Weekly Georgia telegraph. (Macon [Ga.]) 1858-1869, March 21, 1862, Image 1

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Newspaper Page Text> - - Ky« -joskiti Cl i shy ic E AND RECOGNITION. \n iatntc friend 1h*;xm us to put on record his •[iliocy that Engla. d will reeegniao the Con- .ratc Slaies when the spring (haws break (lie ifte il is to : ;i V, rtiilu eve 'ainst tin i invadin'; and heiii .is of ' amnia'; ue about next May. He tide to auticipale such a y mil ural barrier to the Yankees is only a good army. • We also, though i iioent • .Vinces iilji* for prophet, lx*g to pul on record our opinion at Rowland will never recognize us so long 11 is of the it-:.st importance to us Whether dots it or not. We thought she would do Uni we iiive chiangeii mil opinion entirely. ..in this ear broke out and lor a long time iTi nfter, \e« tven* verily of the opinion that > eland wolil.l . of (ii slcrrinu ily he too glad to luster the -aling the old republic and urn capacn Hi.aw the I the t*oult:' Du wile tli!:.- e as Iii inly now that she will ■ii independence is won past L*dy, and the Northern States ler i he exhaustion of the long to be in the slightest degree dangerous. time rom. s, we shall mil care a bul- her the European Siati-s acknowledge st I a I ii any ive presume they will t ',1 ns goods and take there is no doubt that ipean intervention in Southern cause much .po ol-i .1, WRITHING, when his Excel- nil wliiskey edict k Esq, is to re- as'ot ihe Still will ieir last lor some @macli which is itriolie whiskey, pit ion, when the d filled up last and all the hot luionwcalth will urgle, and a liol- ii of emptiness and vanity nxious inq nier. It will ,» Alcohol, lit* has been i ., hut a traitor to the pco- ie, milk, fight, pray and vote r without him, and we wish m anil the whole Confederate might never see him more, are uc will turn up next time u e Math ria, Old I’ort, Chatn- I Ini lands, icgular Scoich l,on ion Dock and Old Cognac, o- tlcan over, as one of the con cet trade with Europe. ■It Ii I Governor of Alabama is 'lanl no more cotton than 1 a bale will go further key in a small family, left of the last crop lor y should a man wisir to i cannot sell, instead of ich every body is anxious to Three acres to the bale is lor the ordinary lamia in me I iml should bring thirty n. Corn next year will pro planter a doliar at his crib, Unity .x dollars—with half product of the same land in dd he thirty five dollars. From the Savannah Ilepolillcan. savannah nml I hnrlnmn in hr bnmvd l»j Ihe Vnukeen. We lear.i by a passenger who arrived from JacJCtohvillo yesterday, who had been at Fer- naudina, that the Yankees landed at the letter place some tj.OOO men. He learned from a gen tleman who reached Jacksonville a short time before he left, and who effected his escape front Perm nil ina by wading through the marsh, and swimming over to the main, the tollowing items: immediately after the landing of the Federal*, they went t> work pillaging the houses ol those w ho had deserted them and flcil. Those who remained they did not dis turb, many of them professed to he Unionists, among them this informant. By pretendirg to be a staunch Union man, he managed to get information from the" Federal officer that their intention is to lay Savannah and Charleston in ashes in less than thirty days; that they were expecting the arrival of ten thoroughly iron clad steamers, and thirty others partially iron- cla I, when they would immediately proceed to take both these places. While our troops were withdrawing from the Island, aim were preparing to remove their guns, information was communicated to the blockading vessels at Eernandina, by a fisher man, when one of the steamers immediately started for Warsaw, and soon after the tleet arrived and entered the harbor. The guns were mostly dismounted from the batteries, and but a few men were superintending their removal. Previous to the arrival of the f.eet a large s earner appeared, bearing down to one of the batteries, with a French flag at half-mast; when within hailing distance, she lowered the French flag and ran up the Stars and Stripes, and or dered Col. Holland to come on board, at the same time running out her guns. As soon as Col. II. got on board she immediately steered northward. Anotiikr Yankee Keeled Over.—Between 6 and 7 o'clock Tuesday evening, a Yankee barge, containing some eight or ten men, was discovered by our pickets, in Augustine creek, supposed to be taking soundings or reconnoi tering Two of the pickets fired at them, and one was seen to fall. The enemy returned the tire, hut missed tlieir mark. They then hur ried back. Capt. Rockwell's Company, sta tinned at a h ittery near by, went to the assis*. lance ol the pickets on hearing the firing. About umltii hi, the Fuderalt retui ned and commenced a i attack. Firing was kept up on both sides t ir some time, hut with no injur> to our men. How the Yankees fared on this, their s con i visit, could not be ascertained; but il i.- presumed they were satisfied to retrace their steps, without waiting to find oat what success they met w ith. Three ol the Federal gunboats succeeded in g' iting over Sr. John- bar yesterday, and are now about twenty miles below Jacksonville. We are informed that a Federal boat has gone up Turtle river as for as Bethel. Weal- Mi learn that on Monday night a proclamation, a la sherman, was lound posted on the door ol .he Oglethorpe Hotel, and taken down by one of oilm en. Tin: GrxnoAT Fi nd.—A Coed Example.— We received a letter yesterday from » gentle man in Bei/.elia, requesting us to cm oil the name of hi- lady to the Gunboat Fund, “for jjitnii fir the present, payable anytime alter the organization of the Sucieiy.” The ladies are no Ting n the matter with an earnestness that guarantees the success of this, as of all enterprises they take a hand in. l nt* New Orleans Delta understands that a Catholic clergyman of that city has receiv ed a letter ol a lata date from a brother clergyman in St Louis, slating that the Fede ralists there have desecrated the Catholic churches in a manner that cannot be decently ■described, and destroyed or defaced sacred ob jects ol art, besides stealing the sacred vessels. <1 ami K, El * K11> A, IN I O 'SESLION llF '|i« Savannah papers, of Satur- that Jacksonville, in East Fieri- o ci sion of by the enemy, on Some throe thousand of them uipted the town w ithout resist* fortifving it. Mo-tol the Con- had been previously withdrawn ai.J the Mayor and t'ouncil up- ion of the matter deemed re- s—. Before the surrender some i'ce t»*'k place, he robin is being aroused •to tin Util, <c itimei her Y d ill the lumber in the Mooney's foundry, and unboat on the stock of Jacksonville burnt in aildi- siui block, the Judaoc House >r th we have frequently copied, n It \- n-WutsKuv Rill road.— We urn that the Directors of the Macon and tern Railroad have resolved to pass no more juors over tlieir road. That is right. We mil s um he a virtuous, cold water people in .it,* of ourselves, ure.s sons to be out of fashion. Ol'HAT OF PRICE ? t-ix o’clock Friday night and no news. Our i.vi-ty is intense, hut wc hope and believo rice and Van Dorn have won the day. The ruc.'.'l' of the 5th, Cth and 7th must have •.■ii a series of as.-aulls, skit wishes and strat- ; etic.l movements, in which, if we credit ■utlicm accounts, our troops gained the final Mintage in position. Il bvl news always .(• < * yii.it, there ought to be good news in rc liu us this time. MACON, FRIDAY, 3 O’CLOCK, P. M., MARCH 21, 1862. FLORIDA ITEMS. From all wc learn from persons lately arriv ed, the affairs ol Florida are in a lamentable condition, owing to tie inelliciency of the otli- ceiin command. With the execution of Gol. Dowd, ol the Mississippi reginKdnt, noncof the office: s w i re worthy of their position. The men were eager for a tight, but were held hack by their commanders. Gen. Trapiar has met with the condemnation of every man, woman and child in Florida, and has been hooted at along the route he travelled. In ill spite or these adverse circumstances, a brilliant action was perfmmed by a company of Col. Davis’ regiment, 1st Florida Cavalry. This company, commanded by Captain Win. Clarke, took position on a bluff on the St. Ma rt’s river, and waited the approach of a Fede ral gunboat. As they appioached a man at her m ..to ad, espy ig IT.nke's company, crid out ‘Here are the damned Rebels.’’ “Ye-,’’ said n iiiirclmnt and ! Clarke, “hero wc are!” With that he raised ilc utterance ol * lis "flu and tile lookout dropped dead on the '' . ileck IronrUis lofty perch. Clarke’s men then h oi iii : on t ii j L ,. a . three cheers, fired a volley, and 25 or 3ft idents were kill j 0 j* ;|, e p,d -r.ds were killed and wounded. .The from tbc place in ‘ gunboat not being able to cor tend with our men thus advantageously posted, retreated dis- coin fitted. The evacuation of Fornandina was conduc ted very badly, and much was lost owing to the inefficiency of the Colonel in command. Ex- Sen itor Ynlcc, President of the Florida liai- ro i.l, was untiring in his efforts to save the pro perty of Ihe citizens, lie was the last man to I leave Eernandina, and was on the train that Charleston Courier, whose was fired on. He escaped by great efforts, and projected an expedition on Monda night to bring off tho train that liad been left, which would have been entirely successful bad not the railroad bridge beer, set on fire by order of Col. Hopsons, in command, just as the train reach edit. All the Florida troops need to ensure sues* is a worthy corn-nan cr At last accounts a 'Gallic was being fought on tlie mainland between the Federalists, 3000 , , . strong, and'our foiceg, numbering about 2000. n.i.ii. y .ay ') pi .vale j '|yp le , e j s |, 0 doubt that we shall take the whole Federal force, if General Trapier does not or der a retreat. Stch are a few items we have gathered from those recently from Florida. We lorgot to mention that the steamer St. Mary’s, Capt. Free lair n, is safe in the SL Johns river. It is said hho has been taken far up that river and there sunk by her gallant Captain.— Had it not been for the sagacity of Capt. Free born, the St. Mary’s would have been taken or THE GREAT NAVAL VICTORY. The Virginii papers teem nith additional details of the recent Southern naval victory m llainptor. Roads. We collate from various sources the more interesting portions of these accounts. The following graphic narrative of the oattle on Sunday, (written by an eye wit ness) is taken from tho Norfolk Day Book, of Tuesday Charleston Mercury. The ISullle on Suud.:)'. On Sunday morning faint canonading was heard below. When the thick vapors that overspread Hampton Roads lifted, Lieutenant Commanding C. A. P. R. Jones goi. undei weigli, and began his attack upon the en mv. At 10 o’clock the steamer Harmony shoved off from the Dock Yard and shot down the harbor. After threading our way through the b irriers, and passing the forts, dark, as on the previous day w ith masses ol soldiers of all arms, wo saw a strange picture—a picture at once novel and beautilul. The gunboats were lying in line of battle under Sewell’s Point, with the thick masses of smoke floating lazily over them, fir ing now and then a shot, while the Virginia, looking grim and mysterious as before, steam* cd in pursuit 01 a wonderful looking thing that was justly compared to a prodigious “cheese box on a plank,” said “cheese box” being of a Plutonian blackness. the rinuT WITIl Till: Ericsson xattkkv. At first we could sec the great puffs of white smoke jetting out, now from the Virginia, now from ttie Minnesota, and at long intervals from the black “chti-se box." But these white wreaths of sin ike blew off to seaward without a sound’s reaching us, for the wind had now risen, and the warm calm of early morning was succeeded by a piercing Northeaster.— Away we went across t’rauey Island Hits, and presently we could hear the guns, louder and louder. But the strange looking battery, with its black, revolving cupola,-fled before the Vir ginia. It was, as somebody said, “like tig' ling a ghost.” Now she ran down towards 01.1 Point, now hacked towards Newport News— now approached to tire, and then ran away to load, hut evidently fighting shy, and afraid of being put *‘m chancery ,” as the pugilists cali it, by her powci lul pursuer. The projectiles from her great piece of ordnance, a 10-inch solid allot gun, came dinring across lln* watei with a series of short, sharp pope, which made a music more exciting than melodious. Now she ovet-hot the Virginia, and the spray tlew more than thirty left high. Now site shot to tliis side, now to that, No . she sh amed close up, and hit her fairiy. In one of these en counters we lbought her iron castle had been shot away, hut when the smoke cleared away, there il was, and the long, plank like hull in shore again, driving along like the “Flying Dutchman.’' rill-: MKOINIA AtlKOlSb Meanwhile the Vir.inia crept up to cards the Minmsota—crept up anil paused in that mys terious silence w hich Ml upon her at all times; a silence awfully impressive to us aboard the mg. Was she aground? On*! thought yes. Another could make out that she was moving. A thud discovered that il was our forging ahead which imparted to her the ap|iarent mo tion wo li.id a moment before congratulated ourselves upon. The minutes scemedi like hours a- we stood watching the noble ship, against which the combined batteries of the Minnesota and Erric-son were now directed.— I'lie -ho. fell like hail, the shells flow l.ke rain diops,.and slowly, she returned the tiro. There lay the Minnesota, w ith two tug- alongside.— Here, there, and every when*, was the black “cheese box.” There lay the Virginia, evident ly aground, but still firing with the same de liberate regularity a- before. Presently u great white eoloinn ol smoke .-hot up above the Min nesota, higtie* and higher, fuller and fuller in its volume, and beyond doubt, carried dei th ai! along her decks, lor the red tugs boiler had been exp'oded by a shot, and that great white cloud caimoy was the steam thus liberated— more terrible than the giant who grew out of the vapor unsealed by tbe fi-hcrun n in the fa ble. Chief Engmuer. -W. A. Ramsay. Master—Win. . Midshipmen— Foute, MarmaJukc (wounded) Littlepage, Long, Craig, Rootes. Flag Officer’s Clerk—A. Sinclair. Engineers—1st Ty nans, 2nd < 'ainnbell, 3rd Herring. Paymaster’s Clerk—A. Uln iglit, Boatswain—C. Ha-ker. Gunner—C. 15. Oliver. Carpenter—Lindsay. Pilots—Geo. Wright, M. Williams, T. Cun- nyngbsui, W. Clark. Action of Ihe Ilk.—Lieutenant Command ing— Jones. 1 First Lieut., and ex officio—C. C. Simms. Lieutenant IT. Davidson—1st and 2d Divis ions. All the rest unchanged—the Flag Officer, attended bv his staff, one wounded, the other bearer of despatches having left. TERRIBLY DF.C: 1VBD. It is said that the Captain of the Congress, on seeing the Virginia bear down towards his ship, on Saturday, mustered his men anil ad dressed them thus: “My hearties, you see be fore you the great Soutnern bugahoe, got up to fright us out of our wits. Stand to your guns, and let me assure you that one good broadside from our gallant frigate, anil she is ours!” When that Broadside was poured into the Virginia, the Captain in dismay witnessed its effects, and seeing it did not even faize the armor of the Virginia, he again addressed hi crew, and said: ‘ Well, my hearties, that a terrific lire, but 1 have been mistaken. They have got ns, unless we can give’em Bull Run,” riiis i- said to he a positive fact, as reported by one of the prisoners on board the Congre-s. On hoard the Cumberland, we Iharn that many of the crew were looking on the Virgin ians she bore down upon them, and making ail manner of derisive and contemptuous remark-, many of them aloud, and within hearing of j those on board the Virginia, such as: “Well, there she comes ”—“What the devil does she I look l.ke.” “Wlnit in h— II is she a ter.” "Let’s look at the great Secesh curi sity,” t These remarks we e cut short by a disch irgc from the Virginia’s bo.i gun, which swept from one end ol the Cumberland’s deck to the other, killing and wounding numbers of the poor de luded w retches; and in a few minim s alter (he most ol the remainder of them found a watery grave from the effects of the terrible work of the object of tlieir merriment and contempt, FRENCH NAVAL OFFICERS SPECTATORS OF THE FlUllT. We have no doubt that the Northern jour- uils will be enabled, by putting on an exua lead of their lying power, to keep the terrible truth from their readers, hut we are gratified in the fact that a true account of this particu lar instance of Southern courage and prowess will go abroad to the n lions of Europe from eye witnesses on board of loreign vessels, as we learn the whole operations o! Saturday last Were witnessed by the officers and crew of at least one French vessel in Hampton Roads, if not two, anil possibly an English ve.-.-el also. CIIANUES IN THE VIKUISIa’n ARMAMENT. The Virginia, it is intimated, while up here, j has changed her forward and all pivot guns for j two of the celebrated Armstrong guns, which 1-ft-ly found their way into tins vicinity. She lio v ready “cocked and primed," as tho xuy- ' is, to do any little job ot work our folks may conclude to put her at, with as much ase, facility and dispatch as she did her admi rable job of destroying those three first class Y ankee men of w ar on Saturday and Sunday wi. mClLXNTS or THE RATTLE. Fiom various o.hcr sources we get tl.e fol lowing interesting *ncidents ol the engage ment : tion, perhaps a sou, of old Com. Pen lergrast. When the frigate attempted to escape, she ran aground and was torn to pieces almost by the shot of the Virginia, at whose mercy she lay. White flags were hoisted from all parts of her, and Pendergrast caine on hoard the gunboat Raleigh to sonvnder himself, vessel and crew, in token of which he presented his sword to Lieutenant Alexander, commanding the Ral eigh. While Pendergrast was on hoard the Raleigh foi ttiis ostensible purpose, the shore batteries began to play upon the gunhott, and Pendergrast wanted Lieutenant Alexander to Hoist a white flag, to stop the fire of the batte ries, which he indignantly refused. Pender grast then asked leave to go to the Congress, saying that if so permitted, he would fix it all, giving his pledge of honor to return. But when in answer to a flag of truce, a boat from the Virginia approached the Congress, she was fired on with small arms from the quarter leries of the frigate, and also from the si The frigate, however, had to surrender, when hoarded, she presented an awful spe of carnage. No doubt a good many went oft in boats, in disregard of the formal surrender made hy their commander, Lieutenant grast, and among those who stole the chivalrous Lieutenant himself, pledged his honor to return, and in that pledge had left his sword with L Alexander, on board the Raleigh ! -Capta| tc it i fife. LATER MEMPHIS PARTICLJ Fort Smitu, March 11.—( Rogers arrived here yesterday in ammunition wagons, flfc brings ficial and some very interesting det^ ^ battle between our forces and the en?l Elkhom four mil s from the Missouri line!*. Capt. Rogers says the fighting was A larger portion of our troops being armed with the common hunting rifles and shot guns, charged the enemy time and again, clubbing their guns and driving the enemy, who were armed with the best of guns, from their first position. The enemy gained a much stronger position, when, from the exhausted state of our troops, they fell back. Gen. McliYiiloch’s division having lost so many of their officers, Gen. Y'an Dorn, fearful that they might become disorganized, deemed it advisa >letn withdraw, which he did in splen- ’ order. The next day he attacked the ene- jn their second position, and while the )g was going on withdrew his whole ar- -uuftr.s,) Ai.aiiama.—Gov. hhoitcrhas issued a stir- no; appeal to the people of Alabama, ii* which Sunday morning, when the first Federal steam er made her appearance, flying a French flag, in distress. It was proposed to him to go out to the assistance of this pretendedly distressed steamer. Capt. Freeborn took, a good look at her through his glass and quickly observed that he wt.s not to bo caught in that way, because ha wus sure she was a Yankee build. It was a\ he has sent agents all over the State to i then that Lieut Col. Hollaud and eight men i*xt uruift from private hands, and begs tho ! J*" 1 oU ' 10 her « » • nd “ a I5 h ‘** 1 7 uneu prisoners by this base strategem of the (»le to turn over to t. eir. all tueir private , ms( ^ u pulous Yankee.—Savannah 'New. his. He also exhorts the people to burn ev I rtt y lock of cotton in danger ot falling into the 1 FROM NEW MADRID, i in) *s hands, and to plant no more than may | : necessary for their own wants. Th; Memphis Daily Appeal, of tho 11th, has j the f( Mowing special despatch from New Mad- I’atmotio Last.—A fair correspondent j fid : i.i.-i u»s m that previous to tho departure of Ntv Madrid, March 9th, via Union City, ' * I * * - .1 1 I L. 1. 1'L. .... .I * - . ■ " .I. sham Rifles," the wife of the gallant March 10th.—Tho enemy at this point is re- , ... , nor tel to be thirty thousand strong. General .pi.im of that company, made wtth her own , McCot n * g command continues to hold them in check. Skirmishing between pickets is going on all the time, but only s few have been in jured on our side. The loss of the onemy is a beautiful Confederate flag, which Capt. R igcrs presented to his company, accompanied \ (lit an eloquent and chaste address. This, ue understand, is tho second flag which Mrs. It l*a- made for volunteers going to war. This pe.ika in louder tones in her praise than any \t ords of commendation that we might utter. reported considerable each day. Our troops are buoyant and hopeful. A great battle is certain to ensue at this point Gen. McCown has his batteries in fine condition. Every able bodied man should at ones taka the field. THE VIKUISIA ALAIN AFLOAT. And now the Virginia in.ives again. There can be no error this time, for we see her actually moving through the water, and can mark the foam at her prow. And strange to say, these long, painful hours, measuring time by our emotions, are condensed by the unsympathetic hands ol our watches into fifteen minutes! At 12 M., she was steaming down fur Sowell’s while the strange looking battery bore away for the frigate ashore. Wo steamed down to meet her, mustered all hands, and running close alongside, gave her three cheers —three cheers w hich came front the bottom of our hearts—which were expressive of praise and thankfulness—of benediction and delight. Her company was mustered on the grating, and re turned our cheers. Wo ran in closer, and there was her Commandc, Catesby A. P. R. Jones, looking as calm and modest as any gen tleman within the jurisdiction of Virginia. — the Commodore hailed the ship, heard there ply, complimented the quiet, thoughtlul look ing man who had managed and fought her from the lime Flag Officer Buchanan was wounded up to that moment, and then, with cordially spoken eulogies upon the gallant men on hoard, we shot ahead. The same scene was enacted and re-enacted as she passed each vessel, and, with Flag Olfi. cer Forest in the van, the squadron steamed cautiously along towards the barricades. As the ships grouped against the sof', hazy sky, followed the Virginia, the picture was one nev er to be forgotten, the emoti nsexo'Ca such as :an never he described. THE llKSl'LTS OF TnE FIOUT. As we looked up towards Newport News, we saw the spars ol the Cumberland above the river she had so long insolently barred; but of her consort there was not even a timber head visible to telhher story. But this was not all she had dune. The Minnesota lay there riddled like a se've What damage she sustained will never be known, hut it must have beeu fright ful. And w ithin eight and forty hours she had successfully encountered—encountered, defied and beaten a force oqual to 2,t>9u men and 230 guns, as will be seen by the following table: Congress, (burnt) 490 men 50 guns. Cumberland, (sunk). ..... 360 “ 22 44 Minhesola, (riddled) 550 •* 40 “ Roanoke, (scared off) .550 “ 40 “ St. Lawrence, (peppered).. 480 “ 50 “ Gunboats, (2 or 3 disabled) 120 “ 6 “ Forts, (silenced) .200 “ 20 “ Erricsson 150 “ •2 “ 2850 230 Here, perhaps, in this short tabic is a better picture o! what she did and what she dared, than any word painter, though he were aYer- net, could ever give. tue officers or the Virginia. That some of the makers of this great p'ece of history may bo known to the public, weap pend a listnf her officers: Action of the Hth—Staff.—Flag Officer F. Buchanan; Lieut. R. D. Minor—both wound ed. Secretary and Aid.—Lieut D. F. Forest— Army. First Lieutenant and ex-officio—C. A. P. R. Jones. Lieutesants—C. 0. Simms, lit Division; H. Davidson, 2d Division; J. T. Wood, 3d Divis ion; J. R. Eggleston, 4th Division; W. R. Butt, 5th Divisian. Captain.—B. T. Thom, C. S. IL C., Divis ion. Paymaster—Semple shot and shell Divid Fleet Surgeon—D. B. Phillips. Assistant Surgeon—A. S. Garnett GOOD NEWS. t The Savannah Morning Nows, contains the following : Another Arrival.—We have authority for saying that there has been another arrival at a Confederate port of a valuable cargo of foreign articles. The captain of the adventurous craft has often been seen upon our streets, and we congratulate him again upon his >ucc*-ss. And still Another.—Since the at.o^^J^-, been in type we leurn that an English *■■»,* ..-V has also arrived at a Confederate port, with arms, munitions, & .*., in large quantities. These statements, we understand, are firmed hy verbal report, and though n reived, we do trust that this sto .substaxMally correct. Arms and food are now the gi ? A needs of the Confederacy. Van Dorn says he is not whipped, and annot be With tho reinforcements which he will receive and by giving his troops a few He says he will drive them back starting place. thdrawal of so large an army in such r, alter losing so many valuable offi inked upon as one of the most bnl- . l l . rV ' , ' , f the present war. fien it became known to the troops that . McCulloch was killed, they were frantic with rage, ai d Ins command fought like de mons, charging aMimcs, and puj^Ky^x Might five times the] Gen. Mi uianil ear Gen. 1‘ri the firsl r jMIksour 1 There grades kY ■ al day LATE* FROM NASHVILLE—I) WcMfd the pleasure of an inter lijWing, Not one (sf our men was killed by a ball from a cannon, which is somewhat marvellous, when we take into consult''atiun the fact that the Mtrrimac was struck du.mg the two days’ fighting at least one thousand times. All the casualties were caused by Mi ie halls and escaping steam. Within twenty-five minutes from the first shot the Mood of the James closed over the hull f the Cumberland^ and it savors of poetic justice that her destruction should b * the work f a vessel whioa would never have been built hut for the crew of the Cumberland- -the main instrument ,u the burning of the old Merri- mac. he self abnegating heroism of Captain Buchanan, of Maiyland, commander of the Virginia in the recent memorable conflict, will be generally appreciated when It is known that his younger and tavoiite brother was the Cursor of tboTrigito Congress, at which the fire of the Virginia was most pertinaciously directed, and is supposed to have perished on hoard of her. I’lie schooner Reindeer, which was lying at Newport News, and compelled to leave in con sequence of the hot fire of the Merrimac, fell nto our hands without trouble, and was taken up to Norfolk. The Reindeer had a very re markable cargo for this latitude, viz: an im inense tank ol live codfish. Tnese were doubt less intended f *r ihe Catholic soldiers at Newport Ncftra, this being the season of Lent. Tbe Minnesota, which was greatly crippled in tiie action, was one of the very best steamers of tlie enemy’s navy. She was nearly new nml built at a cost, for hull and machinery, of $816,000. Armament and stores of all kinds carried her value up to about eleven hundred thousand dollars. She was the Hag ship of Commodore Goldsborough, and it is to he hoped he was at his post The Cumberland, which had been razeed, was probably the most formidable vessel of her class in the navy. She carried two 11 inch pivot guns of 16,000 pounds each, and twenty two 9 inch guns, of 9,000 pounds each. Every seaman will at once observe what a terrific broadsiuc she could give. Her complement of men was about 360. The Cumberland sunk in about fifty feet of water, and only the tops of her masts are now visible. It is thought she will never he raised. The Congress was the crack sailing frigate of the United States Navy. She carried an enormous armament—sixteen 22s of 42 ewt, and tour 32s of 57 cwt, on her spar deck, and twenty 32s of 57 cwt, and ten 8 inch gans of 63 cwt, on her gun deck, ller complement of men was 500. The Congress was tho maga zine ship of the sqaadrpn, and contained several tons of gunpowder, which would have been quite acceptable to the Southern Confederacy at this time, bat the beleaguered ship lay too near Newport News for us to secure the amu- nition. The powers of resistance which the Merrimac offers will be made apparent, wheu it is stated that the Ericsson carries cannon throwing solid ffhot of 183 pounds, and conical balls weighihg 350 pounds. The Ericsson played upon the iron sides of the Confederate marine monster, during much of the engagement, at a distance of only forty yards, and yet failed to penetrate through^hur iron casing in a single instance. On her sides are about thirty shot wounds, not one of which tore up the second plate of iron, however, and only two of her guns were dams aged, and those to an entirely inconsiderable extant. But the Merrimac did seriously dam age the Ericsson. The latter’s revolving turret was so badly injured, that it became inopera tive, and one of the Merrimac’s balls passed clean through her. She finally attempted the colliding game, which was accepted by the Merrimac, and the Ericsson forced to retire. The Congress was commanded by Captain Smith, who was not on board at the time, and the Senior Lieutenant, also named Smith, hav- been killed or wounded, the command de pt Peud day i;|eEing, with a gentleman uhi villu on’ last Sunday. From him many very interesting particulars, j The Lincoln force around Nasn,me num bers'some fifty thousand troops, to which ad ditions are being made daily. They are e-n gagoil in repairing bridges on the Louisville Railroad, hut are doing little or nothing in the way of fortifying the city or its approaches, riieir pickets extend some six miles in a!! di rections, so that ingress aud egress arc diill- cult. The city is dull and gloomy, nearly all business being suspended—a few retail stores, here and there, being all that are doing any thing. Gen Buell lias made his headquarters al the house of the cashier of onejpf the hanks, while his staff occupies the residence of Col. V. K. Stevenson. The Union sentiment is quite weak, nml the Lincolnites are very much disappointed. They meet with f%r leas sym pathy and support than they expected. A skirmish took place on .-iinday morning, iot far from the city, between a body of cav alry under Col. hcott and some Lincoln ma rauders,. resulting in the killing ot thirteen of the latter; who by tlieir uniforms were desig nated as members of tile* 3 1 Iowa regiment. The skirmish occurred within three quarters »f a mile of a body of 5,600 Federals, and our mi n retired upon their approach. Two papers are published in Nashville—the “Banner” from the office of the old “Banner iii Whig,” and the “Times” from the “Union A American” office. Both are said to he hold and outspoken, and the latter particularly sau cy. Although a very large quantity of provis ions were lost at Clarksville and Nashville, there was not near as much left to be captur ed as was reported at first. A great deal of it was distributed among the women and others, who hud been doing work for the government, [laying them largely over the amount due. (jeii. Johnston, has, to a considerable extent, lost the confidence of the people along his line of march, but the dissatisfaction is less gene ral Ilian the public has been tuade to believe. It will require, however, some master stroke of strategy, or some brilliant exploit on his part to recover entirely the favor of the public.— From another source we learn that he address ed bis officers after their bit val at .Murfrees boro, when he is leported to have said that “in however low esteem he might now he held as a military commander, lie would in a short lime retrieve his lost ground, and demonstrate the military value of his movements. VVe do not doubt h is ability to do so. Of course it is unknown to what point thu enemy will direct his assault, but it is thought that Memphis will be the next point of inter est, as they expect to hag large supplies of cot ton there. Another object desirable of attain ment is the control of the East Tennessee and Georgia Railroad, by way of Cumberland Gap, so as to interrupt our communication hy that route with Richmond. We apprehend their expectations in both respects will bo disap pointed.—A tin m a Commonwealth. over sis still is- idcd. , on Boston oV-The enemy, and will army fought the enemy on all sides, ;iletcly passing arouml them. Memphis Appeal, 12th. Auers igamenl er, near KatfEport, on Wed ii <&.'.* eral gunboats attempted to asccY, - „ but were repulsed several times by ries. It is believed that one gunbo.^ disabled. None of the Confederates jurod. Memphis is under martial law. ton, sugar and molasses have excepting enough for family supf The Memphis Appeal publish 3 from Richmond, stating that Preside is going West, and urging all to i standard. At last, & quorum of the Tennessee 1^ lature is present. Governor Harris, in his message, says, “I mediately on hearing of the foil of Fort Donel- son, I called upon Gen. Johnston to tended him all the resources of the State which could be tnado available, with my full co-operation in any and all measures of defence of our State and Capital. Gen. Johnston informed me that under tlie circumstances which surrounded him, with a small force under his command regarded it his duty to the army he comm" cd and the government he represented, to fall* hack with his army South of Nashville, ing no defence of tlie city, and that he w do so immediately upon the arrival ef the aj from Bowling Green. The Governor urg Legislature to'provide the ways and meanl sustain tho troops, and calls out the entire] itary power of the State, to sustain the t| federacy. l i KTiiKR Movements i p the Tennessee.— From a gentleman who has just arrived from tlie Tennessee we have information of the fur ther movements of the enemy up the Tenneesee river. ALReynoldsburg, Humphreys county, he witnessed the pMSage up of thirty t wo Fed eral steamers incltwhig one gunboat, Monday afternoon, and early in the evening fourteen more transports. Additional boats pa-sed up on Tuesday, carrying cavalry, wagons, artille ry, mules, etc. The number ot vessels com posing the* last Meet was not knowD.—Man phin Appeal, 14fA. A young Mississippian, who was taken pris oner at Fort Donclson, has arrived in Memphis. It appears that after the surrender lie, with other prisoners, was detailed to chop wood for the camp, each chopper being guarded hy an armed Hessian, but happening to think of his old fattier and mother at homo, Mississippi put his axe into the Hessian’s head instead of into a log, and travelled, lie goes into the service again. movements in tlie West—Impor tance of Defending tlie Mississippi. P. W. A. of the Republican, writes as fol. lows from Memphis, on the 10th ; 11 is of the highest consequence that the Confederates should he able to maintain tlieir present position on the Mississippi river. Is land No. 1ft is situated just where the lionnda- ry line between Tennessee and Kentucky strikes in tlie river, and is a very strong posi tion. There need he no doubt of our ability to hold the Island against the gunboats of the enemy. Hickman, a few miles above on the Kentucky side, is also in our possession, and wc hold the eastern hank of the. river from that point down to New Orleans and below. It is from the western bank that danger is to be apprehended. Oui forces at New .Madrid, on the Missouri side, are already besieged, anil now an attempt is being mads to plant a batte ry at Point Pleasant on tin* same side a few miles lower down. The occupation of either of those places by I lie enemy would cut oil communication wile Island No. Ill by water, and greatly endanger that position, if indeed it did not lead eventually to its ahandouinei.i. To prevent such a disaster, it will be found ne cessary to keep CmiMiodore Hollins’ gunboats constantly in motion, and possibly to land a heavy lorce on the western side of the river, aud sweep the enemy back into the count:y. Thus you will see how difficult it is to hold the river and boili of its banks. Blocking up the channel and occupying one side do not pre vent the enemy from seizing points on the side aud stopping our boats hy means of his batter ies. Nothing but a large land force, in addi tion to efficient water batteries and a full com plement of transportation and gunboats, can enable us to hold tlie river anfl prevent the descent of the enemy lo Memphis and New Orleans To do this effectually^ vfill require great skill and energy, and an adequate anil well equipped force. Tint Generals Beaure gard, Polk and Bragg are equal to the emer gency, there need be no doubt. The only ground lor apprehension relates to the means at their command.—The Federate have been preparing for months for the descent of the river, and they are now ready and amply pro vided with men, boats, arms, and all kinds of supplies. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of the Cot.federates. . Kastport, on the Tennessee river, being the point where the boundary line between Alaba ma aud Mississippi cuts the river, is also a place of great interest just now. The enemy hopes to penetrate our lines trom that point, or Florence, and seize the Memphis and Charles ton Railroad, and thus to cut off our commu nication. It is reported that they have sent a gunboat and fifteen transports to Kastport, and that others are to follow. The occupation in force of the line of railway near that point, would be a flank movement similar to that at Fort Donclson, the prime object of which, af ter the interruption of our communications would be to force Beauregard further down the Mississippi, and to seize Corinth and Grand Junctiou—points of railway intersections of great importance—and the city of Memphis. Thus you will perceive the absolute necessi ty of maintaining our position at New Madrid aud Island No. 1ft, and of preserving the integ rity of our lines along the Memphis and Charleston litilway. To do this, it becomes necessary for us to keep a strong force at both points. Federal succe.-s at either point may lead to the forcing of the Mississippi and the occupation of Memphis, and after a whilo of New Orleans—the Mecca to which the eyes of the Federal army of the West are now wistful ly turned. With the control of the Mississip pi, we should also lose the control of the YVhite, Arkansas and Red Rivers. The loss of these water highways would be a disaster far greater than the fall of Fort Donclson and all the other reverses we have experienced. The possession of the Arkansas river alone, with the Missisip pi down to the point of confluence, would ren der it all but impossible for Gen. Trice to main tain I iiuself in Missouri. of FIGHT EXPECTED AT NEWBERN, N. t ArousTA, 15th.—The Norfolk Day Book, tho 14th has despatches from Goldsboro’ N C, announcing that the enemy appeared below Newbcrn yesterday evening. Firing com menced at nine o’clock this morning. Federal vessels, 14 miles below Newbern, were tending troops at Slocumb Greek. The general fight not yet commenced. The Newbern Progress of the 13th says that ten Federal steamers and o£ie schooner were within 12 miles of the city. A battle expected on Friday. The Richmond Examiner of the 14th says that Gen. R. E. Lee has been appointed by President Davis, commanding General. Special to tha Telegraph. Griffin, 17th.—Capt. J. E. Rylander, of the Zollieoflor Riflemen, from Aniericus, was to day elected Major of the Ifttli Ga. Battalion, receiving 305 votes out of 308. J. L. Adpkrton LATER FROM THE WEST. Clarksville, Ark., March 12.—A gentleman has just arrived, who left Van Burcn yesterday upon a Lieutenant Pendergrast, a rela- morning. He reports Gens. Van Dorn and Price, with their armies, safe at Boston Mountain. Our baggage train had also arrived at the mountain safely, on Monday evening, Gen. Green, ol Missouri, brought up the rear with 6000 troops and one battery of artillery. He had hard lighting with the enemy until within a short distance north of Fayetteville. Memphis Appeal, 13lA‘ SUCCESSES AND REVERSES. Tht chequered character ol war has been happily expressed in a lively EngKsh ballad “Come, cheer an, ’tie l.o une to deqiond, hoys ; •'.Pis written, stucc fighting tiegan. That sometimes we light aud we coniiucr. . find, sometimes wo light and we ran. ” We commend the verse lo the whole family of croakers. Let them sing it three times a day. It will relieve their livers. It is the ex pcrience of all mankind since the beginning of battled.—Richmond Dispatch. An exchange says: “ General McIntosh, who was killed at the late battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas, is generally supposed to be Chillie McIntosh, a half-breed Creek Indian, and a Baptist minister. This is a mistake. Gen. Me Intosh is the son of Gol. James McIntosh, of Georgia, U. S. Army, who fell in the Mexican war, and nephew tq Maj. Wm. McIntosh, of Savannah, almost an octogenarian, but who re cently volunteered to serve'with Commodore Tattnall in one of his attacks upon the Federal blockadere.” • - The following is from a private letter, dated Warsaw, Ala,, March 3d, received in this city yesterday: “The North Alabamians, as I learn, hav. turned traitors. They are sending off oi troops, and say the; will have nothing to with thu war, and are selling their cotton the Yankees at 20 cents. The Yankees them to send to New York for whatever tl want. This makes it very bad for the cottoi planter of the State who are loyal federate States.” We can hardly believe this is FROM THE WEST. Last cvi i.uig we received the Memphis Ava lanche m tin '’h inst, which contains the ollowing teh g* i us : Clarksville, Ark., March 11 th.—Our forces, 20,000 strong, attacked the enemy in much larger force, at Elkhorn, in this State. The battle on the first day lasted from ten A. M., until dark. The loss on both sides was very heavy. Gens. McCulloch, McIntosh and Herbert were killed—also a great many other officers of lower grades. Gen. Price was wounded in tho arm. Gen. Slack was badly it not mortal ly wounded. Our army slept on tho hattle- ield, the first night, having driven tho enemy rom their position. The enemy took a second and stronger position, and wc being without our supply train, had to fall back to get our provisions. Our exact loss cannot yet be as certained. Fort Smith, March 10th.—Captain Hickory Rogers just arrived, having been sent up with the ammunition train, states thkthe saw Major Montgomery, Capt Armstrong and Captain Lomax, all ot McCulloch’s staff, who had been cut off and had been reported killed or taken prisoners, were at Joe Bnant’s on the Fayette ville road, to-day at 12 o’clock. Capt R. says that our loss in kilted and wounded is about 2,000, in round numbers.— that of the enemy between 7,000 and 8,000. I send you the latest dispatches by express. Just heard from Gen. Van Dorn. He fought at Elkhorn, about four miles south of th souri line. The battle commenced at ten A M, on the 7th and was fought until dark. Gen. McCulloch and McIntosh, and Col. Herbert, were killed early in the action. The loss was heavy on both sides. Gen. Price and Slack were wounded—the former slightly, the latter mortally. Man) officers were killed and wounded whose names are not given. There is some difficulty about a correct list. Our forces slept on tho battle field the first night. The enemy took another and stronger position, but Mc Culloch’s division was so much disorganized by the death of their officers, that Gen. Van Dorn was afraid of a panic among them, as th *y fell back ; and therefore, on the 8th, he made an attack on the enemy, and, under cover of the light withdrew his whole army, which is now encamped fourteen miles west of Fay etteville. The army got separated from their train, which is safe at Strieker’s on Boston Mountain, about twenty-five miles offi Van Pom says ho has fallen back, but whipped. The foregoingj The Avalanct] has been land^ “it is merely a fs._ lion, anp draw it most serious i The Avalanche! Madrid and points i “The Federate have i drid about 22,000 me the last accounts, joj with some heavy ( resented as ■ ant, a battoryj of the Mins a and reinlurj ow and .\k Feder . ' M m 1* r'ijfoflfci’'iVifnfci i Ate

Georgia Historic Newspapers

Weekly Georgia telegraph. (Macon [Ga.]) 1858-1869, March 21, 1862, Image 1