Latest Northern News.
We are in possession of New York and Baltimore papers up to Thursday, the 20th inst. The most interesting news to be gleaned from them will be found below:News from Tennessee--Additional details of the fight at Fort Donelson--order from Gen. Selleck, Etc.
Chicago, Feb. 19.
--The Chicago Tribune's correspondent, in giving a description of the battle at Fort Donelson, says that when Col. Craft's brigade, which had been ordered to reinforce General McClernand, came up in the rear of the Thirtieth and Thirty-first Illinois and Twenty-fifth Kentucky, these regiments were lying down and firing over the rest of a hill.
They rose, and not knowing whether the force in the rear was friend or foe, the Twenty-fifth Kentucky, supposing them to be rebels, poured in a volley, which did terrible execution, and was sufficient to throw the entire brigade into disorder at once, which was almost a panic.
Some threw down their guns and equipments and fled immediately.
The roads were filled with stragglers — some even fled to Fort Henry.
The enemy improved the opportunity, and advanced upon Schwartz's and Dresser's batteries, capturing five guns and taking possession of Gen. McClernand's headquarters, driving our forces nearly a mile and a half.
Instead, however, of adhering to their supposed intentions to escape, the rebels resolved to follow up the advantage by pursuit.
At this juncture General Wallace's division was thrown in front, and took a position on a ridge, with Taylor's battery in the centre of the road.
The rebels formed on the ridge which General McClernand had occupied, and, flushed with success, moved forward.--As soon as they came in range, Taylor opened on them with grape, canister and shell, causing the rebels to quail and come to a halt, and as the infantry advanced they began to fall back and recover the ground previously lost.
A large number of rebel prisoners were brought down yesterday, who belonged on the Cumberland river, and as they passed their homes they looked wistfully for some face they might recognize.
Many were under the impression that they would be paroled; but when they found they were to be sent North they were ready to take any oath.
Two-thirds of the prisoners manifest a desire to return to their allegiance, and some acknowledge that they had been humbugged into their present unfortunate position.
Six thousand prisoners have already arrived here, and others will be brought down as soon as transportation can be procured.
Fort Donelson, Feb. 17.--Gen. Grant has promulgated a most stringent order against plundering from the inhabitants, also against stealing property taken in battle.
Before surrendering the rebels threw most of their late mails into the river.
Col. Markland, postal director, however, succeeded in seizing a number of mail bags and some outside letters, supposed to contain important information.
Captain Dixon, the rebel Chief of Artillery, and the engineer who constructed the fortifications, was killed in the bombardment on Friday in one of his own batteries.
The following is a special dispatch to the Chicago Tribune:
Fort Donelson, Feb. 13.--Two more regiments were captured to-day to the east of the entrenchments.
A number of rebel troops have come in and delivered themselves up.
About 12,000 stand of small arms have been taken.
Many of the rebel troops destroyed their arms, and large numbers were thrown into the river.
Twelve hundred boxes of beef and a large amount of provisions have also been found.
All of to-day has been occupied in embarking the prisoners, gathering up the stores and munitions, and burying the dead.
There are a great number of dead rebels still unburied.
Captain Layone, aid to Gen. Grant, goes to Clarksville to morrow, under a flag of truce, with the bodies of two Colonels, and to effect the exchange of wounded prisoners who have been sent to Nashville by the rebels.
Taylor's battery was charged, on five times on Saturday, and each time the enemy were repulsed with great slaughter.
It is currently reported that Governor Harris, of Tennessee, has ordered all Tennesseeans to lay down their arms.
Cairo, Feb. 19.--It is believed now that a portion of the rebel prisoners will be sent to Alton, and others to Chicago, Fort Wayne, and Detroit.
Troops are continually arriving and departing for the great seat of war.
It is believed that, if permitted to do so, many of the rebel prisoners would gladly take up arms on the side of the Union.--Numbers of the privates declare that they have seen enough of secession.
The officers, however, are generally very morose and bitter in their expressions against the North.
St. Louis, Feb. 19.--About nine hundred Fort Donelson prisoners, including some forty officers, arrived to-day, and will be forwarded to some point East.
The sick and wounded from Fort Donelson will be returned to their own States as fast as possible.
Quite a number arrived here to-day, and were sent to the Central Hospital.
Evacuation of Clarksville.
Cairo, Feb. 19.
--A dispatch from the Cumberland river says that Clarksville is being evacuated and the rebels are going to Nashville.
General Halleck's order of the day.
St. Louis, Feb. 19.
--The following will appear in the morning papers of to-morrow:
Headquarters Department of Miss, St Louis, Feb. 19, 1862.
The Major-General commanding the Department congratulates Flag Officer Foote, Brigadier-General Grant, and the brave officers and men under their command, on the recent brilliant victories on the Tennessee and Cumberland.
The war is not ended!
Prepare for new conflicts and new victories!
Troops are concentrating from every direction!
We shall soon have an army which will irresistible!
The Union flag must be restored everywhere, and the enthralled Union men in the South must be set free!
The soldiers and sailors of the Great West are ready and willing to do this!
The time and place have been determined on!
Victory and glory await the brave!
Charge against Col. Amsanzel--official order from Secretary Stanton.
Washington. Feb. 19.
--Complaints having been made by Gen. Lander of the misconduct of an officer under his command, and the matter referred to the Secretary of War, the following instructions were given:
If General Lander is satisfied that Colonel Amsanzel was guilty of cowardice or misbehavior before the enemy, he may be tried on the spot, and it found guilty, the sentence of death may be executed on the spot, or he may be cashiered by his commanding General at the head of his regiment.
The former course is recommended as the preferable one.
Cowardice in an officer, exhibited on the field of battle, should receive the swift punishment of death.
Edwin Stanton, Sec'y of War.
War Department, Feb. 16, 1862.
From Missouri — capture of Brigadier-General Price and other Confederate officers, &C.
Sedalia, Mo, Feb. 19.
--Brigadier-General Price, ( a son of Sterling Price,) Colonel Phillips, Major Cross, and Captain Crosby, were captured near Warsaw on Sunday night, and brought to this place.
The prisoners were captured by Captain Stubbs, of the Eighth Iowa Regiment.
They had some 500 recruits with them for old Price in charge, but they had just crossed the Osage river, and as Captain Stubbs had but a small force, he did not follow them.
Springfield, Mo., Feb. 16--General Curtis has driven the rebel army beyond the Arkansas line.
At ten o'clock on Sunday night we were 69 miles south of Springfield.
The Federal flag now floats in Arkansas
Several skirmishes had taken place in the defiles of the mountains.
We had six wounded, and the enemy sixteen killed and a large number wounded.
We have bagged a large number of prisoners.
A messenger says that we are only a short distance behind the main body of Gen. Price, and we would chase him up the next morning.
There are a great abundance of forage and provisions on the route, except flour.
St. Louis, Feb. 19.--In order that nothing may occur to mar the pleasure of the contemplated celebration of Washington's Birthday, the Provost Marshal has ordered that all drinking saloons be closed from sunrise of Saturday till sunrise of Monday.
The Provost Marshal also orders that no pig or bar lead shall be shipped from this port hereafter, without special permit from this office.
About five thousand infantry, two or three batteries of artillery, a large number of mules and wagons, an immense quantity of stores, &c., left to-day for the Cumberland.
Gen. Pope and staff left this evening for Cairo.
Reconnaissance down the Mississippi — Heavy firing in the direction of Columbus — probable evacuation of the place by the Confederates.
Chicago, Feb. 19.
--A special dispatch to the Chicago Times, dated Cairo, February 18, says: ‘
Colonel Buford, with a small force, went down the river on a reconnoitering expedition to-day.
When within four miles of Columbus heavy cannonading was heard, act, however, with any regularity.
On moving across the river, where he could obtain a view of the place, he discovered a heavy cloud of smoke covering a large space.
Colonel Buford believes that the solution of the affair is that the rebels are dismounting their guns and blowing up their magazines preparatory to evacuating the place. ’
From Fort Royal--progress of the expedition against Savannah, &c.
New York, Feb. 19.
--The United States steam gunboat Connecticut, Commander Maxwell Woodhull, arrived at this port last night from Key West, and from Port Royal on the 16th inst., at noon, via Fortress Monroe, bringing a large mail and about 175 passengers, among whom are the crew of the schooner Major Barbour, from Havana, captured by the De Soto in Barrataria bay (a prize crew put on board,) and twenty-five prisoners from Cedar Keys and Hatteras Inlet.
The Connecticut has also on board the body of Lieut. Marcy, Captain of the United States ship Vincennes, who was accidentally killed at the Southwest Pass by the recoil of a howitzer which he was firing.
When the Connecticut left there were rumors to the effect that Savannah would certainly be captured in two or three days; that Federal forces had taken possession of the Island de Florian, in the Savannah river, upon which a battery was being erected; that our gunboats had so far succeeded as to cut off communication between Fort Pulaski and Savannah, and a rebel steamer belonging to Com. Tatnall's fleet had been captured. All the gunboats and smaller vessels of war had left Port Royal for Warsaw Sound. The attacking force for the Savannah expedition consists of 16, 000. The army telegraph, constructed by the Union troops, was working well. Communication is now held between all the Federal camps. The steamer Mayflower, Capt. J. O. Phillips, recently went on a reconnaissance up the Savannah river. On returning she was fired at from a rebel earthwork, striking the boat near the wheel-house, doing but slight damage.
Hopeless condition of President Lincoln's Son.
A Washington dispatch to the New York Herald, of the 19th inst., says: ‘ The White House is still overspread with the gloom of the expected death of the President's second son, who is reported more easy to-day, but no hope of his recovery is entertained. The President and Mrs. Lincoln are overwhelmed with grief. ’The abolition assaults on Gen. M'Clellan.
A Yankee correspondent, writing from Washington, says: ‘ The persistence of the shrieking organs in proclaiming the General Commanding deposed from the command of the whole army, excite here more ridicule than indignation.--The administration and Gen. McClellan are unmoved by these petty assaults. ’From Fortress Monroe.
Fortress Monroe, Feb. 18.
--The steamer Stars and Stripes sailed for Hatteras this forenoon, with a full cargo of ammunition.
The schooner Exertion is also loading with ammunition, and will probably get off in the morning.
The steamers Thomas Jefferson and Baltimore have sailed for Hatteras — the latter with a cargo of ammunition.
The Jersey Blue sailed this afternoon with two hundred and fifty troops from Annapolis.
A dispute as to who is entitled to the credit of the Yankee victory at Fort Donelson.
The New York Tribune has the following paragraph in relation to the late victory at Fort Donelson gained by 80,000 Yankees over about 25,000 Confederates, after a battle of three days, in which their (the Yankee) los was about five to one: ‘ The plan of the operations which have been crowned by victory in Kentucky and Tennessee was General Halleck's. It did not originate in this city. Formed in the West, and on the ground, it was submitted by Gen. Halleck to the President, and was approved and authorized by the President. To Mr. Lincoln, who took the responsibility of ordering the movements which have crushed the rebellion in the West, and to Secretary Staton, the honor and credit of them wholly belong. ’ On the same day the following appeared in the Washington letter of the New York Times: ‘ General McClellan sat by the telegraph operator at his headquarters, Sunday; General Buell did the same at Louisville and General Halleck at St. Louis; and, the circuit being made complete between the three, they conversed uninterruptedly for hours on the pending battle at Fort Donelson, and made all the orders and dispositions of forces to perfect the victory and pursue the broken enemy. The battle was fought, we may say, almost under the eye of General McClellan. So remarkable an achievement has seldom adorned science. ’The story of an escaped Yankee prisoner.
The New York World has the following in its Washington correspondence: ‘ F. B. Remington, a private of Company A. Thirteenth New York regiment, now stationed at Upton's Hill, reached here to-day with a pass from General Burnside, whom he had previously joined by deserting the rebel fleet stationed in Albemarle Sound. It seems that Remington was captured by the rebels during a reconnaissance near Fairfax some two months since, and taken to Richmond, and thence sent to prison in North Carolina. Here he saw extracts published from the Troy papers, where the Thirteenth regiment was mostly recruited, stating that he was disloyal, having deserted his comrades and gone over to the rebels. Determined to resent this imputation on his name, he managed to escape from Portsmouth, N. C., and made his way to Norfolk; but, failing to get farther North, he returned to North Carolina, and was offered employment on the gunboat Fanny, which he was forced to accept, and was employed in surveying inland waters for the rebels. In connection with another loyal man, he obtained a small boat and managed to join Gen. Burnside at Hatteras. It was he who piloted the expedition to the landing place on Roanoke Island, and in no small degree thus contributed to the victory won by the Federal forces. His adventures were listened to with much interest at headquarters to-day. ’The Probabilities of a change in Lincoln's Cabinet — Speculations in regard to his own resignation.
The Edinburg Scotchman has the following paragraph in relation to the impending resignation of old Abe, as also some changes in his Cabinet: ‘ Private letters from America give reason to expect other changes in the Government in addition to those already known as actual or impending. The President is, and desires to continue at the head of his own Government — an arrangement not agreeable to some of its own members. It is not unlikely it is said, that Mr. Seward will go out, being succeeded by Mr. Chase, at present Secretary of the Treasury, who in his turn would be succeeded by Mr. Preston King. On the other hand, it is considered not impossible, nor impossible, nor even improbable, that the President may be driven to resign by an intrigue. ’The advices from Europe.
The New York Herald's Washington correspondent, writing under date of the 19th inst., says: ‘ The last advices from Europe are of dates previous to the receipt there of the news of the first of our series of victories; but the Secretary of State says he sees indications of a satisfactory reaction in favor of the United States in Great Britain, as well as throughout the continent; and especially satisfaction is experienced over the congratulations upon the settlement of the Trent affair received from Russia and Italy. It is said they are not only generous, but even touching appeals to the American people to restore, maintain, and preserve the Federal Union. The settlement of the Trent affair is regarded as the bow of promise of peace, and freedom of commerce. ’Latest from Western Virginia.
Wheeling, Feb. 18.
--The Constitutional Convention adjourned this evening, after fifty-nine days session.
The free State was defeated.
Commissioners were, however, appointed with powers to reassemble the Convention in case the new State was recognized by Congress.
This provision is supposed to look to a free State.
There was great rejoicing here over the Fort Donelson news.
General Rosecrans ordered a salute to be fired at an early hour this morning.
Capture of secession flags in Baltimore.
From the Clipper, of the 20th inst., we extract the following: ‘ Yesterday morning a squad of policemen visited the Maryland Club House, No. 72 North Calvert street, end seized two secession flags which for the past three months have occupied prominent positions over the front windows. They were taken to the office of the Provost Marshal and consigned to the tomb of the Capelets. ’The Nashville Leaves Southampton — a British frigate Prevents the Tuscarora from attacking her.
The rebel steamer Nashville left Southampton on the 3d instant. She passed the gunboat Tuscarora off Cowes, where the latter was anchored. The Tuscarora steamed up to start in chase of the Nashville; but the frigate Shannon was alongside to prevent her departure for twenty-four hours. The last seen of the Nashville was that she was steaming down the channel with all speed.Rejoicing over the good News — rebels deserting.
Frederick, Feb. 19.
--The good news received here to-day that Gen. Price and his staff, and whole army have been captured, set the city and camps in a furore of joy.
Reports from usually reliable sources say that between three and four hundred Berkeley county militia have deserted in a body, and are on route to cross the Potomac and join our ranks.
