investigating committees continue yet at work — that on the conduct of the war is still taking the testimony.
The Van Wyck committee continues its examination into contracts for arms, subsistence, &c., and the alleged frauds in connection therewith — The expense of those committees, it is estimated, will amount to some $15,000.
The committee on political prisoners have visited the Capital Prison, and report that the prisoners are well cared for. The discharges are thinning them out considerably.
The criminal court met at the usual hour, Judge Dunlop presiding.
The court was engaged all the morning in selecting a jury in the case of Enoch Ward, charged with he murder of Lieut. Col. W. Vongerber, who, on the 14th of November last, was mortally wounded by a blow on the back of the head on Pennsylvania avenue, with a slung shot.
The robberies here now are of more than daily occurrence.
On Sunday morning, between three and four o'clock, the residence of Com. Joseph Smith, on 9th street, was entered and robbed of various articles, some being rifled from the pockets of the sleepers.
Among the articles taken was a gold watch with several charms or trinkets.
It was the property of the gallant Lieut. Smith, son of Com. Smith, who was killed in the conflict with the Merrimac.
The other articles taken were a silver watch marked ‘"Smith,"’ a lady's breastpin, articles of silver, and a quantity of money in gold and Treasury notes.
This is one of the boldest robberies ever perpetrated in this city, one of the burglars having been seen by a lady in her room, and commanded by him to keep quiet, as she did of course from fear.
The grocery store of Fagarty, corner of Tenth and D. streets, was entered last night between the hours of six and ten o'clock, and robbed of about $900. No clue to the robbery has yet been obtained.
A laboring man, named Richard Mulier, was robbed of some ninety five dollars on Saturday evening, in, a house near the depot.
John Maher, in whose company he was has been arrested and committed for the their, and the money recovered.
Maher had lately been released from the penitentiary, where he had served cut a term for stealing oats from Mr. W. Hedes, of Georgetown, some two years since.
Wm. Conley was also committed for the theft of coats from the passage of the dwelling of Mr. McClellan, of C. street, and Ephraim Davis for the theft of boote from the store of Mr. F. W. Smith, on 7th street.
Things in New York.
New York, March 24.
--Superintendent Kennedy received on Saturday, from the Department of the Interior, a correct denes of this city, given by wards, and showing the exact population to be 805,651 persons, including whites, colored, and Indians.
Of these latter there are a few only, located in the Twentieth ward.
Of the 805,651 persons, there are 836,909 male whites, 406,272 female whites, 5,391 colored males, and 7,081 colored females.
The number of Indians is not stated.
It will be observed that there are nearly 20,000 more white females than males, and about 3,000 more colored females than males.
On Saturday the police made a general descent upon the gambling-house of the city.
The establishments kept at No. 143 Fulton st., No. 232 Broadway, and No. 119 Mercer street, were entered, and about fifty gamblers arrested.
They were all taken before Recorder, Hoffman, who committed some of them for trial, and discharged a large number of them, who were not immediately implicated in the business.
The new steamship Caledonia, Capt. James Clarke, of the anchor line of Atlantic steamers, reached this port yesterday from Glasgow, after a very stormy passage.
The Caledonia has been built by Messrs. Hancyside & Henderson; of Scotland.
She is of 8,606 tons burliest.
The Caledonia experienced a detention of seven days in the ice in the vicinity of Cape Race, which point she reached on the seventh day out. She was surrounded for six days with bergs rising from ten to seventy feet above the surface of the water.
Patrick T. Brophy, one of the keepers at Black well's Island, while in the performance for his duty, on Friday last, accidentally shot a young Irish prisoner named John McCleary, the ball entering his head at the temple, causing death in a few minutes afterwards.
David H. Reins, the oldest printer in New York, died yesterday morning at Morrisalite, aged eighty years. Mr. Reins was one of the veterans of lais, and also one of the founders of the New York Typhical Society.
The steamer Ginagow, from Liverpool on the 5th inst. and Queenstown on the day following, arrived at this port yesterday.
Things in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia. March 24th.
--Joshua Ames, one of the oldest ship master or this port,
died on Friday night in the 72d year of his age. For more than forty years he commanded vessels out of this and other ports.
The arrival of vessels at this port on Saturday were more than usually numerous, including six barks, three brigs, and ten chocolates.
Some of the vessels came in gallant to be loaded with grain for European ports.
One brought a load of sugar and honey from Cienfuegos.
Capt. Isaac W. Mickie, who for many years has been prominently identified with the interests of Camden, N. J., died on Saturday, at Camp Ely, Va. During the Mexican war he served as captain of company a, of the New Jersey Battalion.
John Donnelly, belonging to Col. Patterson's 115th Regiment Pennsylvania volunteers, while laboring under the effects of mania a pertu, on Saturday, leaped from the third story window of the Heatonville Passenger Railroad depot, which is in the occupancy or the regiment, and injured himself so much that he died in a few minutes.
The resignation of the Rev. Dr. Wadeworth, of the Arch street Presbyterian Church, was read to the congregation yesterday.
He had accepted a call to California.
Mr. James H. Hurt died on Saturday, at his residence in Kensington.
Mr. Hurtt, previous to consolidation, represented the District of Southwark in the State Legislature.
Affairs in Nashville.
The Nashville Patriot, of March 18th, contains the following articles of interest relative to affairs in that city. It will be seen that the Yankees are not very popular there. The Patriot publishes a letter from the Cincinnati Gazette, dated Nashville, March 6th, from which we take the following extracts.--After some snarling about the secessionists, &c., the writer proceeds: Our Fair Secesh.--The civilized world should pronounce a mild sentence upon our female rebels. Their sin is attended with mitigating circumstances. The manners of many of them toward our gallant soldiers, their protectors, is almost intolerable, but brave hearts can forgive the forcible of the tender sex. Yesterday, while a group of Federal soldiers stood near the gateway of a residence on one of the most respectable streets, discoursing pleasantly of the entertainment they had received at the house of some loyal person, a lady passing out by them, and overhearing their conversation, exclaimed, pettishly, ‘"Yes, I wish about a dozen of you would eat at my house, I'd poison every one of you."’ A Lady Denounces the Soldiers from her Carriage. Soon after Gen. Buell's advance reached the Edgefield side of the Cumberland river, a respectable lady drew up her carriage in front of some officers and soldiers for a broadside. It was no battery of kind looks and bewitched smiles she had for them. They were to stand under a heavy fire of furious looks, hard names, and bitter reproaches. She shelled them after this fashion: ‘"You dirty, thieving abolitionists negro stealers. I suppose you are satisfied now-- You can drive us from our homes, steal our negroes, and destroy all our property."’ ‘"No, madam,"’ said a soldier, kindly, ‘"we are not come to rob you, or oppress you, but to protect you against robbers and oppressors. We are not abolitionists-- did not even vote for Lincoln. We voted for Bell, but did not turn rebels like Bell. Give yourself no uneasiness, madam."’ ‘"It's a lie,"’ said the excited matron; ‘"You are all abolitionists and thieves. You do nothing but steal and murder!"’ and she drove off, triumphing in her own way. "Hal hal hal! said the soldier, when she was gone, ‘"that's the hardest old Secesh I have seen yet"’ The Patriot, in another place, has the following: The correspondent of the Cincinnati Commercial. writing from this city under date of March 7th, says: ‘ It is very common among the Northern military civilians now sojourning about Nashville, to ask each other, ‘"Have you found any Union men?"’ and in nine cases out of ten the answer will be. ‘"Nary a one"’ He thinks that a good many of the few Union men he has seen are rather gray-backed.--He hopes, however, that when the yoke becomes fitted to the neck, that the condition of affairs will improve. He has a good deal to say about the ‘"sullen and surly appearance"’ of the city and devotes a paragraph to the defamation of our ladies. His language touching the latter subject in too brutally vulgar to transfer to our columns. This ‘"Daniel come to judgement"’ presumes to instruct Gen. Buell that it is his duty to suppress the Nashville newspapers also. He is evidently astonished at a great many things be has observed here. Perhaps he may stay here long enough to become still more astonished. ’ In its local columns, the Patriot gets off the following good one. Variety, the ‘"Yankee"’ have ‘"a hard road to travel"’ in Nashville, if they cannot conquer the women and children: Pun-Gent.--Now-a-days our citizens are often regarded with military witticisms. The following will rank as a good specimen:--A regiment of ‘"Feds,"’ marching through the city, is surrounded and followed by a bevy of immoderate, patriotic boys, (though otherwise too harmless and amiable to attend Sabbath-School,) when the least molest of them, having heard of South Carolina and a few incidents in her modern history, sings out, in the midst of a group of officers, ‘"Hurrah for Jeff. Davis!"’ Nearest officer, having no very pleasant sensation aroused by this vociferation, exclaims to the urchin not altogether good humored, ‘"Hurrah for the Devil, sir!"’ ‘" He! he! he!"’ explodes the youngster; ‘"well, hurrah for ver own side, and I'll holler for mine!"’ Hero vanishes amid a shower of unsuppressed military smiles, of the audible kind, and is soon unconscious of everything but his recompense for crying, ‘"Here's the Nashville Patriot--only five cents!"’ The correspondent here proceeds to excuse these ‘"fair Secesh"’ for their boldness and treason, on the ground that they have been influenced by the clergymen of the city, whom he proceeds to denounce very severely. He concludes with the following reference to the ‘"King!"’ Collon on Hand.--There have been come wild reports sent North of the amount of cotton found in Nashville. So far as I can learn, by careful inquiry the stock on hand was exceedingly light. Perhaps three hundred bales were used at Fort-Zollicoffer, a little below Nashville, in building breastworks. This would, of course, be a proper capture Whether it was attended to or not, I have not learned. I have heard of two or three hundred bales in private hands, but have yet to hear of anything beyond a hundred and fifty bales in any one place. Most of the cotton in this State is still in the hands of planters and a good deal of it will turn up in Rutherford, Williamson, Maury, and Giles counties.The Yankee account of a skirmish near Winchester.
On Saturday, 22d instant, about 1 o'clock, small parties of Ashby's cavalry came with in sight of the Federal pickets, and a series of desultory firing took place between them. This continued for some time without effect on either side, until about three or four o'clock in the afternoon, when the enemy made their appearance in large numbers and commenced driving in the pickets. A messenger was then dispatched to Gen. Shields, but before reinforcements arrived the rebels were within a mile and a half of the town, having advanced as far as the Stone House mill, on the Strasburg pike, and within full sight of the town. From this point they fired into some baggage wagons and tents stationed on the outskirts of the town, but without damage. Not knowing the precise nature of the attack, the whole of General Shield's division were called to arms, and held in readiness. Three batteries of artillery were sent at once to the scene of action, and a sharp skirmish ensued. The Rebels had four pieces placed at different points on the road and hills, supported by Ashby's cavalry and some companies of infantry. Some eight or ten shots were fired by them, mostly shells, the majority of which burst in the air over the Federal troops. Soon after out batteries opened fire the Rebel troops scattered like sheep, and were pursued until dark put an end to the affair. During the fight, Gen. Shields, who commanded in person, was struck by a fragment of a shell on the upper part of the left arm, shattering the bone producing a compound fracture, and it was feared amputation would become necessary. The General remained on the field after being wounded, giving his orders until the close of the fight, when he was conveyed to the residence of Mr. George Savers, formerly connected with the Farmers' Bank of Winchester. On Sunday morning the General was in cheerful spirits, though suffering some paint up to that time it was not known whether or not amputation would be necessary. Our loss consisted of one man killed belonging to the First Michigan cavalry, one wounded, and one or two horses killed or wounded. Up to Sunday morning twenty-nine bodies of the Rebels had been discovered in different parts of the scene of action, and a number of wounded were carried off by them in their retreat. The Rebel force in the affair is estimated at from twelve to fifteen thousand. The rapid. Its of the firing of our artillery gave rise to the belief in town that a general action was taking place, and that Jackson had returned in force. It is generally accredited here that information had been carried to the Rebels that the Union forces had left the town, with the exception of a guard for polices duty. It was not generally known among the inhabitants that General Shield's division was lying some three or four miles north of the town. Acting on information conveyed to them enemy recapture of the place was anticipated. It was currently reports that two or three of Ashy's cavalry were in the town on Saturday morning, in the disguise of farmers, peddling butter, eggs, &c., and, seeing a movement of troops from that place, conveyed information that led to the above skirmish.Further from North Carolina.
New York, March 26.
--The steamer George Peabody, from Newbern, North Carolina, on the 22d instant, viz Hatteras inlet on Sunday, has arrived.
She left at the inlet on Sunday has arrived.
She left at the Inlet the steamer Port Royal, from New York — all well; also the steamers New Brunswick and Louisiana, with many of the wounded in the recent battle at Newbern.
The Peabody touched at Hampton Roads.
Among the passengers by the Peabody are Lieut. Col. Potter, of the fifty-first Massachusetts regiment, who was seriously wounded at Newbern.
Among the remains of the killed, which are brought by this steamer, are Chaplain Barton, Capt. Johnson, and Lieut. Allen, of the first New York, and Lieut. Mallory, of the 9th New Jersey.
An expedition had been sent against Washington, a small town on Pamlico river.
It consists of several gunboats and the Massachusetts 24th regiment.
The expedition to Beaufort had not reported back when the steamer left, except the capture of the steamer Nashville by our blockading squadron, as the was attempting to leave the place on the appearance of our troops.
This is the account brought by the Peabody, but probably the first report of the destruction of the Nashville is correct. 