Late Northern and Southern news.
The Situation of Affairs at Columbus
In consequence of the conviction of
Gen. Folk that the enemy intended to make so early and formidable demonstration against
Columbus, our forces at that point have been very heavily reinforced within the last two weeks. Regiments from
Louisiana,
Mississippi and
Tennessee have been pouring in, as well as some few
Texas regiments, who came through
Arkansas.
General Beauregard is at
Columbus.
He reached
Nashville on the 4th inst., where he was enthusiastically received.
The same night he quitted
Nashville, and had probably just reached
Columbus on the morning of the day on which
Fort Henry was captured.
The New Orleans.
Bulletin, of the 4th inst. says:
‘
On Sunday afternoon,
Captain Myers, of the steamer
Oregon, carried his boat to with, in a short distance of
Ship Island, when the U. S. steamer
New London ran out and gave chase.
Captain Myers waited for the enemy until he got to within a mile and a half of him, when quite a brisk interchange of compliments, in the way of shot and shell, look place between the two vessels.
A number of the
Yankees' balls fell very near the
Oregon, hut not one touched her. One shell from the Confederate steamer exploded right over the bow of the New London, when that vessel put about and steamed rapidly for
Ship Island.
At the time of this occurrence there were seventeen.
Yankee vessels, three of which were steamers, and a number of small craft in the vicinity of the
Island.
’
A daring Confederate soldier.
We copy the following from the Nashville
Union and American, of the 5th:
‘
Capt. John H. Morgan, at the head of nine men and a guide, left his squadron near Casland, the early part of last week, and crossed
Green river, thirty-seven miles below Munfordsville, marching almost seventy miles into Lincolndom and waiting only seven miles from Leitnon, where there is a large Federal force.
Were they took nine prisoners, four in uniform, one a lieutenant, two engaged in the repair of the telegraph line, the remaining two strong Union men, several horses, a number of guns and two negroes were also captured.
On the return each had a prisoner, two of whom were turned to very useful account.
Capt. Morgan lay in ambush for several hours within distinct heating of the bugle sound of 1,800
Illinois cavalry.
The expedition was of daring as it was brilliant.
’
A Spirited City.
The city of
Columbus, Ga., with a population of about 8,000 souls, has sent to the field sixteen infantry companies and two full light artillery companies.
It has supplied to the service five colonels, one
lieutenant-colonel, four majors, four adjutants, four assistant quartermasters, four assistant commissaries, nineteen captains, and sixty-two lieutenants.
Spies in New Orleans.
The
Picayune says:
‘
It is obvious we have in our midst men who are in constant communication with the enemy, whom they supply with newspaper, and post up about every one of our military movements and measures.
The attentive of
General Lovell was called to this fact and by an order issued yesterday he informed the public no passes would be granted henceforth to go to the
Bay of St. Louis.
But
Ship Island is not the only place near our coast where the Northerners communicate with the traitors.
Near
Fort Livingston, for instance, there are seamen who, under the plea of going to se for fish or oysters, pay now and then a visit to the blockading vessels.
’
The evacuation of Romney.
A letter to the Lynchburg
Republican from
Winchester, Feb. 8th, says,‘ that the evacuation of
Romney, Va., emanated from the War Department, and that it was not done in consequence of any apprehended movement of the enemy.
From the same source we learn that
Gen. Loring left Romeny in a somewhat hurried manner, leaving behind a considerable amount of commissary stores, quite as much, probably, us the
Yankees left when they evacuated that place.
On the march, also, it is reported on good authority, several wagons and a large number of tents were burnt.
It is difficult to see that there was a necessity since the
Yankees were at least twenty miles distant, and were manifesting no disposition to expose themselves to the inclemency of the weather.
’
The New York
Express says:‘
E. O. Perrin,
Esq., has just returned to New York after in absence of about seven months in
New Mexico.
He was a month in
Albuquerque, where Kitty arson is in command, with a regiment of New Mexicans 1,000 strong, well armed, fully equipped, and well drilled.
The
Texans were reported by the spies and scouts, about January 1st, to be approaching
Albuquerque, the central grand depot of all our stores.
Col. Canby, the commandant of the whole Department of New Mexico, was ready to march from
Fort Craig to retake
Fort Fillmore.
He had under his command 1,000 regulars, and some 2,000 New Mexican volunteers.
At
Santa Fe there were two companies of regulars and two companies of volunteers.’
The New Mexicans, generally are loyal, and to be relied upon.
Some few Secessionists are among them--Southern men from
Texas and
Arkansas--but they are over-whelmed by the loyalty of the country, or by the general martial law existing, which compelled them to shut their months.
The
United States force in
New Mexico is about five thousand, which can be largely increased by the militia, a portion of which are armed and ready at call.
A Yankee story.
The New York
Times publishes the following:
Hancock,
Md., Jun. 31.--The third brigade,
Gen. Banks's Division,
Gen. Williams commanding, consisting of the 5th Connecticut, 28th New York, 46th Pennsylvania and 19th New York regiments, is stationed here.
It is supposed that there are about 3,000 rebels, encamped at Eath, which is five miles back from the
Virginia side of the river, and among them is
Col. Ashby, with the ‘"Black Horse Cavalry." ’
On Monday last,
Capt. Graves, of the 46th Pennsylvanians, crossed the river with a party of fifteen men, for the purpose of opening a road, across which a breastwork had been thrown by our troops previous to the ‘"shelling"’ of
Hancock, to allow the passage of some Union families who were desirous of crossing to our side of the river.
Capt. Graves, after selling his men at work, left them in charge of his sergeant, and, accompanied by his corporal, started through the woods towards Baih, on a scouting expedition.--He succeeded in approaching within a miles of the town, and, after learning all be could from observation, was on his return, and within a mile of where his men were stationed, resting himself near the edge of a cleared space, when be discovered two mounted rebels in pursuit.
Capt. Graves and companion drew their revolvers and quietly waited for them to come up. They rode up to within 100 yards, and then rained up their horses.
At this moment nine or ten others appeared in sight; the two first then drew their carbines, and the whole party, putting spurs to their horses, charged upon the two
Unionists.
The
Captain took to the woods, and gave the corporal orders, in loud tone to ‘"deploy right and left, as skirmishers."’ The rebels, supposing him to have a large party in concealment, immediately wheeled their horses and fled.
Capt. Graves and the corporal, laughing hardly at the success of their
ruse, rapidly rejoined their party.
