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The Northern War News.
the attack on Fort Henry.
Missouri War News.
#x38;c., &c., &c.

From the Baltimore American, of the 6th inst., we make up the following interesting summary of intelligence:


The advance of Gen. Grant on Fort Henry--damage to a Federal gun-boat.

Cairo, Feb. 5.
--The force under General Grant arrived at this landing, six miles below Fort Henry, yesterday afternoon. The gun-boats Essex and St. Louis made a reconnaissance of the rebel works for the purpose of landing the forces. They went within half a mile of Fort Henry, throwing several shells inside the entrenchments.

The enemy returned the fire and one shot struck the Essex, going through the corner of Captain Porter's cabin, but doing no further damage. The range of the rebel guns being ascertained a place was selected for landing, which was accomplished yesterday afternoon.

The force of the enemy is supposed to be 15,000 men.

A dispatch dated to-day says that General Grant's force is within four miles of Fort Henry and a fight was expected to-day.


The Canada reciprocity Treaty.

Washington, Feb. 5.
--The report made from the Committee of Commerce to-day by Representative Ward is adverse to the proposed abnegation of the reciprocity treaty, but advocates an enlargement of its commercial connections, with a view to render reciprocity, more certain and substantial. It discusses the extent, population, position, and resources of the British American Provinces and possessions, together with other questions, including the right of the United States to a joint reciprocity, and the fiscal reasons for an American or continental system. It appears that the value of Canadian productions has increased twenty per cent by the treaty. While the United States tax Canadian productions only $25,000 per annum, Canada taxes our productions $1,000,000, and also has an unfair system of discrimination against the United States. The report was recommitted for the further action of the committee.


Federal movements in Missouri.

St. Louis February 4.
--Advices from the West state that the Seventh regiment, Col. Stevenson, left Lamine for Lexington on Monday, and will hold that post during the winter. They cannot reach that place too soon; Information has been received that the day after that place was evacuated by the Kansas First regiment the rebels cut down the American flag. On the Sunday following the notorious Joe. Shelby, with a gang of freebooters, took possession of the town.

All the troops along the line of the Pacific Railroad, west of Jefferson City, are under marching orders. The Nebraska First regiment is going across the country to Kansas. A number of regiments are going south to join General Davis, and Brigadier-General Steel's brigade is coming down the road to be forwarded to Kentucky. Gen. Pope will remain and make his headquarters at Jefferson City.


The Maryland Legislature.

In the Maryland Senate a bill was reported to pay the Government Police in Baltimore. A bill was reported from the Judiciary Committee providing for taking the sense of the people as to the propriety of holding a Convention to frame a new Constitution.

In the House, Mr. Johnson reported a bill providing for the payment of the Police force of Baltimore. The bill, which revokes the powers of the old Police Commissioners, was passed. The House refused to concur in the Senate amendments to the Baltimore Police bill.


From Somerset — movements and positions of the Federal.

M. C. Garber, or the Madison Courier, who is Quartermaster of the Tenth Indiana regiment, writes to his paper some interesting items of which we avail ourselves, picking some plums out of his epistolary pie. Wetmore's battery consists of ten Parrott guns and two brass howitzers, and belongs to the Twelfth brigade. The captain is a very young man, educated at West Point, industrious and energetic. He arrived at Somerset from Stanford on Friday night, the 17th ult., and pushed on next day, and came up with his brigade on Saturday night, and was in the fight from the beginning till night.--His guns threw shot and shell. A rebel prisoner, Lieutenant Col. of the twentieth Tennessee rebel regiment, states that one of the shells fired from this battery killed eighteen of the enemy. The two Tennessee regiments have marched five miles in the direction of Cumberland Ford, towards which some movement is anticipated. Col. DeCourcy, of the Sixteenth Ohio, is encamped four miles above Somerset, on the Stanford road, and as near London as he would be at the former place. Col. Ray, Forty-ninth Indiana, is at Hall's Gap. It is probable he will march on the Mt. Vernon road. Col. Garrard, Seventh Kentucky, is at Crab Orchard, Col. Mundy's battalion of cavalry is to form part of Gen. Carter's force. Wetmore's battery is to encamp at Somerset. Gen. Schospt's brigade is encamped on the road from Somerset to Waitsburg, on the Cumberland. He will move into Tennessee, on the Monticello road, as soon as he receives supplies of provisions and means of crossing the river. General Thomas's headquarters are at Somerset. He, too, is waiting for rations, and will, in a short time, go down the Cumberland on Nashville, and turn Bowling Green. The roads are drying very fast.

Mr. Garber was told by a Secession officer, now a prisoner, that in sixty days General Thomas and all the force he would take into Tennessee would be captured, that Beauregard was quietly withdrawing his army from Manassas, and would soon be in Tennessee. This may be true, but Garber feels willing to trust Gen. McClellan to keep the French rebel in check. It seems to him, however, that some move similar to that one mentioned must be made by the rebels to save their railroad communications. If General Thomas is permitted to reach Nashville Buckner's force will be cut off, and will be sandwiched between the divisions of Gen. Thomas and Gen. Buell, Carter and Schoepf at Knoxville, would break up the communication by the Tennessee and Virginia Railroad, and be equally disastrous to the rebels.


Ready for an advance.

A correspondent of the Buffalo (N. Y) Commercial, writing from Upton's Hill, Va., January 30, says:

Gen. Wadsworth has issued orders to his brigade to have all its axes put in perfect order, and kept so, and the quartermasters have been notified to prepare transportation for their respective regiments. General McDowell has just issued a most significant order to Wadsworth's brigade. Each of the four regiments composing the brigade is ordered to select 140 men to serve as sharp-shooters and riflemen. The men are to be selected for their lightness, activity, intelligence, and qualities as marksmen. They will be formed into companies of seventy men each; thus forming eight companies in the brigade.--Their duties will be to act as advance guards, flankers, skirmishers, and sharp-shooters, to pick off the enemy's artillerists and officers.

Everything looks like an early movement, although the roads are in a horrible condition.


Washington Gossip.

Washington, Feb. 4.
--The President today gave his official approval to the bills for the seizure of the railroads and telegraph lines, whenever a military necessity exists for such action.

The House Committee of Ways and Means, this morning, were evenly divided on the issue of making the proposed new Treasury notes a legal tender. Great doubts exist as to the passage of the bill with the legal tender clause in it.

Governor Andrew, of Massachusetts, was before the Committee on Coast Defences today, urging the erection of additional defences on the coast of Massachusetts.

Sometime ago the House called upon the Secretary of War to inform them why certain troops in this vicinity were not provided witharms.

A response has been transmitted, saying that a portion of the 89th New York regiment were for a time without them, for the reason that there were none in the arsenal they were willing to receive, but that since then a supply of Austrian rifles had been received, and the regiment armed with them.

The sickness among the soldiers is not so great as was anticipated. A large number are suffering from severe colds, but they cheerfully perform their daily routine duties.

There continues to be much speculation in reference to the communication sent to Gen. McClellan by the commander of the rebel forces of the Potomac. The general impression is that it is merely in regard to some prisoners held by us.

The small pox is still very prevalent at Georgetown, and on the island. There are but a few isolated cases in the city proper.


From New Mexico.

Kansas, City, Feb. 4.
--The Santa Fe mail, with dates to the 20th of January, has arrived.

The Indians are more troublesome than ever, killing the Mexicans and driving off their stock. Six dead bodies were brought to Albuquerque last week. All the able bodied men are in the field, leaving the old and feeble to protect their homes.

There has been no advance of the United States troops southwest, and there are no signs of the Texan discounting up the Paces.

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