Affairs at the South.
From our Southern exchanges we gather the following intelligence of war movements, &c., in our Confederacy:
A Yankee attempt at a surprise in Kentucky.
The Louisville (
Bowling Green)
Courier, of the 4th, says:
‘
On Thursday last a body of four or five hundred Tories, under the command of
Col. Hawkins, made an attempt to surprise a company of Confederates under
Capt. Lewis, at
Woodbury.
Capt. Lewis was apprised of their approach and retired without loss, and in good order.
A strong detachment, consisting of three regiments of infantry, two pieces of artillery, and three companies of cavalry, was sent out in that direction on Tuesday evening, for the purpose of punishing the Tories if they could be found.
It was understood that
McHenry, Stont, and others, with their forces from
Owensboro,
Hartford, and other points, in that direction.
were following
Hawkins to reinforce and sustain him, and it was hoped they would give battle to our forces.
They, however, were not disposed to risk themselves within the reach of our boys, and made tracks towards the
Ohio river on their approach.
’
The Federal fleet.
The
Wilmington (N. C.) Journal, of the 4th, in the course of a long article with regard to the Federal fleet, its destination, &c., winds up with the following:
‘
About sunset on the evening of Thursday, the 31st ult., three large steamers were seen from Cape Lookout Lighthouse, going south, but so far out as to render it impossible to tell whether or not there were any men on board, and about the same time a steamer, apparently crowded with men, passed so near in shore that her designation could be distinctly read: ‘"North Street Ferry-Boat"’ If she had any distinctive name it was not seen.
She was a New York ferry boat; how she got down to
Norfolk, and then how she contrived to roll around to Halter as is a puzzle, but it is evident that she could not be expected to carry a load of men round to the
Gulf, and the presumption arises that any expedition to which she was attached, or of which she formed a part, most have a less distant destination.
Indeed it would indicate a point not farther South than some point on the seaboard of
South Carolina or
Georgia.
It is said that the ships-rolled heavily at their anchors in the
Roads, causing much suffering to the men and horses on board.
It is certain that if that New York ferry boat was out on Friday night, and where else could she be?
she must have gone under with all on board.
We saw gentlemen who came up a boat.
We saw gentlemen who came up about mid-day on Saturday from
Newbern, as also from
Beaufort, and they say that the blow on Friday night and Saturday was tremendous, the tide rising so high that the train could not get down to
Morehead City.
No doubt the fleet, wherever it was, got scattered, each vessel taking care of itself the best it could.
This will probably delay operations, and render the Lincolnites still more anxious to obtain a harbor of refuge on our coast at any cost.
’
A company captured by one man.
A correspondent of the Savannah
Republican, writing from ‘"Camp of the Fourteenth Regiment Georgia Volunteers, Greenbrier Bridge
Virginia, October 22,"’ relates the following:
‘
Just here permit me to relate an incident, which I think is worthy of note.
After marching about three miles from
Tiger river,
Col. Savase, of the 16th Tennessee regiment, desiring to make some reconnaissances, sallied off from his regiment at least a quarter of a mile, and while alone he suddenly and unexpectedly came up to where a company of Yankee pickets was stationed.
Both he and they were considerably surprised, but the gallant
Colonel, changing not a color in his countenance, in a bold and defiant manner, standing erect in his stirrups, looking suddenly in his rear, and then quickly facing the picks, exclaimed, in a stentorian voice:‘"You
damned rascals!
if you don't ground arms and surrender immediately, my men shall surround and shoot you to pieces in a minute."’ They did surrender, and he made them prisoners without the firing of a gun. The company consisted of three commissioned, four non-commissioned officers, and sixty-six privates.
’
A Maryland heroine.
The Richmond correspondent of the Nashville
Union and American communicates the following interesting paragraph about a Southern heroine now in this city:
‘
Among the notabilities of the city, there is a Maryland heroine, young pretty, wonderfully intelligent and accomplished, who preserves the strictest incognito, and is known even to her most intimate acquaintances only as Mademoiselle Nina, small in person, almost fragile.
She has nevertheless the courage of a lioness.
Her whole soul is bent on the liberation of
Maryland, and were her deeds, tending to this consummation to be known, she could rank among the most famous women of history.
Alone, unaided, by routes known only to herself, she passes through the
Confederate and
Yankee lines, carrying hope to the oppressed and bringing material comforts for the free but exile sons of her native land.
’
A letter from
H. L. Hodnett, Quartermaster, dated
Pocahontas, Oct. 27, says:
‘
Official reports from
Gen. Thompson show a much more favorable result of the Frederickstown fight than was first represented.--Only 82 Southerners killed and 84 wounded;
Lowe and
Mulholland among the killed.
The order for steamboats to be sent up is countermanded.
Gen. Thompson made a successful stand at
Greenville.
He is now moving unmolested in the direction of
Bloomfield.--It is highly important that companies organize, drill, report strength, and hold themselves in readiness to move at short notice to this place, in case of emergency.
’
