The New York Herald Newspaper, January 20, 1862, Page 1

THE WHOLE NO. 9262. ” NEWS FROM WASP’\NGTON. The Senate Commitee and the Army Appointments of the President. The Positions of France and England in Regard to the Southern Blockade, &e., &e., &e. ‘Wasarxatow, Jan 19, 1862. ‘THB NOMINATION AND CONFIRMATION OF ARMY OF- ‘The Military Committee of the Senate has an immense ‘amount of business before them, and of a most important character, The nominations of generals, colonels and other army officers requires the greatest care, In the snvestigation of the qualification of each man, the com- ‘mittee seem determined that 10 man shall receive their endorsement simply on aecouns of political favoritism, family or wealth, but alone upon those requisite qualifica- tions necessary to make a good officer. The committee do to seek advice from high military sources whenever they are in doubt. In pursuing these investi. gations it is quite Matural that some good men will be falsely charged, and some poor officers will contrive to pass the ordeal without exposure. The committee have had about one hundred and fifty Drigadier genorals referred to them by the Senate for confirmation. They have agreed to report back about fifty as worthy of Senatorial confirmation, At the head Of this list stands the name of Governor Morgan aga Major General. Messrs. Negley and ex-Senator Cooper» of Pennsylvania, are among the names of Brigadier Ge- Berals favorably reported upon. The committee are surprised to observe the unusually large number of offi- @ers appointed from Pennsylvania. Not only so, but it appears that a large number of Pennsylvanians have received appointments but are credited to other States. ‘This is deemed unfair towards the patriotic citi. zens from other States, who have repeatedly sought -Fecognition at the hands of the late Secretary of War in vain. Many of these Pennsylvania appoint- ‘ments are said to be bad, and consequently are under- going a examination. Among the Brigadier Generals not reported to the Senate, but to whose confirmation objections have been raised, causing in some instances sharp debate, are Messrs. Shields, Meagher, Frank Patterson, Stoneman, Barry, Sickles, McKinstry, Gorman and C. F. Smith. There is little doubt that Gene- val Shields will be unanimously reported back to the Benate by the committee, in which event he will be con- , firmed and urged for the command of a division, It is leo believed that the allegations against General Stone man, Chief of Cavalry, and General Barry, Chief of Ar- Sillery of the army of the Fotomac, will be removed, and that they will be favorably reported upon. There are many regrets expressed that General Stone was con- firmed at the July session, as, in consequence of hie record subsequently made, and now in evidence before ‘the Committee on the Conduct of the War, be would not now be confirmed. - THE PREXCH GOVERNMENT AND THE SOUTHERN BLOCKADE. Recent letters received from British statesmen confirm ‘Dut because the British government was unwilling to take an active part in provoking hostilities with this gover ment, although not averse to France taking the task in Band and throwing open tbe ports for their common enent, a THE CONDITION OF OUR MILITARY AND NAVAL aF- PAIRS. ‘The President and General McClellan are in the best of spirits to-day in consequence of the present excellent otate of our militaryemd mavalaffairs. The fears that ‘the gale may have some mischief to Genera) Burn, wige’s expedition is the only present drawback. MISBEPARSENTATION OF THE PRESIDENT AND HIS OPINIONS. ‘The disorganisers in and around Washington who make ‘4 their Dusiness daily to get up and circulate falsehoods Prejodicial to General McClellan and hie plans, and against President Lincoln and his sound policy for the preeerva- tien of the government, are a wiry anda dangerous set of people, They are constantly devising traps into which they seek to draw the President, and in carrying tut their programme some of thom do not hesitate to go 0 far as te bold private wnofficial interviews with the Presi- dont, and by theif ingenious offers draw him into @onversations, in the hope of committing bim to radical, declaration of their own. only yesterday by high to induce the President to break the line of his policy on the contraband ques- tion, they coolly proceeded, in violation of the ruje recog: mized among gentlemen the world over, and caused « ‘Statement of the conversation to be written out, as they ‘wished to have it appear, and caused it to be offered to ‘the press for publication. To what extent this was done ‘time alone will show. The correspondent of the Hmratp ‘was urged to forward it for publication, but doubting the ‘truth of certain declarations it put into the mouth of Mr. ‘Lincoln, your correspondent took the manuscript, but de- clined to forward it. To-day he submitted it to the Pre. ident, who at once branded the portion purporting to represent what he said as untrue, and also assorted that the whole thing was a total misrepresentation of the conversation had between bim and the party in question. This is only one of the many ways employed ‘Dy the disorganizers in Washington at the present tine te descry public confidence in the President and General ‘MeClellan. ‘TES ABUSE OF THE UNITED STATES BY THE CANADIAN Authentic information bas been received here from dis- tinguished statesmen abroad which shows beyond doubt ‘that the Canadian press, which has been industriously abusing this country, does not reflect the opinion of the Canadian Ministry, The Toronto Leader, that has been most forward in thie denunciation, is edited by one Lindsay, en American, born in ither Georgia or South Carclina, and ardently sympatbising with the rebellion, has beon reently severely rebuked for bia efforte to make it appear that he was speaking for the colonial government, and compelled to publish con. spicuously a disavowal of any authority to commit the government. It is true that the Canadian masses mani. fested much enthusiasm and great unanimity in the sup, port of Queen Victoria when war between the United States and Great Britain seemed imminent; but it is also true that the whole colonial Ministry evinced much satis. faction at the avoidance of hostilities by the simple sur. render of Maron and Slidell. THE BLOCKADE OF THE POTOMAC. On Friday the propeller E. Chamberlain, of Philadel. phia, loaded with hay, ran the batteries of the Potomac et Evaneport. Fire was opened upon ber without da- mage. The Shipping Point battery also fired upon her, and in all one hundred rounds of shot and shell were fired without offect. The captain and mate of the propeller ali the while replied to the rebels’ shots with derisive epi- thete, and kept on their way. A schooner going down the river was Decalmed and ran aground opposite Stump Neek, yostorday, and the rebeis @pened « hot fire upon her; the crew deserted anda @uard from the Fires Massachusetts regiment, Colonel ‘Welles, was put on board. It is supposed that the schooner ‘was got off at high tide. QUABREL BETWEEN ARMY OPricEnS ae sunTe. « Captains MoHenry and Chapman, of the Sixty.third Pennsylvania regiment, who had been absent on a fur- Jough, returned Saturday night to Alexandria. Having Become intoxicated they commenced quarrelling in the street, near the offies of General Montgomery ; who, com. sng out, endeavored to quell the disturbance, when Chap. man fired two ineffectual shots at him pistol, The guard was summoned, who arrested and placed the of. fenders in irons. , QOLONEL MILES AND THM BATTLE OF RELL AUN, ome surprice has been expressed at the fallare of tho AND ITS RB- ” Congressional Committee on the Conduct of the War to take tBe teetimony of Colonel D. 8. Miles, who commanded the reserve division in the battle of Bul! run, ave examined large number of officers who are: familiar tham be is with the principal facts and details of that affair. PROPOSED I880B OF MONEY ORDERS. ‘The Post Office Committes of thefHeuse of Representa. tives bave under consideration the introduction of a money order system for the transmission through postofficeorders of sums under thirty dollars at the average rate of about one-baif of one per cent. It is doubted whether this system can be made to work well in thiscountry. It pays expenses and yields a net revenue of aboutone hundred thousand dollars per annum in England, but it ‘bas failed to pay in either Ireland or Canada. It was first established in Great Britain as the private enter- Prise of three of the clerks in the Post Office Department during the Napoleonic war, to enable soldiers and sailors tomake smal} remittances, and was subsequently adopted by the department. The existence of almost precisely simi- lar circumstances in this country suggests its adoption as ®@ measure of convenience to the half @ million of soldiers now in the service, and the fact that the government continually needs large sums of money in the Western States, where the use of this system “would produce an accumulation of the postal revenue, would, it is thought, compensate for what has been hitherto unged as the dis- advantage of the system. It remains to be seen, also, if the banking system proposed by the Secretary of tho ‘Treasury would not also enhance the value of this mode of distributing the Post Gfiice receipts. THE JAIL REGULATIONS OF MARSHAL LAMON. Complaints have been made relative to the jail regula- tions of Colonel Lamon, Marshal for the District of Co- lumbia, who acted under the advice of high legal autho- rity. It appears the reasons for the regulations have either been misunderstood or his motives not known in requiring members of Congress to procure passes from the President of the Senate or Speaker of the House: Tt was to facilitate rather than obstruct their entrance into that heretofore unattractive institution by thus making known to the prison guards’ the official standing of the visiters, and securing their prompt admission. THE WORK OF THE VAN WYCK COMMITTER. - For a week past the Van Wyck Investigating Commit- tee have been busy examinining into the frauds and abuses in army transportation and the conduct of sutlers. Tho field is an extensive one and furnishes a mine for the exploration of the committee. THE SUCCESS OF THE BRITISH POSTAL SYSTEM. From a recent comparison of our posta) system with that of Great Britain, the fact is developed that the British Post office is rendered self-sustaining only by the immense revenue derived from postage on drop letters in the city of London, from which source alone four mil- ions of dollars of the annual postal revenue is derived. THE WEATHER. ‘This has been an exceedingly unpleasant day, rain and mud and fog being the trio evils to contend with. The etreets in the city and roads outside of itare in the worst possible condition, ARRIVAL OF THE ARABIA, ‘The steamship Arabia, from Liverpool, January 4, and which was detained at Halifax to land Eng- lish troops, arrived at this port about two o’clock this morning. She brings £66,700 in specie The main points of her news have already been given in the Hera.p. IMPORTANT KENTUCKY, THE. FORWARD MOVEMENT OF GEN. BUELL. Curomnan, Jan. 19, 1862. A special despatch from Indianapolis says four Indiana regiments in the Green river columm have advanced to South Carrolton, and will soon o¢cupy Rochester. This is directly im the route to Bowling Green. Genera! Bueil is concentrating @ powerful force at Green river, and itis said be is now ready for a forward movement. ‘The rebels at and about Bowling Green are destroying the railroad, felling trees across the track, and doing everything to retard the progress of cur army. It is said they are making every preparation to evacuate that place on the approach of our forces. Lousvm, Jan. 19, 1862. All ia quiet below. J . ‘The rapid rive of water in the Obio, now at flood height, broke away adam jast nigbt on the enlargement of the canal, drowning ope mas and causing considerable BATTLE NEAR IRONTON. REPORTED BATTLE BETWREN 6,000 REBELS UNDER JEFF. THOMPSON AND 800 FEDERAL TROOPS UNDER COLONEL MILLS—FEDBRAL DEFEAT—LOSS HEAVY ON BOTH SEDES. {From the St. Louis Democrat, Jan. 11) pacdwey ay Mel @ reliable character this city advanced upon troops under Colonel Mills, at a distance of about twenty. three miles from Ironton, and gave them battle. A desperate conflict ensued, resulting in the loss of MEA feeuianscheoponeessoy coon naa |, overpowered numbers, |, at latest accounts, fallen back a distance of eight miles, leaving a quantity of baggage in eee at enemy , and were ting . At Pilot Knob considerable alarm existed, and Colonel Carlin was making every preparation for the impending struggle at that point. ‘AD attack was thought to be inevitable last night, but will not bly take place until to-day. The Wisconsin aod which left here on Wednesday arrived Pe J at Ironton yesterday. A battery of the First Missouri Te Artillery, under command of Major Schofield, started from this city yesterday, and will pro- bably reach Point Knob this morning. ‘The rebois bad uot destroyed any more of the bridges. The Bi r bridge is being rapidly rebuilt. This news came to us in @ manoer which leaves no doubt of it correstness. Wo have bad no infor. mration of 80 a body of federal troops being thrown out,as is in this report, towards the su pposed locality of Jeff. Thompson and bis’ band; and we think in that respect there may be some exaggeration. ‘The arrival of the hth Wisconsin will make the force at the Knob » little over three thousand. They have the advantage of some heavy guos and strong po- sition; but, on the other hand, the troops, it will be re- membered, are freah, and not well disciplined. If Major Scholeld and his are permitted to pass i without detention all rely greatly upon the assist. ‘ance which he will be ableto render the officer in com- mand, Colonel Carlin. MILITARY MOVEMENTS (From sy De Courey’s Obio day, in the direction of Crab the way to London, Barboursville, Cumberland ), he. . On yo Keir ed Fifty-Gret Indiana (First trish), and the y-seventh Obio, left their camp near Bards- town for camp Wildcat, or some other point in that vici- nity. . Bruce's Kentucky segues returned yesterda; from Smithiand, and passed ne the city. “y : Captain J.B. Watking, now of the police force, late of the Semple battery, is Organizing ® company for the Pro- vost Guard, and ing finely with recruiting. His quarters are at the corner of Sixth and Grayson streets, LOUISVILLE. From the Wheel ogy Mintelligencer January 17. ee! a jan in Tatham, Com t i pany B.; Second Virginia rogt- ment, accom, ‘ed by seventeen of @ company emp oe jum ber! Dry Fork of Cheat river, in morning of the 8th inst., and desper tof an hour’s duration, completely routed thom, killing six and wounding several others, and burning up their quarters and prov! , Though the numbere engaged were amall, the frin; was 80 rapid that it was distinctly beard for eight miles The parties wero within thirty steps of each other when the fight commenced, and the rebels, owing to the supe- riority of their numbers and position, were #0 confide: of success that they a for a time like tigers, but ‘were finally driven entirely off the field. Captain Latham’s loss was atx men wounded, as fol- lows :—Oorporal Jenkins, slightly in the arm; t vates—Frederick Dopp, mort sbot through the left breast; James M. Pfrom, severely, « ball in each leg and one through the left hand. Whitchair ht B , ball in 5 Baw: 1, ol in the Jett hand. 1 In a skirmish on the night of the Sth instant between - eye} * sadaaad private A. Watts wae slightly wounded in in with Affray tn Rochester. Roouxeren, Jan, 17, 1862. ning, about alx o’cleck, an affray occurred in @ Fenbling, ‘oom in this city, kept in Moulson’s block, in ont atrest, by one lore Neweomb, which resulted in the shooting of Samuel Tt by ® man named Let Hutchingon. A faro bank was in operation, and the par- ties got into an altercation about the stakes. confusion Hutchinson made his escape, Thi man lies in a very critical condition, hay! bail in the abdomen. The physicians thin! possible chance fer his recovery. OMcers are on the track of the villain, agd he will probably be caught, W YORK HERALD. eemeainer, NEW. YORK, MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 1862. GENERAL WoOL’s DIVISION. Fortress Mownos, Jan. 18,1862. ‘Two rebela were taken prisoners last night by Company ¥,,of the Sixteenth Massachusetts regiment. The first was ® man who has a pass from General Wool admitting ‘him within our lines. He bas for some time past sup- “plied himself with shoos, &., which he has disposed of to the enemy, and with gold and silver, which he has sold at. premium, He was taken at his house from un- der two beds. He will be sent to the Rip Raps. The other case was that of a private who, from papers upon him, appeared to be on a visit to his home on @ fur- Jough. é Seven companies of the New York Second regiment, on ‘®@ reconnoissance last night from Newport News, drove in the enemy’s pickets and discovered their position at a distance of twelve miles from Camp Butler. They brought in a lame man, who has hitherto enjoyed the protection Of our troops in consequence of his infirmity. There is reason to believe that he has lately had treasonable cor- Fespondence with the rebels. OUR FORTRESS MONROE CORRESPONDENCE. Forrness Monros, Jan. 17, 1862. Frigate Pomone—She Returns the Compliment—The French Admiral Visits General Wool—Arrival of Ex- changed Union Prisoners—How They Were Received, dc. Six days have now pagsod since the departure of the Burnside expedition, and no definite news bas reached us as yet of its operations, either through our own or rebel channels, Tho only mtelligence received here of any note was this morning, by the arrival of the United States gunboat Mount Vernon, which vessel reported the fleet off Hatteras on Wednesday. The file of South” papers which I send along with this, evidently contains nothing further. Coftsiderable astonishment was manifested this morning at tho rapid firing of heavy artillery. The object appears to have been a salute to the French frigate Pomone, having on board Adgniral de Montaignac. The Fronch vessel ar. rived here yesterday afternoon, but too late to receive the proper salute from the fort, it being near sundown. ‘The commander of the frigate, however, sent word to Major General Woo! that at nino o’clock to-morrow (this) morning he would pay the respect due our station and fire analute of twenty-one guns. The flagship Minnesota was saluted and returned the compliment. Admiral Montaignac sent his card to the Commanding General, which reads as follows :—" Marquis de Montaignae, capi- taine de vaisseant et !’Admiral du Division Navaledo Neuve.” At the appointed hour the salute from the water battery of Fort Monree was fired, under the direction of Ordnance Sergeant Livers, and returned by the Pomone. Shortly after the French Admiral and suite appeared at General Wool’s headquarters, and wore re- ceived with due formality. Major General Wool was surrounded by hie staff, all of them appearing tn full dress uniform. The meeting of the two commanders was cordial and friendly. A fiag of truce from Norfolk yesterday brought up the following officers, who have been regularly exchanged :— Captain W. L. Bowers, brigade Quartermaster, Rhode Island brigade ; Captain A. E. Kellogg, Second Connecti- cut regiment (taken prisoner while on a scout near Alex- andria in June last) ; Lieutenant 8. R. Knight, Company D, First Rhode Island regiment, and several others. The Gret named were prisoners in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. ‘The steamboat Adelaide, Captain Cannon, brought down the following prisoners released from Fort Warren, viz:— Oolone] Pogram , Captain R. Tausiti, late of United Stateg J. W. Poole, Lieutenant J... T. Lasalle, Surgeon Jeffries and Apsietant Surgeons Pago and Lindley ; also two Indien, Mre. Davia and Mra, Lowe, the latter the wife of a wealthy Scotch rebel at present in Fort Warren. had been made by General ir open! ing. the rebel rs and their lug- tow: he James river, and our was duly descried by the un. fortunate fellows, who for six mouths breathed no other air than the foul atmosphero of a Richmond tobaceo ware- ful and defiant fulds were made fast to each other, Capt. Millward was in- troduced to Major Thos. @. Peyton, Adjutant General to General Lewell at Centreville, who commanded the flag of truce of the rebels. The following officers accompanied Major Peyton:—Lieut. W. W. Harrison, First Lg ow in fantry , W.S. Winder, son and aid-de-camp to Gen. Winder; Dr. J. S. D. Cullen, Medical Director of Gen. Lougstroet's division; Dr, Reynold Barksdale, Twentieth Georgia Volunteers; Dr. E. G. agiobecbem, Medical Director Richmond prisons; Col. Ws Harrison, Seventy-ninth Virginia Volunteers; Adjt.. Kirby, and a few others, second lieutenante. of the ‘igoners having vt ori roll been called, the Lf ppled and mutilated, hobbled on board of vessel,and the sight these maimed creatures Union soldiers, ted presen: was beartrending in the extreme. About twenty or twenty-five apparently well built men had to be carried from one boat to the other on stretchors, they Doing stil too feeble from their wounds to walk. al bf ‘ington wero am board of the Wash: The Northampton shoved off, tbe boys guve tres rousing cheers for Dr. Higginbotham, the humane sur; of the Richmond; his assistant, Dr. Hill, and the and ‘Beri On ing Newport News tho shore was lined with the soldiers belonging to General Mansfield’s command, and their cheers, mingled with those of the crow of the United States fri ress, who had manned the igging, made the wolkin ring. ‘At about six o'clock the faahington ran alongside of the Adelaide, the Baltimore boat, and those that wer ile to ent up to Bal- timore, and those who were too (oob! taken to the , in charge of Dr. Richard B. Boaticue. Dr. Cuyler, Medical Director; Drs. Bontioue and Smith, wero at the wharf shortly after the truce boat arrived at Old Point, and had two ambulances in readiness to con- ‘voy the sick soldiers to comfortabic quarters. Dr. Cuyler ‘Dr. Smith and Medical Cadet Gardner to Ralti- more to drese the wounds of those desiring it. The state- ments these men give mo are substantiaily similar in every respect to that siready pubitstied.oa 6th inst , and they all agree that the oe received from the rebels was as good as they could obtain, and that was very poor. Rey ee German, of a Wisconsin regiment, in- forms me that, from information he has received from what he deome reliable authority, the Tredegar Iron Works are turning out @ number of “air-tight vessels,” which are to be filled with and sent under water against our versels. Whether the project will work or not remains to be seen. However, ‘forewarned te forearmed,” and it will do noharm for our navy to keop a very sharp lookout for all such arrangements. Before the prisoners rosehed Old Point clothing had ‘deen placed in readinoss by Chief Quartermaster Captain Grior Talmadge, and ample stores by Cap- tai J. MeLoan Taylor, Cominissar: of wabelatsece 4 of this depart. _ armen poarer’ the priecmereto Baltimore, and ‘ment, re in James Millward, Jr., is also sent by Major Gene. ‘Wool to superintend the released soldiers and sce to their welfare. ‘To-morrow the prisoners will be treated to awarm dinner by the Union Relief Association of Baltimore, and then proceed to Washington to be mus. tered out of service, paid off, and those who are crippled tnd unable to do work placed upon the pension list MONBY LETTERS POR PRISONERS AT THR SOUTH, FORWARDED BY PLAG OF TRUCH TO NORFOLK sanvany 16, 1862, £ George Boyanton..... eseoete seceeeeeeecees $100 ©. B. Cheesman, Gal nia regiment 100 |. Gottaching, New York Bire Zouaver,. : 800 Patrick Flattery, Forty-second New York Volunteors 1 00 Wm. Irving, Twentieth Massachus J.C. Barnes, Second Rhode Island Volunt Bem G. Seat eine aeehacd pt. Hor. L., Wiles, California regiment Richard 8. Gardner. Ae Fifteenth Maasachusetis P. M. McGaw, California regiment Jobn Riley , Caiifornia regiment... Chas, Dougherty , California regiment... ¢.. G. T. Vandergee, Thirtieth New York Volunteers. Corporal Wm. Byrne, Forty-second New York Vols, Wm. rts, in regi Jobn Kinloch, California regiment. . os Alphonzo P. Nicholas, First New York Volunteer Jobn G, Biate..;.. H.R. Heath, Twenticth Arthar Donnelly, Tammany regiment Corporal A. F. Yer Me veeceeveces ‘Wm. Wallace, Forty seound New York Volunteer SESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSESSSSSSSSssssssssssess John Hirst ea fess FE. Vernon Negus, Fifteenth wusetia J. A. Hamilton, Fifteenth Massachusetts Volusiteer' A. L. Cormer, Tammany regiment COLU! = Rs Delboth... ..,. v. H. Edy, Chapiain Wm. Gray, Ninteenth New York State Militia. COLOMBIA OR CHARLESTON. John Muir, Seventy ninth New York State Militia... R. H. McKim, Sevonty-ninth New York State Militia CHARLESTON. Capt. G. W. Shurtleff, Seventh Ohio regiment. Col. 0. B. Wilcox, First Michigan Volunteer: 40 ‘TUSCALOOSA. Liout. J. Bagley, Sixty-ninth New York State Militia.20 NEWS FROM PORT ROYAL. OUR HILTON HEAD CORRESPONDENCE. Huron Heap, Pour Rovat, ¥. C., Jan. 11, 1862. The Departure of the McClellan for Port Royal—The Pas- sage Oult—The Increase of Negroes at the Union Camps— Destruction of Houses, dc. , at Port Royal—Northern En- terprise Showing Itself— Lowe's Balloon and the Darkeys— Affairs at Bay Point, Tybee, dc.—Squatter Sovereignty— Fort Pulaski, de., ée. During a recent visit to our own fine city, New York, few of those whom I saw and conversed with but inquired—* How js the elim it Hilton Head and Beau- fort?” and nearly all were quite interested to know of many little items that the quilldrivers of the press bad evidently thought quite too insignificant to mention. ‘Tis now my intent to do as many of these littles as may come into mind at the moment. On Sunday last, the 5th inst., the steamer McClellan, Captain Gray, left the dock at the foot of Canal street, the day being fine, and tho air keen and cold, as the fine color of the cnoeks and noses of those exposed clearly demonstrated. The ice had formed so thickly near the piers that our depar- turo was considerably delayed by it. ‘Taking in tow the lightehip intended for “Martin's Indus- try,’’ we steamed off out of the bay, and before night fell we were far enough away from our place of departure. For the next two days the weather continued much the same in temperature but the third day the air seemed to grow'soft and mild, and at evening we could feel that ‘the breoze wae many degrees warmer than & few hours Previous. The following evening (Thursday) we reached the bar off Port Royal, where we were met by the fino old pilot (Crowell), and soon were steaming into the new- ly buoyed channel—which, though very deep (five or six fathoms, as the tide may be) is. quite narrow in some Places, only a few hundred yards in width, go that we go within a very short distance of breakers, which roar and dash in grand confusion almost within “biscuit toss’? of the steamer, as she makes her way towards the anchorage off the forts, ‘The nextday, spent inasort of tour of observation, proved quite a pleasant one. The works, of which so lit- tle may be said, are in fine order, though men ‘ere still engaged in making many little im. provements and additions. The natural advantages have been all used with much skill. Captain Tiiman—to whom is due the praise or blame, as may Prove the result—feels confident that the works, with their heavy armament, will prove an honored check among the South Carolinia banks, ineventof an attack by Secesh. The nogro quarters, too, are nearly complete, and are to becccupied as soon as possible by the nu- merous tribes of darkeys, who daily grow more useful as. with their employments. “The quarters’ are all under one roof, which covers a ‘Bumerous quantity of little rooms or apartments, each of which will be the home of some happy darkey, and each of which will be under the of Mr. Lae, daily, that slothfw habit of uncleaniiness may be as much reo obviated. The fact is that the darkey is not so as el S 88 SS S88 Ssssessss one might expect after the series of degenerations le to the chivalric Southron. More storehouses Adams & Co. aro Gaishiog A post building for ‘‘express purposes."’ A new wharf stretched out into the shallow waters far beyond the temporary pior first built, The new wharf, built of piles of pitch pine, will, | fear, be temporary, too, for the worms will destroy any wood but that of’ the bastard palm (palmetto) within ® short space of time, two years, 1 botany) being quite sufficient for thom to ruin the finest timber. ‘The men at their different occupations wore all at work with coats off; and now and then a sturdy fellow would pauso @ moment and draw his sleeve (the laborer’s ker- chief) across his sweated brow. ‘Thé contrabands are much excited as to the pi ct of ‘dat dar big bladder doy done got blowod up; and many is cast towards the spot where Lowe's are building. Cotton comes in in quantities, as du Bay Point is also much more like the place that it pur- to be than it was a few weeks since. A ‘ator ‘that bas lately been put up supplies 20,000 gallons of , Which is of immense value and comfort @ stationed. A\ ones of kee notions,’ rations, ’ come along; and who knows but that, with the of the sale of said Yankee notions, you may ourselves able and y #0 fortunate as to make enough cotton during the next twelvemonth to make yourselves happy and your pock- ets plethoric? Who, after this, can growl at hard To.day the Ben Deford took the lightboat in tow and auchored her off the harbor, Just as I closo this for the mallI am told that the gar. rison at Pulaski is busily engaged in dismounting some of the guns upon the seafront, Whether this is for the purpose of mounting heavier guns or otherwise, nous verrons. Movements of Transports. ‘The schooner Emily, lying at the foot of Warren street, North river, is now taking in stores for General Burn- side’s expedition. She will bave an assorted cargo, con- sisting of Iager bier, wines, brandies, dried fruit, anda variety of other small stores. ‘The ship Ellwood Walter, lying at Ford’s dock, Brook- lyn, has been chartered by the government, ‘The brig Yankeo Blade, lying at the government dock, foot of Murray street, North river,is now loading pro- visions and Jumber for Fort Pickons,and will probably sail about the 24th inst. The schooner George Bartal, lying at the samo dock, will load straw and hay (or Fortress Monrose, ‘The United States steam transport Matanzas, lying at pier 4, North river, is now coaling, and will load for Beaufort, N, 0. Naval t jolligenee. Piritapeiema, Jan, 19, 1862. ‘The gunboat Rhode Island starts to morrow for Boston, ‘The steam sloop-of-war Hartford did not leave yester- day for the Galt, but will probably get off to-morrow. PRICE TWO CENTS. Our Poolesville mee. Poormsviue, Md., Jan. 15, 1862. Interesting Items Gleaned from the New Orleans Picayune— Miserable Condition of that Journal—The Rebel Forti. Sications between Point of Rocks and Leesburg—Their Strength, Position and Probable Utility—The Weather in Maryland, dc., de. From a copy of the New Orleans Picayune of the Ist of January which has reached here, the distress prevailing in the South, and particularly the extreme South, is very manitest. Before allowing the paper to come here under @ flag of truce, the market reports were carefully torn off, together with other articles which would doubtless show @ sorry state of affairs in Louisiana, It is remarka- ble thgt among these were the ‘‘local items.” Query— Was there any news, t the Union organization existing in the city amofif these? The leading article of the paper was, however, intact. It was one wail from beginning to cnd, and announced that from that day for-* ward no evening edition of the Picayune would be pub- lished, ‘for want of paper chiefly, as well as for other obvious reasons.” Your readers will doubtless remember thatthe Picayune is only half the sizo it was when the war broke ont, and since it has ceased to publish an evening edition that once flourishing newspaper is now quite insignificant, This is by no meansa trifling indi- cation of the condition of business in tho formerly im- portant commercial city of New Orleans. ‘There are four large Tebel fortifications between Point of Rocks and Leesburg visible from Professor Lowe's balloon. They are all large field works, mounting from ton to twenty-five guns. They have only become visible within the past week, and are located as follows:—One fort is between Edwards’ Ferry and Loosburg, about midway between the two points. Another is opposite Ball’s Bluf, about half a mile from the Potomac. A third is opposite Conrad’s Ferry, about juarters of a mile from the ferry; and fourihly, there is a fort on the top of one of the Kittoctan mountains, near Point of Rocks. If these are not humbugs for the purpose of masking other fortifications, then they are intended to guard the ap- proaches to Leesburg. It is the general impression among military men, however, that these forts are only decoys. If they be actual fortifications, the one between Leesburg and Edwards’ Ferry is intended to defend the road from the forry to the town, while the one above it and the one near Conrad’s Ferry aro intended to sweep the road from Conrad’s ford to Leesburg, and the fort near Point of Rocks, on the mountain top, ‘can be for no other purpose than to guard the way from the Point of Rocks to Leesburg. Whether these forts will ever be brought into play againat our troops or not de- pends greatly on the manner in which the campaign will ‘be conducted by our generals; for there is not much like- Inhoood at present that there will be much fighting below the Point of Rocks. Miss Dix has been visiting the California regiment lately. She is regarded as the angel of comfort to our suffering soldiers. No corps better deserves the atten- tion Fo) sympathy of the country than the brave regi- ment which came to the war with the lamented Baker for ita commanding officer. Mr. Delavan, the City Inspector of New York, will present handsome stand of colors to the Forty- second New York regiment this afternoon, The mem- ders of this regiment look forward to the ceremony with | some degree of interest A heavy fall of snow (four inches) visited this section land last night. The woather is very cold to- jur troops are now, with few exceptions, how- ever, in winter quarters, which consist chiefly of log houses, and they are consequently well prepared for the cold but wholesome livery of winter. Indeed, the small amount of snow that here only serves to remind some of the troops that there is such a season as winter. How different the effect on the chivalry from the most southern tier of States? Our Point of Rocks Correspondence. Port or Rocks, M@., Jan. 17, 1862. Deplorable Condition of Things in Secessia—flztracts from @ Letter from Virginie—Enormous Price of Provisions— day. Obstinacy of the Financial State and Our- rency—Prevalence of Diptheria Among the Rebels, do. To the kindness of Chapman, tho gentlemanly Provost Marshal at this place, I am indebted for most in- teresting and reliable news from la, It gives one of the most doleful pictures of the condition of affairs in Virginia. which has yet been mado public. The news comes in a letter secretly transmitted from a Union man im Loudon county to his danghter in Maryland, It is Jong and minute in its details, and was ovidently intend- ed for more eyes than those of the lovely and patriotic young lady to whom jt was addressed, Read the following extracts, which I am permitted to copy from it and tranamit to you:—The people of the South thought cotton was king; but they never knew how im- portant and usefal the Yankees were to them. They are fm want of everything except ‘nigger nap,” and “fulled It is made here, and is selling a w. goods yet. Mr. Slater has not overa cartload of goods in his store. I willgve yous statement of some of the prices of goods here, and I will state nothing but what I know to be true:—A spool of cotton, twenty-five cents; indigo, fifty cents an ounce; saltpetre, fifty cents oe ke od = one lar and twonty-five cents, and no molasses, doll « more to be had; salt, twenty cents a pound, and some persons cannot butcher for want of it. is dollar and @ half per pound, and none to be had. I one had some hands working on the dam last week, who in- sisted on having some whiskey. I went to Mr. Luckett’s and had to pay five dollars and abalf for # gallom not three weeks old, aud well watered at that barrels of Uncle Wetty’s old rye. gallon and a half of the old rye that we brought with us from Maryland left. They found it out, and came and bid it up to ten dollars per gallon; then she ict them have it. Every ono here is using rye coffee instead of Rio, A. T. M. Puller was at Ric! 5 He told me that coffee was one dollar per pound there, and that the best used half rye, and charged three dol- lars aday for board. Iwas at Leesburg Inst Monday. Heard a soldier say that he bad to pay twelve doilars for & pair of coarse boots. Y that the blockade is very severe, and no doubt you will think that the rebels must soon give up; but they have the sword, and are the last to ; they are the aristo- crate, and their pride will not suffor them to admit that they are in want. One of them did admit ft to mo last week. He said, “I never thought it would come to this.” The common poople are the first to suffer, and especially the poor, and they are all Union men. We divided our popper and salt with the Union men, but could not supply all. My heart aches for ‘those who have no salt, They cannot lay up apy moat, and will get no fish this year. The militia were forced out oS Smet and pay ad trenchments. Some refused blank to go, ey sent armed soldiers after them, and they made them ick it at the point of the %. The general impression is that they will compel them to fight against the government under which they prefer to live and tho flag that they wish to wave over them, whilst thoir fami- Hew at home must suffer for want of food and raiment, The militia in this county number about 1,000. * # We know that we have many friends who sympathize with us. We have through the “‘fery furnace.” ially ceased. We have little to a l. ‘that the sun of free. dom that continues to shine in the North will soon spread his benignant rays over the South, and compel the rebel aristocracy to humble themselves or leave. * * is getting vory scarce. = of our journals have had to die for want of ry the Mirrer and Washingtonian have come on ‘sheets for the last six Dior bad paper, and whem handled a Yow tinea i fall other wi a few Prhere silver >, Iron ia per hundred, to quit ing their har- ig not & furnace or any of the Southern States that I can hear of. * * * Twelve Mississippians died in ae TT of diptheria. It is very prevalent among . ‘The letter from which the above extracts are made is dated January 16 (yesterday), and shows more plainly than ps any Other document the pass to which the effective land and sea blockade is reducing the South. What Could be more eloquent than the above truthful statemont of facts on the subject? Who needs ed cB Hoge want of iron. They are horseahoes, ‘There more? Obita ry. DEATH OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE BANK OF BUR- LINGTON, Borunorow, Vt., Jan. 19, 1862. Mr. Philo E. Doolittle, President of the bank of Bur- ington, and one of our most estimable citizens, died this evening of paralysis. DEATH OF A PROMINENT CITIZEN OF TROY. ‘Trov, Jan, 19, 1862. A profound sensation was caused here this morning by the announcement of the sudden death of Charles H. Kel, ogg, s formgr prominent business man of this city, He died at his country residence in Lansingburg, at an carly hour this morn! y rupture of a blood verssl. Fire in Rochester. Rocitest: ‘Jan. 18, 1862. On Saturday evening eR, about nine o'clock, a’ fire o0- uurred in this lly at tho foundry of Wm. kidd & Co., near the railroad dopot, which burned the blast furnace connected with she establishinent. ‘The Fire it prevented tho flames from extending to the machine shop and adjolatag balldiogs. Tho loss is about $1,600; fully insured, INTERESTING FROM THE SOUTH. FRANCE AND A SOUTHERN CONFEDERACY. The Frauds in the Treasury Department. The Beemoqent Gentoonenne te Wie THE UNION MEN OF THE SOUTH THE REBEL GENERALS IN THE FIELD. Opinions on the Burnside Expedition. Arrival of More Union Prisoners at Richmond. Rebel Account of the Late Bombard- ment at Pensacola. MORE REBEL POETRY, &e., &e., &e. We have received our regular files of Southern news- papers, including the following:— Richmond Dispatch Richmond Examiner Richmond Enquirer. Richmond Whig Norfollt Day Booic. From these papers we readers of the Hunat a highly interesting selection of news from the rebel States. FRANCE AND THE SOUTHERN CONFEDE- RACY, THE CAUSE OF THE SOUTHERN CONFEDERACY—TEH MANUPACTURING TOWNS AXXIOUS ABOUT COTTON— DAYTON DUMB AS AN OYSTER—COURT DINNERE— THE LATE MON. JOHN Y. MASON, ETC. {From the New Orleans Picayune of the 8th.) We have already stated tbat we have lately been in receipt of several letters from our warrant us in Under date to “he untir party of gent! jiving further extracts therefrom. ‘September 1, our correspondent and active exertions be tage n in Paris, who the tue poliey ot France to roe rue policy immediately.’? Ho then proce as d elaborate memoirs on bbe yor command the whole ‘They have (they sular we at fi dl if 7 li | f it Hf i : ul i i fa Independance Belge, in speak: Gen. Lyon’ The "news frou ‘the United States “continues to be adverse to the North. it has me a defeat pe a |. It is bay = is not so vo 8 as exper: Tun, neither {rit 20 dishonorable. to the Ni least in this re 2253 fepreg et ye outa mele Hite y AS S00n. may - ant Vv — ay a Foi A Eimeg hee Minister juaints the Secre re re presence, fends him @ copy of his Thereupon the thd the Ruiperor appotats: the reaeption, day.” The dag u r. before the one inted for the reception, ‘ie Duke de Bassano, who peaks English with fluency , by ' and accuracy, visits the Minister, and to bim the minor details of etiquette OK sions. He asks to sce the speech the Minister has pared. and wes eh da American Ministers, to curtail it of ti uarters of saying:—"The agree hates long. ceremony will find the whol of awkward; we ali find it so, from i i! 3 i i iff if i i HH ; : Hala ae a if i A inst id H i ey 4 H 5 | By : Hi i the government, 1 well remember ie throughout Furepe when the iate John M. ‘Gayton, a’