The New York Herald Newspaper, February 9, 1862, Page 1

THE REBEL DEFENCES OF COLUMBUS, KY. Interesting Statement of a Rebel Officer. COLUMBUS CONSIDERED IMPREGNABLE. Demoralization of the South- ern Army. BITTERNESS BETWEEN OFFICERS AND MEN. LIFE IN THE SOUTHERN ARMY. List of the Principal Officers and Regi- ments in Columbus. Southern View of the Importance of the Position, &., &., de. ‘The following interesting, and in many instanees im- portant, statement of Mr. Leonard Dentz, late a drill ser- geant io the rebelarmy at Columbus, Ky., will be reaa ‘with great satisfaction by the people of the North. Mr. Dentz, having been for a long time behind the scenes and in the very midst of the rebel army, is able to speak by the book, and in his statement wil) be found a good many facts throwing light on the hitherto hidden features of ‘the great Southern conspiracy. His description of his persona) sufferings are of great interest, and his into!li gent observations on the rebel defences show that he is a ‘man of considerable military knowledge. Accompanying Mr. Dentz’s statement we publish a map of the rebel defences of Columbus, with the designation of all the points aliudéd to. By comparing the statement ‘with the map the reader will be better informed of the immense extent of these fortifications. The places where heavy guns are mounted are clearly shown, as well as the rifle pits and intrenchments mentioned by our in- formant. The following is ® verbatim statement of his experi- ence, taken from his own lips, and it would be as well here to state that Mr. Dentz is 8 native of France, but a waturalized citizen of the United States. He is a gentie- man of considerable ability, of a highly respectable family, and bis statement may be fully relied on:— 1t is now mearly two years since I arrived ov American soi}, and during the seven or eight months } spent iv New York I was mostly occupied in the house of Mesars. Bernheimer Brothers, Broadway. 1 had not to complain of anything while J resided in the North; bot after ‘oy Jeaving this business house and going to the South I really did not have one happy aay. “A shor} sketch of my entire travels apd Teiurn to Now York will not be ulateresting. left this city in the month of August, 1860, with e gentleman, for ‘La Grange, Georgia, in whore store I was employed 25 clerk for s short time; but, not agreeing with him, 1 ieft ‘kis house and went on my own hook. After having done vome business in Georgia, Alabama and Louisiana, Lar, vived at New Orleans in May, 1861. there and made a little money, until ia August, through my Union principles, rather freely expressed and utter- ed, that one Northerner could whip five Southerners, 1 was brought before the Mayor, who ordered me instant. Jy into the rebel army, and desided that my property sbould be confiscated for the beurfit of the Confederate government. My resistance to being forced into the army was great; I even expressed the resolution that I would not fireashot. All this resulted in nothing, aud 1 bad to serve in the Eleventh Louisiana regi ment, Colonel Marks. We were first sent to Camp Moore, where we remained one wook, and realiy it was @ week full of pain and mud, and of all the suffer img soldiers can stand. I believe that very few could long remain in a camp like this Camp Moore, Thenee we were gent to Union City, Tennessee, to a place called Camp Brown. I cannot but say that this camp was cleau and neatly laid out, and had it not been for the ragged- ness of the uniform of the soldiers we would have made & pretty good appearance.ggBut alas! it was not long that we had the pleasure of staying there. For three days | ‘we were very clean, but very hungry, there being no quartermaster’s department, and the soldiers had to liv off what they had brought in thoir havereacks, which was scarcely enough for one day’s sustenance. From this camp we proceeded to Columbus, Kentucky, and ‘were the first regiment that ever ventured on Kentucky eoil. I must say that it was rather a spunky expedition, and I would not have been astonished if every one of us Bad been cut down. Fortunately, the next day the place was filled with soldiers, both infantry aod artillery, and we could count ourselves partly safe. ‘What can I tell of the soldier's lifein the rebel army, and in the intrenchments of Columbus Kentucky? Jt cannot be described. One must have been there to judge of its sevority. Indeed, without clothes or shoes, fed on dead mules and diseased cow meat, with half rations at ‘that, it wil) be interesting to know a little of what oo- curred there. ‘The rations were about ag follows:—Three pounds of coffee for one hundred men; one pound sugar to ten men; half a pound .of the above mentioned mule or cow ‘beef per man, and six ounces of flour per man. For my- self, 1 believe that every soldier could eat twelve such rations a day, as thoy wore all able bodied men, and had to work every day from six to eight hours on the bat- tries. Columbus is strongly fortified; and to givea little sketch of that city and its fortifications will not be out of place, ‘The town isso situated by nature as to make it a se. cond Sebastopol. Tho hills, followed by valleys, make it, properly fortified, a stronghold against 200,000 men. But all the advantages which could have been taken have not been seized upon. However, I wust confess that, for the short time they worked on iff ihe place is nearly impregnable. [ will first give a glance at the river on coming from down the stream. fortification you meet is on tho first bend, just opposite the principal street, called Front street, running aloug tho river bank. This is a battery of twelve pretty heavy guns, Going still farther, to tho next bend, is 4 great elevation commanding Columbus and all around: Here there are three one hundred and twenty four-pound rifled guns and two mortars, working on pivots, aud ready to turn on all sides to throw shell or any other destructive material. Going still farther on you mest, on a iiitie lower eleva- tion, a battery of eighteen rifled thirty-two-pounders which battery was made under the direction of a certain Captain Fleming, of the Eleventh Louisiana regiment, who assumed to know everything and knows noibing, be cause in building the battery he built it on wooden pianks without putting piles under it, 89 that on an approach of ‘the gunboats this battery could not stand three rounds without sinking into the sand. Still farther on you find several inasked batteries, which, however, I do not believe wil! do much execution In the river itself aro lowered two heavy chains which ‘will obstruct any gunboat coming down. To these chains Gre anchored, at an interval of from one to two feet, tor. Pedoes, which are intended to explode by means of « gal vanic battery placed on the shore side. All these batteries Just described are on the shore side, closed by heavy intrenchments, with mortars of good material to throw ‘any quantity of shell. On the rear side Columbus is etrongly fortified, and ina place where & graveyard atood ‘Defere our arrival there are now heavy intrenchments and rifled pits, all provided with good artillery, The ‘woods are cut down to prevent the approach of any caval Ty or artillery of the enemy. {0 the rear the samo sort of fortifications are made, On the railroad side (hese in trenchments are broader, and more oannons are in position, ‘while tho place is more difleult to approach. Above thia and ‘nside of them fortifvations are made, with other freechmen(s and rifle pits, and, im cage the first ones @hould be taken by assault, thelr covered ro heavy artillery will enable them to remove any reg i from one place to the other, without the enemy be: able bo do any damago, In my bumble opinion, I believe I did some business } the takeing of Colambus next to an Imposeibility, without an enormous sacritive of life, 1 was 4 sergeant in the regiment, aud in tbe meantime drillmaster, but bad to complain of the bad, inhuman and tyrannical treatment shown to me and to the whole army. I was put in prison for @ slight offence, and at the battle of Belmont I was taken out. 1 refused, mont natu- rally, to (ake up arms; the more go ag al) my sympathies and friends are North, 1 wan, however, forced t go, snd} made up my mind not to fire a enet. My resolution was, however, discovered in that action; for the captain, seeing 4!! the ammunition’ given to me in the morning still remaining in my cartridge box at the end of the battle, ordered me into the guardhouse to be tried for desertion of my regiment on the battie field. A little description of the guardhouse must be given, so thas one may form an idea of the sufferings we had to under- 40. There were nearly one hundred and sixty prisoners enclosed in @ reom of sixty by twenty feet, watched very carefully by the guard, while the filth and vermin in the place were intolerabie, The stench was so great that 1% was completely suffocating, I tried twice to Sacepe from this terrible hole, but was both times re- captured, Ov the third oecasion I was fortunate enough, thank Ged, and on the 27th of laet mouth I succeeded. 1 Bwat not forget to relate that the sentence of ® court martial was, that [ was to be shot Om the 7th of February (yesterday), with four others, for different offences. When the officer came in and brought we the dreadful intelligence my answer was, “Give my reepecta to Jeff. Davis, and tell him that he will not have the honor to put a ball through me” apd it war oot an hour later that 1 made my escape. 1 will endeavor to give some ides of ihe way in which I escaped, and of my journey unti! my arrival in New York, | exchanged my military clothing with one of my fellow prisoners for ® ecanty suit of citizen’s dress. While [ was doing this a portion of the priconers were Scoupied in sich & manner as to distract the attention of the guard, while another portion was engaged with an old knife aud shovel in making # holo in tho brick wall, and others making a rope of the bedticke. When all was prepared twenty-four of us alid down the rope through the hole whieb terminated in an alley. From this place we went over the roofs of the adjacent houses, which we reached by moans of attaching the rope to their sides. The rope was fastened to one of the copings of the opposite house, and wethus preceeded until we came 10 & treg overhanging the house. Hero we de- foended to the ground and scattered in all directions. Two frieude and myself went along the river’s bank, and, favored by the intense darkness of the night, we Avoided the different guards and pickote. We did not go very far before we heard the scouts behind us in pursuit,ead the ouly safe method now was to take to the swamps, vutil we were over our knees in the water, aud sometimes nearly up to our necks, We bad to wade through thie place, and to my mis- fortune} lost in vhe beginning one of my boots in the mud, aud had to make my trip barefooted. Coming through the woods, afer leaving the swamps, a distance of eight mises, wag obliged to give out from the blisters On my feet, and my hande lacerated and torn. Not wish- ing, bowever, that my two friends sbould sacrifice their lives for me, I requested them to go on and leave me, which, after some hesitation, they reluctantly did. As s00n as they bad gone! fell down near «# tree, exhausted, and had just strength enough to creep to # brook, into which I very fortunately fell, ‘The fresh water revived mé, Ald, GoRIDgZ Onto Lhe bank of the creek, I awa house not fer distant. This was my laet hope, and off started, which I might now say was a direction from tho finger of God. When T went in Parked the propriotor for a piece of bread. The kind man, however, ofered me 2 breakfast, ond,.upon my telling hit that Twas a desertor from the rebel army, he at once confessed to be a Union man; and, having a skiff lying near his honse in the bayou, which I bad to cross, he offered me his as- sistance, avd promised to conduct me to his brether-in- Jaw, & good Union man, who would see me safely over the river. ‘This brave, good mearted map, when his | prother-in-taw brenght me over to his house, dressed my wounds with the greatest care; and, the Mississipp! being roagh,] could not cross fortwodays. LHe kept me Goring thie time with real kinduess, aod on wy | leaving hie house gave me a pair of boots and socks, to my great comfort, 1¢ would afford me much pleasure to mention these gentlemen's names; but 1am very such afraid that the rebels might take vengeance ou them. After crossing the river to Norfolk, Missouri, T bac to walk nearly six miles up to Bird's Point, and of all my eufferings those were the hardest, my feet being entirely mutilated, Oo my arrival at Bird’s Point I was brought before Geneval Paine, who behaved very kindiy to me, and sent ine the next day to Cairo to General Grant, who, upon my requeet to go to New York, had the kindness (o hand me $25. ‘The feeling among the rebel army ix vitier against their officers, and bumireds, | believe, would be giad to be where I am now. In Columbus itself there ae uearly forty thousand men, Dadly armed and equipped, but with plenty of ammunition. There is also another very essential thing they lack, and that is guuners. | don’t think there are dye men in all these tmmence fortifieations who conid strike a ‘The fret | ie and | house at twenty yards’ dietan I learned previous to my leaving that General Beanregard was to take the command of this point, snd to bring twenty thonsand meu with him. Tn Louisiana the Germau population is uf great Upion feclivg, and the rebels are afraid that in an attack on New js portion of the population will side with she Union." In regard to the other States, the Caion feeling it gmall,except in Kentucky, where I believe, at a fair vote, the State would ehoore the Uniou. Below we give a list of the principal regiments and field artillery now stationed at Columbus, together with the names of a number of the leading olticers — Major General Leonidas Pe! Assistaut Adjutant General—Major G. A. Acting Assistant Adjutant General—Capt. B.D. Biake. Major Winslow, Captain Polk, Lieutenant Smith. ACTING DIVISION GENERALS — ——, Firat division. 3. BP. McGowan, Second division. B. F. Cheatham, Third division. INFANIRY REGIMENTS. Arkansas First battalion, Arkansas Sixth regiment Georgia Third battalion. heatueky Eepioeet On. Tilghman Louisiana Third regiment. Touisiaua Eleventh regiment, Col. Marke Louisiana Twelfth regiment. Louisiana Thirteenth iment, Col Girara Fifteenth regiment ‘ifth battalion. Mississippi regiment, Col. Blythe. Missieeipp: regiment, Col. Milter, ‘Tennessee Second regiment. nessee Fourth regiment. ‘Tennessee fweifth regiment, Col, Rvesell fennessee Thirteenth regiment Tennessee | ifteenth regiment. nessee Prete deen ‘Tennessee Twenty-first ‘Tennessee Twenty- conend reaimn % Tennessee regiment, Col. Woodruff. Teuneasee regiment, Col. Preston Smith. 4 PRINCIPAL FIELD ARTILLERY. Bankhead’s battery, four pieces Stuart's battery, four pieces Watson a battery, fow pieces. In addition to the above force, there are about four thousand very effective Georgia cavalry. Mr. Dents is at present residing at 124 Wayoriey place. where be will be happy to give all information he can to those baving relatives jo the secession army now ata tioved at Colunebns, Keptneky e THE STRENGTH OF COLUMBUS, KY. rrom the Cincinnati Times} Columbus, Ky., 14 sitwated on the sonthern slope of a high binff, oo the enat side of the Mississippi river, and ja in the midst of a heavily timbered region, an 1° revels have carefully availed themesives of ail the ad. vantages which the forest presents Cor facilitating th defences of the place Few places in ihe South are capable of being more strongly defended than Phis,and nothing has deen left undone to render it te aps a Information which is deemed reliable fixes the rebel force in the city at about 30,000 men, the great portion of whom are enlisted for the war and aro woll armed. ‘The sixty days’ mon are few in number, and generally have old shotguns and by og rifles, ‘The fortifications are well supplied with cannon, three Of which are one ininived and twenty-eight pounders, which are placed in such ® position as to command the river from the highest point of the Whiff, whieh is ted at loast seventy five feet above low water The number of guns sertaiwly does not fall below eighty, and probably reaches one hundred The first fortifications wirich an attacking fleet will en a0 will bo a battery of fourteen gons, generally (urty-two pounders rifled cannon, and the battery of one | bon tied and twenty-eight pounders already referred to. 1 Am the former is situated on the river bank, it can bo The Fortifications at Columbus, Kentucky--- Strength of the Position. NEW YORK, SUNDAY, FEBRUARY ARAL DDDIDDON NE a “ RIVER. Ki Yo this fort there are five Yifled cannon and eigh- B-pounders. Yeached by our shot without any greater difficulty than was experienced at Hilton Head and Hatterag; but the latter will certainly be silenced with the greatest difl- culty, and only at @ groat distance, ‘On the northern slope of the bluff are two light batte ries and a rife pit, one nile in length, which are designed specially te protect the place aguinst a land attack from the north witile on the summit of the bill isa strongly intrenched work, commanding al! directions, and manted by aight cannon. “on the south side, and to protect Uae town (rom a rear Attack, is a small battery of four guns,and inthe river to the north of the town is the celobrated submarine bat- tery which is to explode and destroy our test, if we lake the word of that veracious individual, Commodore Hol- Tins. Bat submarit teries never have beeo effective means of warfare, and it is donbtfal if they ever will. ‘The timo and money expended’ upon them have always been throws away. ‘The floa\iog battery of twenty guns is now eiatioued new the southern extremity of theriver, but will pro- badly be moved to the most exposed pointe. It ix doubt- less & very formidable engine of warfare. A church near the centre of the city is used for a ine gazine, but why so exposed a Renition should be hosen wo are unable to conjecture, When Commodore }oote made bis iat reconnoisance, he contd distinctly see the garrison retoving the powder to a locality further south and out of the reach of the shells. Whether jt hax or has not been replaced we are uneble to say. THE WAM IN KENTUCKY AND TENNESSEE. {from the St. Louis Republican, Feb. 5.) The rebels attach great importance to their situation at Columbus. The réport, Gret circalated several days ago, of the removal of Geveral Beauregard {rom the Po- tomac Lo that quarter, comes to us reiterated by South- ern journals. tan immediate attack upon Columbus ia generally apprehended by the rebel officers, seems qnite evident, and that the piace is daily being strengti- ened apd prepared to withsiand @ siege. admits of as little doubt, The New Orleans J thas the sulety of the South, and the effect sistance of therebels to the Union armies, depend upon ing rwilitary ‘ce and decisive conflict. e(eat of Zollicoffer wear Somerset, whereby the reve!s were driven from a valued position, was the first aote of (bis great contention. t General Tuomas hus nearly turned the right of Jobnston’s forces, und very materially advaneed to the stance of the troops on Greow river, who are but waiting Operaling movements to march upon Bowling Green and taxi If, meantime, the communi- cation betweeu Wowling Green and Col y am will make (he Confederates tremble from Nashville to Neusacols: ‘The rebel at in Southern Kentucky represent two wings—Coluiabus at the wes d Bowling Green at the @ont—with « totally inateydate centre. Here is a line running oearly one hundred and fifty miles, which it would require two hundred thousand trooos to cover, while the Confe do wot muster the half of that uumber, if so many. coutre is held by a brigade at Hopkinsvillo, aud by Fort Heury on the Tennessee, aud Fort Donelson (tweive miles distant) on the Cumberiand, These points occupied by ihe [ederal forces, and a pori- tion taken near the State line—-ay at Tladensyille—and the wings of the rebel army would be complesuly leolated, while both would be threatm jo the rear, aud supplies for both measurably cul olf, Yo sucha result the finger of events wow points, We interpret the movements going on at Cairo, Paticah snd Smithland to mean an important expedition up the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers. If successful, Genera! Buel) wii lave 4 compa ratively easy (ask in ate the Confederatos (rom Bowling Groen, for with Clarks, ille#9 seriously menaced and railcoad connections thereby broken, they must fal back, or fight under almost overwheliing disadvantages, Nashville, too, is a location ihe revels cannot aford Joge without a desperate struggie Looking at the expedition now tithing out ot Paducah and Smithlaad as probably desigued for the eapiure of Fort Henry, wo may state that this post, as will be re collected, was laisly reconnoilered by the gunboat Lex: ington. Up co about tho 19th of Jauuary it was garrisoned by some hwo thousand secession troops, but ith"s colomn bad moved from Padneab iuforeed by two thousand more mon from Camp Bes gard, and (bis force inay have been somewhat increased | since, Fort Heary bond of the Tennessee river, five or six miles be he Kentucky Ving. It was built in August: waa intended, in eonjune ton with Fort Donelson, for the defence of the Cumber land and Tennesse cys, but was not occupied more than nominally notil Columbus was seized by Generat Polk, in September. Tt lies qnite low, being looked on the west by bluffs, which, we belt have been monnted by cannon. The armament of the | fort, according to the bast information, consists of six teon six, twolve and thirty-two pounders; but tho fort ig ‘designed to rope! an attack from the rive not calculatert to resist land forces approaching in the rear. General Smith might easily have taken It, but waa not prepared to hold it with the forces he had after General Grant had returned from his feint wpom Cotombus. We shall not be surprisedto {hear of Genoral Tilghman, who commands at Fort Henry, evacnating the place vpon the second approach of or toons. Netwithetanding the spp do not now think that the ela Jumbus will be soon assaulted. to compel the secession soldiers to come out of their in tranchmente to prevent « aege. Tris they must do if the military cordon continues to wind around them as progent appearances promise, Perhaps it isthe anaconda, gradnal ly dragying it# slow length along, and spreading its coil tostrangle Goneral Polk's magnificent array, which his brought Beauregard from Manassen, to give tho benent of his «kill and experience to a sinking prospect, jonsions of the rebels, we ate fortifications at Co- Measures will be tsken f ‘Thirty guns in this fort, projectiles welghing 1; wees Bie eraur” “The forte east of Columbus NU ]} are surrounded with Cece formed of od, the branches trees—all of which, for mile@ sround, Reve been cut down, \A i | | | | be in view of the augmentation of the enemy’s force o®. Viewing the whole field in Kentucky, where the thickest of the conflict for the Union is impending, ‘we seo abundant reason for an inaprsog. confidence as #0 thé success of the loyal troops. ith prudent and he- roic generalship we shal, ne doubt, be lete masters of the situation in that important quarter, rebels do not underestimate their peril in Kentucky, for, with a triumphant campaign there, the Missinip | Valley will be cleared to the , and this short lived insurréction of blows and shocks that must render jt ble and puny a6 it is wicked and unnatu- sustain a gery thereafter val, THE SIfUATION OF COLUMBUS IN A REBEL POINT OF VIEW. if rom the New Orleans Delta of January 30.) ‘The letter whieh we publish from our correspondent st Columbus, relating to the situation of that post, de- serves more than @ passing attention. This community has reason to look to the defence of no position in the whole circle of the war with more wakeful vigilance and keener concern than that occupied by Gen. Polk on the heights of Columbus. We can afford to indulge a com- fortable sense of security with reference to the seaboard appreaches (0 New Orleans. We {vel sure of our ability in defending the river against any fleet of the enemy @tiempting the capture the city by way of the river from the sea. We realize "ev a less degree of exposure upon any of the land approaches from the sea to the city. Fifty thousand men thrown upon (hem would be lost; toa hundred thousand they would be impracticable. But what is the fact in to the route down the river from Columbug? Should Co- Jumbna fall. what is to rend the enemy from sweep- ing down the river with the immense fleet of gunboats ‘and floating batteries which be has been so long preparing at St. Louis and Cairo, and with a hundred thousand men under Halleck, to attack us on one side, while au expedi- ‘iow striking up from tho sea would attack us on the other. Who can answer? Do effectual defences answer / Do preparations for defence in rapid .. Where are the defences? Who is in the prepa rations? These questions admit of no satisfactory an ster. ndence at present for the safety of the city ‘One from the approach of a formidable expedition down the river, is upon Columbus. That is the Northern hag to the Missksippi dela. That in possession of the enemy, the flood- gates of invasion will be opened. Our situation would not be hopeless, for the soul of Southern men, fighting a war pendence, must not dream of despair; but we would be confronted with terrible dangers and the whole country exposed to fearful evils. On one condition only it t can we realize a full assurance that such dangers wil not eveur, and tbat such evils will never impend. condition is the impregnability of Gen. Polk’s position at Columbus. But it may be asked, i# not that position al ready stroug? Strong it undoubtedly has been, as the enemy's gunboats that encountered its batteries found out, and ashis army at Belmont bitterly discovered. Strong it atill is, in point of ite defensive works, in the resohition of its defenders, and the vigilance, prudence, ability and energy of its commanding general. But in war strength is relative. The force under Gen. Polk’s command, it is to be feared, is not as large as it should threatening bis position. His force has been stationary while the enemy's was being increased. He is scarcely in asituation ‘o extend his wings, to guard his flanks aud prevent bis position from being turned by a column of the enemy pushing past his right. These refections are not penned in the spiritof an called for by tho ovcasion is 0. Polk has sent and one to Mississippi, to urge f those States the importance to iho Lower M-ssissippi Valley of @ speedy of hiscommand. Captain Bernard Aveg- ity, entrusted with General Polk’s communi- Alarmist, but that they « ficiently evinced b; at officer to Louisi upon the exec bi cation to Governor Moore, arrived yesterday, and has ady had an interview with the Governor, who, we lerstand, will enter immediately, with General Lo- , om the aubject of the com General Trn- bug, is also in the city, and cor hensions expressed in’ the foregoing remarks. possible to send five thousand men from this city to Gene- neral Polk's ment? It is safe Way ,perbape,that ber couln be spared at present, aepe iid De speedily returned by railroad, in y which is now notforeseen. At juts, Golumbus demands the earnest aitention of ‘thorities. The enemy is making a last effort, and we should be ready to meot it effectually, everywhere, butabove all to meet it effectually at Columbur. We have only to stand our ground for sizty days, and the ene- ny will sink in ethaustionand despair. But he will drink new hope and life for an indefinite prolongation of the war if we fail to stand Our ground at Columbus, General Butler's Expedition. SAILING OF A PORTION OF THE EXPRDITION FROM BOBTON. Boetoy, Feb. 8, 1862. The shipa Ocean Pearl, Idaho and North America, with the trodps and stores, forming a part of the Butler expe- dition, sailed this forenoon for Ship Island. News from Indianapolis, ‘ Crvernsati, 8, 1962 ‘The Forky-eighth and Fifty-seoond Indiana regiments have gone to Cairo. ‘The expulsion of Senator Bright gave great joy at | } Indianapolis. Assistant Secretary of War Scott was at Indi unapolis on ‘Thurslay on an official visit, and left for Kentucky torday. State from Hatteras Inlet. Roanoke Island. the Rebels. Active Operations, &., &e. Fortames Mownon, Fed. 7, 1862. ‘The steamer Eastera State arrived nere this morning, Raving left Hatteras yesterday. &e., leet left their anchorage at the inlet on Wednesday morn- ingfer the north. The gunboats started at suprise, end the troops and ships followed soon after. Their destina- ton waa Roanoke Island. ‘The weather was fine when the Eastern State left, and Dews of the arrival of the fleet at the island was ex pected. ‘Three or four regiments were left at the inlet. ‘The Eastern State will retura to Hatteras io morrow woruing. Nothing bed been heard at Norfolk of the Burnside The Richmerd Dispatch says that the Burnside expedi- tion have, at least, the effect of making us look well to our defences in that quarter. Roanoke Island ought to be made impreguable. All our batteries there and else- ‘where should be provided” with bombproof coverings. The channel shoi!d be obstructed, and no means left up employed to foil the everoy. ‘The names of the sick who died on the Suwane follows:— James !. Baskett, Company 1, Twenty-third Massachu- setts; Jesse Mack, Company I, Eleventh Connecticut; Gilbert, of New Sharon, Vt.; Eleventh Counections, tea. Charles W. Boy ingtes, Company F, Twenty Ofth Masse. chusetts, died oftypbas fever. repairs. Ver Kxpeditionary Correspondence. ‘Userep States Guvsoat Cossack, Harrazas Iyier, Feb. 1, 1862. the United States Fleet, dc. , dc Lonergon of New York ; Thomas Blakeley, of New York ; North Carolina, and Trial Stiles, of Camden, New Jersey pany which General Bornside commanded. for prociaiming his sentiments. He was drafted into the Tebel ranks, but took this opportunity to get away. , ‘They made their escape in the following manner — Night before last, about nine o’clock, Just after roli call, they stole a sma)i boat and dropped down the stream to the schooner, the captain and crew of which were up at Preparations on Board the Fleet for ‘She brings the impectant news that General Burnside’ Ww. H. Potter, Company G, Eighth Connecticut; Samuel seaman on board the Maria Pike; Channoey F. €leveland, of Company K, AML Dus the last were buried at PRICE THREE CENTS. Sailing of the Expedition for The Position and Strength of ‘The Suwanee left last night for Philadelphia, te undergo Capture of a Rebel Schooner—Deserters from the Rebel drmy—Stalement of the Refugees—How They Escaped— The Strength and Position of the Rebels—Movements of Yesterday morning at daybreak a small schooner was Giscerned making for us, from the direction of the rebel coast. She soon after came inamong the fleet, and was apprehended, when she turned out to contain five soldiers who bad deserted from the rebel encampment at Middie- ton, op Middle creek. The men gave their names as Lewis Thomas Bolger, of Brooklyn ; Peter McWilliams Davis, of Bolger had been in the regular army, and was in the com. Laat April he went South to join General Anderson at Fort Sumter, but was arrested and compelled to join the rebel army. Lonergon, Stiles and Binkeley had been working io ‘North Carolina when ihe war broke out, and ,joined the rebel army voluntarily (‘hey would have been forced to do 80 any way, they say), for the purpose of making their escape home. Davis is a strong North Carolina Unionist, and has been three times in danger of his ueck the camp. They slipped her anchor and stood on and off anti near daybreak yesterday morning, when they made our fleet. They are now on board the transport Spaniding. There were fifteen others at Middleton who knew of the project, but were fearfal of being shot if they failed in getting away. They say they do not know much about affairs at Roapoke Isiand. it was reported in the camp at Middle- ton that the island was protected by three sand batte ries and some 5,000 men. The forces consisted of compa- nies from Georgia and North Carolina, The rebels also had to oppose the expedition eleven little gunboate, or privateers, as they cai! them. The names of four of these are the Fanny, Curlew, Seabird and Post Boy. They do not carry more than two guns, ‘There was a Georgia regiment under command of Col. McMillan at Washington, on Pamlico river, and it was reported that Newbern, with Fort Macon and its other defences, was protected by some 12,000 mon. This latter report should be taken with a very large grano salis. At Middleton, which is distant from here some thirty fivo miles, there were 600 troops, composed of por, tions of tho Seventh and Thirty-third North Carolina regi ments, under command of Major Hall, of whom only 400 were fit for duty, the rest being very sick with mensies and other complaints. Major Hall was in the rebol steamer which was chased a few days since by one of our gunboats. On getting back he reported one hundred and twenty-five sail in sight here, and sent for two com- panies of reinforcements. The defences at Middleton are breastworks only, armed with two thirty-two pound guns and several small brazs field pieces. ‘The utmost consternation prevailed in the State of North Carolina; but our coming was secretly hailed by yarge numbers of men, openly rebels, but Union men at heart. Since writing the above I have ascertained that our departare will probably not take place before Monday next, February 3. Usirgp States Goxnoat Copsack, | Harrenas Lxuer, Feb. 2, 1862. | 5 The Time Appointed for a Forward Movement-—Sunday in the FleetmInepection of Arms Prior to an Engage ment, de. de. ‘This is our last day at Hatteras [niet, for some time at least, as we start to-morrow. You will hardly beliov® me when I say this: for I have stated the same fact in every letter since our arrival here, But pow there ie no doubt about my assertion, notwithstanding that the Bura: side expedition has tended to ruin the veracious charac tor of every correspondent connected with it. It is Sunday (perhaps the last many a brave fellow will seo), and the day is beiug observed with religious ser- vice throughout the fleet. The solemuity of the oceasion recalls to mind the days of chivalry, when mailed aud helmeted knight howe! the knee in devotion on tho eva of battle. An inspection of arms took place this morning: accon- troments were brushed up, and other signs gave tokeu of our near approach to the hour of movement. ‘The rebels who wil! be opposed to us are reported to be under command of General Wise. ‘There is no further news from Dixie, and nothing to communicate, in fact, e what | have given above, : Our Fortress Monroe Correspondence. Fortress Monnon, Feb. 74 P. M. Arrival of the Propeller Bastern State—The Burnside Bupe- dition—Excape of a Rhode Island Volunteer from the Rebels with Valuable Information, &c. The transport propeller Eastern Stato, Captain Field, arrived in Hampton Roads, from Hatteras Inlet, this morning, at half-past eleven o'clock, She reports that the expedition of General Burnside, numbering eighty-four versels, started from Hatteras on Wednesday afterioon on its mission. The R. 8. Spauld- ing is the jiagship of General Born and fron de issues his comma ‘The entire fleet wes inside the «woah, und the report by tho Eastern State is that the attack was certain to hav: been made on Wednesday or Thursday. I have bot learned anything from rete! sources, ip to thie hour, of any aggressive m morrow & return vessel (rou Genera us full intell gence. A prisoner escaped fon: the rebels and came to + val Burnside. He proved to be a member of the Rhodo Ieland regiment, haying served with Ger st Bull run. This prisoner provght General Burnyide Valuable information, ‘The Vastern State ret ments. Burngide wi! brit Probably iene to Hatieras to-morrow Five o'O100n P A lieg of truce has just returaed from Norfolk Drought back uo papers nor news. u » Oar Washington Corresponden Wasmworon, Feb. 8, 1867 ‘Tha Dificuities of the Ewpedisson—Confidence in the Suci-ss of the EnterpriseHealth of the Forces, de: ‘The last private dates we have from the Burnnide ex edition are up to January 26. A correspondent familiar with the operations up to ibat day etates that the oon atant assistance of the navy force had onabied the army branch to gain a favorable position inside the bor Miny of the transports had to be \iguiened of everything, end itwas @bard job io reload. The fleet would bave been very short of water but for the water condensers. The American condevsers, purchased by Commodore Goi borough in New York, worked admirably, and proved much superior to the English pattern, whieh aleo did good service, but whivh ia costly amd cumbrous ag compared with the Yaukeo machines, Commodore Goldsborough feared that the delay already experienced would give the enemy 4 great advantage, provided they had been sharp enough to Improve the opportunities thus afforded them. Ho considered that ihe expedition had been favored wily good luck go far in escaping the chances of storms upon that point at this season, and getting so many of the vi sels inside the Sound safely, It seemed to be the opinion of the commander that in future sach expeditions should be more under the control of the navy oflicers. [le f a more difficulty for the large versels after they shoud leave Albemarle Sound, and was anxious that the guv Doats of light draft should be married up, All were confident of euccet in both the navy and army brauches. The Commodore has good officere to put in command of the gunboats that may be added—Murray, Jeflers, McCook, &o. All were in good health and good gpirits, and good order ‘and discipline prevailed, A!) they wanted was 2 obance to meet the enemy. ‘The vessels were supplied witb provisions for sixty days, avd a large supply of coal. Resoue of the Fitth Rhode Island Bar~ talion. {From the Providence Journal.} ‘The following extract is taken from a private lettor from # young man who was on board the Admiral in the late disaster off Hatteras :— A week ago it one of the many vessels, in en- deavoring to enter harbor, went aground outside the Dar. Great efforts were made during the day to get her off and take off tho troops she had on board. “She had or Doard the battalion of the Fifth Rhode Island Volunteers, about tive hundred in number. The attempt was unsuccessful, and the underiaking was relinquished for the night. ‘One of the ferry doais returning, when passing our vessel, was bailed by Gen. Burnside. The answer was that it was impossible to get the vessel off; that so heavy a sca was it was dap- gerous to go near enough to the vessel in Trees tO take off the soldiers. This was theGeneral’s reply —''Haui our vessel alongede mine and I will go myself. That ‘ogee snes Pe beans eal ht or the men taken off.’ The vessel came alongside and Burnside woot aboard; ‘but probably concluding thatthe welfare of the exped tion required that he should not expose himself te hazard, he returned to the Admiral, but. ‘tain of the ferry oat to take of the men ‘the vessel in; if ne couid do neither, to lie by vor ‘all night aud render her alithe assistance in While this conversation was going on the writer went aboard the ferry boat, It did not take long to go to the verse), but it was found impossible to take the men off. The sel was ‘thumping the ground every moment, and was slowly drifting towards the breakers, We finally succeeded in runuing near enough to her to have & smal! ine thrown ‘to us, attached to which was a very strong hawser [t was & tedious job to get the hawser fastened to our boat. ‘1t was at length accomplished, and wo started for the harbor, bringing the vessel with us. ‘The pilot of our vessel, who volunteered his sers and who is Well acquainted with theshoals ani n) the coast, said that if we had not seeured the verre a we did, in half an bour she would have been beyond rescue, and no one knows how many lives might hove been lost. The cheers that went up for us when wo avchored safe in harbor was enough torepay avy ove for making the attempt. NEWS FROM PORT ROYAL. The Reconpnottering Expedition to the Savanneh River—Effect of the Prema- ture Disclosure of Flag Officer Dupont’s Plans, &c., de. We received information yesterday morning fro United States gloop-of-war Savannah, to the eff ai, the expedition spoken of as haying departed for iho Savannah river has been wonderfully magnitied, and ia fact could scarcely be called an expedition, jt consie ing only of a few stat! gunboats and one brigade, or wo thousand men, which sailed from Port Royal for ihe py pose of reconnoitering the Savannah river apd keep ng the men in exercise. A portion of these boais entered the Savannab river by acreek on the north, and the others by acreek en iho south, and wpon reaching the river they found the chen nel obstructed and could not proceed. They, however, discovered three or four of the enemy’s fleet on their way from Fort Pulaski to Savannah, who were obliged to rip the gauntlet, aud ran by singly, when the Union gunboats opened fire upon them, but could not ascertain the amount of damage done. Hence the heavy firing beara in that direction. The main part of the expedition had returned to Port Royal, and when the Savannab left * tuumber of cannon were being sent through the «reeks, but for what purpose hax not been ascertained. ‘We are informed by an officer on board the Sevauneh that, in consequence of the defeat of the plans of theee expeditions, by their premature exposition by the preee> Commodore Dupont has and will prevent all communica. tion between Port Royal and the North until his plans are perfected. Neither steamers nor sailing vessels will be allowed to depart. It is worthy of remark that the Savannah is the only frigate that ever sailed on the Savannah river. A large number of her crew bave the scurvy. The ship baring been fitted out ina hurry in June last, and being in a great degree unfit for use, from dampness, &c., there be- ing no opportunity to procure fresh provisions in the Savanvali river, this diserse broke out among them. Those who were wounded died, a+ (heir wounds would not beal while so aMficted , bat would mortify and thus cause death. ‘The Savannah now fies at (he Brooklyn Navy Yard. Rebel Account from Savannah. ‘The Savanna Reprblican of the Sth inst, says that the glass revealed no new movements among the federal ves- sels lying in the cut north of the river beyond an addi. tion to the number, Some imagine they have moved neayer to the river, bot we could discover no materia! Change in thelr position. Persons familiar with the water courses in that locality say they bave not yet renehed Wall's Cat, bat are lying in the river be yood, which does not communicate with the main chan- ool; yet vessela ceeupying their position can readily command (he main passage, t has been stated by per sons wlio ought to know that portions of Mud river grow dry at three-quarters ebb tide, end that if the Yenkeo Gort hould ews al! the obstruttions they would not ale to come through. News from Fortress Monroc. Forvams Mownon, Feb. 7, 1sev. Several prisoners of war were exchanged vu pa: ond several otber passengers came down from fie!timore this morning to go South, They were sent to Craney Island by « fing of truce under command of Major Jones. No news or passengere came back with the flag of trues. The Rhode Island, which arrived from Philedeiphia yesterday, sailed for Port Royal this afternoon. The Anglo-Saxon Outward Houna, Ponr.anp, Me., Fob. 8, 1862, The aleamship Anglo-Saxon mailed at halt peat, four o'clock (his afternoon for Liverpool, Bartimonn, Feb. 8, 1) ‘The roport that the goverment ‘ag decided to iseou- tinue the issue of ruled stamped envelopes has pro- 1 a good deat of ¢\-oatietnetion, especially among te * with wt they ate regarded as tbe cho apust and mos! veronk forua of postage stampa, It is said that remon. + againgt this step are ciren- lating among some o: the esoampments.