The War News.
The sound of our cannon shelling the
Yankee working parties at
Dutch gap was again distinctly heard in the city about 10 o'clock yesterday morning, and, as usual, there were many persons ready to believe, notwithstanding the heavy rain that was falling at the time, that an assault had been made some where along our lines.
But, with the exception of the
Dutch gap bombardment, which is now a never-ceasing thing, there were no active hostilities attempted by either army on yesterday.
The rain, which begun during Sunday night, fell heavily and steadily all day, and put the possibility of any extensive military operations out of the question by rendering the ground impracticable for field artillery.
The Yankee soldiers spent the day in chopping wood, building log huts, and trying to keep themselves warm and dry by their camp- fires, while their officers carried out
Lincoln's joke of "nobody hurt" by looking over their old muster-rolls and forwarding votes for every man whose name had ever appeared thereon, regardless of whether he had been killed in battle, died in hospital, or had left the army.
If
Grant had any intention of making an early advance, of which we have no evidence, the weather has frustrated his plans for the present.
He must, of necessity, keep still at least a week.
We suggested yesterday that possibly Beast
Butler had been relieved from the command of the Army of the James because of his disgraceful and disastrous failures in his attacks upon our left last Thursday week.
Though we find in the
Northern papers no positive confirmation of this idea; on the other hand, we find no discouragement of it. A Baltimore paper of the 5th, which is before us, under the caption "A new field of duty," says
Butler has gone to New York to assume, temporarily, the command of the Department of the East, and will take the place of
General Dix.
While the Administration had especial use for him in New York city to control the election, which takes place there to day, it is, we think, quite likely he will never return to the Army of the James.
Lincoln feared his influence before the election, but he will not hesitate to pitch him overboard, now that the Presidential question is settled.
On Saturday night,
General Gracie captured the
Yankee picket line in his front.
The enemy immediately opened upon us a tremendous fire of artillery, which had no effect.
Last night there was more heavy firing, but we have not ascertained the cause.
Southern news of as late date as the 24th of October has been received from
General Price.
As we have heretofore predicted, the news of his defeat was all a lie, and his march southward was premeditated.
His army is around
Carthage, preparing to go into winter quarters.
He has recruited, armed and equipped fifteen thousand men; he has whipped the enemy in every engagement; saved nearly all his captured army stores, and his army is in splendid spirits and daily increasing.
Northern papers state that
Generals Rosecrans and
A. J. Smith had arrived at
St. Louis, which shows that they are not in pursuit of
Price.
