The New York Herald Newspaper, December 27, 1864, Page 4

‘2 NEW YORK HERALD. JAMES GORDON BENNETR Soron AND PROPRIETOR OFFICE MH. W, CORNER OF FULTON AND NASSAU STS. TERMS cash in advance. Movey seat by mail will be ei the risk of the sender. Nove but bank bills current in ew York taken. THE DAILY HERALD, Four cents per copy, Annual pubscription price $14. —— Volume XXIX........... AMUSEMENTS THIS EVENING, ACADEMY OF MUSIC, Irving place.—Norma. BOWERY THEATRE, Vexponus—Four Lovers Bowery.—Atapprs—ORLANDo PrRit OF SEVRNTY-SIx. BROADWAY THEATRE, Broadway.—Tas Live Iy- piay—Psorie's LawrEn. NIBLO'S GARDEN, Broadway.—Att Hattow Eva— In anv Our or Piace—Harry Man. WINTER GARDEN, Broadway.—Hawure, OLYMPIC THEATRE, Broadway.—Tas Stamxts or New Youx. NEW BOWERY THEATRE, Bowery.—Jenny Asen- euaw—Biack Hvom—Cartie STEALER. BARNUM'S MUSEUM, Broadway.—Pavonawa—Tanee Maunora Fat Gints—Tunes Giixis—Two Dwanrs— INDIANS@ FRENCH AUTOMATONS. GRAND SPECTACLESDay and Evening. BRYANTS' MINSTRELS. Mechanics’ Hall. 472 Broad- way.—Braiorian Sonos, Dances, Buatesques, &0,—Lxs MiswRapces. WOOD'S MINSTREL HALL. 514 Broadway.—L® Bat Masque—Tux Racs—Ermiorian Songs, Dances, &¢. GALLE DIABOLIQUE, 585 Broadway. —Roszar xis. YAN AMBURGH 4 CO.’3 MAMMOTH MENAGERIB, Sos and 541 Broadway.—Open from 10 A, M. to 10 P. M. HIPPOTHEATRON, Fourteenth street —Equrstrian, Grunastio AND ACROBATIC ENTERTAINMENTS. HARLEQUIN Buvaskarp. TURKISH HALL, 720 Broadway.—Oscaran’s Onientat Ewrextarnment. AMERICAN THEATRE, No. 444 Broadway. —Batcers, Pantomimus, BukLEsguss. Ac. House Tuat Jack Buixt. VANNUCHI'S MUSEUM, 600 Broadway.—Moving Wax Ficunes—Fraxz Mou: jew York, Tuesday, December 27, 1864, = es Se =< THE SITUATION. We publish this morning a map showing the locality nd surroundings of “General Sherman's magnificent Christmas gift to the goverpment and people. We also Bive some extracts regarding his movements {rom the atest Richmond papers received and the opinions of the English press in reference to his grand cam- paign, The Richmond editors, in their last Satur. day's issues, professed to have some doubts that Sayan mab had fallen, but consoled themselves, in tho event that it baa, by confidence in their generals, and in the Dolief that they knew what was best for the rebel cause. ‘The newspaper organs of our British cousins regard Sher- man’s grand march across the State of Georgia with mingled feelings of wonder, admiration, envy and fear, Richmond papers of last Saturday report that Gordons- ville, Virginia, at the jucction of the Virginia Central and Alexandria and Orange railroads, was probably cccupled on that morning by @ Uaion force from the Shenandoah valley, estimated at six thousand, under the gallant cavalry leaders, Generals Torbert aod Powell. They bad considerable skirmishing on the two Preceding days with the rebels under Lomax. A portien Of the Union cavalry is said to have moved further west- ward along the Virginia Central road, threatening Char- lottesville. Generals Torbert and Powell occupied Madi- s0n Court House, in their movement on Gordonsville, on Jest Wednesday. The Richmond papers say there were Bo rebel government supplies of any consequence at Gor donaville. They claim that General Rosser, on the 22d inst., defeated a party of Sheridan's oavairy and artil. Jery, numbering fifteen hundred or two thousand, in the SBbeaandoah valley, between Sparta and Harrisonburg, Griving them back down the valley. The rebel General Lee, in an official despatch, says this force was General Custer’s division. We have nothing later from Wilmington, North Caro- Noa, than was published io the Heratp yesterday morn- tng. Despatches from there dated on Friday last, and Published in Saturday’s Richmond papers, say, that twenty six Union vessels reappeared below Fort Fisher on that morning, the whole fleet having disappeared dur- ing the preceding day, on account of the storm. It ig reported that the rebel General Hood’s pontoons in the neighborhood of Florence, Alabama, beve been swept away, and that the Tennessee river is now so high that he will not be able to get his army south of it, Another Dattle ow the north side of the river is therefore ex- pected. General Tmomas’ headquarters were still at Columbia, Teon., on last Saturday; but she advance of his army was pushing on after the retreating rebcis. ‘There is a rumor that Hood’s men have abandoned their wagon trains. On Inst Friday night, it is reported, General Lyon's robel forces in Kentucky captured and burned a train om the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. Avout two huodred Union soldiers who were on board the cars were paroled. Lyon has deen able to injure the railroads much, being too closely Pureued. He left Elizabethtown with his main detach- mont, some two thousand men, on last Sunday morning, moving towards Greensburg. He is apparently trying to get out of Kentucky, as, according to these reports, be ie vow marching southward. General Lagrange’s brigade of national troops is foliowing him up. Our despatebes from the James river armies state that Additional rebel forces left Lee’s army before Richmond on last Saturday for some unascertained point. The rebels bave recently erected a new and important line of earth- works in front of a portion of the Army of the James, ran- ning from the vicinity ef the river, on the north side, for some distance eastward. An expeditionary Union force recently went out to the Rappahannock river from in Trout of Richmond, and succeeded in destroying a num ber of guerilia larking places, inflicting much damage on the enemy and capturing several men who were endea- Voring to desert from our army. Their only casualty during their absence was one man killed. Another army transport was fired into on the James river, near Bmithfeld, on the 24th inet., by guerilias. The Consul of France residing in Richmond paid another visit ‘within the Union lines on last Friday, for the purpose of giving eafe conduct to two French subjects who were leaving the rebel capital to return to their own country. Confirmation of previous statements regarding the out- rages to which our captured soldiers are subjected is furnished by Bartholomew McFardin, of the First Now York cavairy, who eseaped from Libby Prison, and arrived ‘withi the Union lies in front of Richmond on last Friday Juat before he left the Libby there were brought In one Bundred prisoners from the Army of the Potomac, all of whom were stripped of all their clothing acd valuables, the rebels cutting the fingers of such as wore rings 10 Order to wecure the jewelry, One Union soldier who ob- Jeoted to parting with bis watch was shot twice in the breast, MoFardin says that the greatest depression pre Vaile in the rebel capital, Our Newborn, N, C., despatch describes the successful Otpedition and return to their starting point, of the Union recommoitering force under Colonel Frenckle, which Jolt Plymouth, on the Roanoke river, on the Oth inst. ‘They pensirated @ considerable distance into the in (AGFC, ONS hed never enescammats wih the ranaia NEW YORK HERALD, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27 1864, _———— who were defeated on every eocasion. A number | The Desperate Situation of Jem, Davis— of prisoners were also taken from (the ene my. The guoboats om the Roanoke river were to bave co-operated with Colonel Fronckle, but were toe great exteat prevented by the torpedoes which the rebels bad sunk in that stream. Rebel telegraphic despatches from Wilmington, N. C., say that Union gunboats and transports appeared at Fort Branch, on the Roanoke river, on last Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdey, and attempted to land troops, bat were repuised by the rebel forces on each day. It is said that General Hooker, in whose present de- partment is included the State of Illinois, ts in possession of ipformation that a band of robels is organised in Canada for the purpose of making a raid on Obicago. The General ts prepared for their reception. A large fund of intoresting, if not the most reliable, reating is furnished in late rebel newspapers. They claim that the Union raidors, under Stoneman or Bur bridge, or both, who recently did eo much damage in Southwestern Virginia, and caused such widespread alarm among the rebels, have returned into Tennes- see. We also find some additional accounts of the late cavalry raid of General Davidson through Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, Genoral Davidson started from Baton Rouge, La., om the 27th ult.; and io last Saturday’s Herat> was announced his safe arrival at Pascagoula, after doing great damage so the railroads and destroying immense quan- tities of rebel supplies, It is said that that eminent military humbug, General Sterling Price, is re- organizing bis army in Arkansas, and that it numbers “thirty-three thousand men,” ‘‘all Missourians.’’ The negroes are stampeding from Richmond at a great rate, owing, it is stated, to fears that they will be conscripted into the rebel army. The Richmond Enquirer of last Saturday owns up to the fact that ‘the affairs of the con- federacy are under a cloud." MISCELLANEOUS NEWS. By the arrival bere yesterday of tho steamship Cham- pion, from Aspinwall on the 16th instant, we received very ivteresting despatches from our correspondents in Central and South America. There is nothing very late in regard to the difficulty between Spain and Poru; but all the intelligence indicates tbat if it comes to an issue of arms the other principal South American republics will make common cause with their sister nation against tbe Spaniards. Our Lima correspondent gives an account of the assembling, on the 14th of November, at that place, of the Congress of South American republics. The United States sloop-of-war Lavcaster was to sail from Penama ‘or Callao on the 17th inst.,to watch the de velopment of the Spanisb-Peruvian imbroglio. The seven Tebel pirates captured some time ago by our naval (erces fo the Pacific, on board the steamer Salvador, which ves- sel they designed to seize and convert into @ corsair, were despatched by steamer for San Francisco on the 6th inst , the Colombian authorities baving refused Permission for them to be sent across the Isthmus in order to be transported to the North. It was atone time thought that they would be secretly conveyed over the Isthmus; but this, it appears, wasnot done, Several other men who were in league with those arrested, and who were known to have been recently on the Central American coast, bad made their escape, and, it was supposed, gone to Havana. The different Central American governments bave given promises to thwart any schemes of these rebel pirates in future. Political ‘affairs were uousually quiet in nearly all the Spanish American republics, there being no new revolutions to report. The cotton crop ia Central America bad been almost totally destroyed by the worm, A recent fre to the province of Cauca, Colombia, destroyed fifty-seven buildings. The steamships Erin and Kangaroo reached this port from Queenstown yesterday, bringing our European fles to the 7th of December. The news is uot so late as the advices of the Peruvian; but the papers contain some very interesting reports. A State Convention, one of the principal objects of which is to decide upon a plan for putting am end to slavery in Kentucky, by legal enactment, will assemble at Frankfort, im that State, on the 4th of Jasuary proximo. Yesterday was almost universally observed as the Christmas holiday in New York and its suburban cities, nearly all places of business being closed, and the streets Presenting a Sunday appearance. Notwithstanding the mud and slush, rendering walking anything bat a luxury, ‘and that rain and mist fell during « considerable portion of the day, pleasure seekers were not deterred trom out door movements in quest of enjoyment, and the streets were very lively. Excellent Christmas dioners were provided for and heartily enjoyed by the soldiers at the different rendezvouses in and around the city. At the different charitable institutions also elegant holiday feasts wore furnished to the inmates. At all these gather- ings there was intellectual as well as animal enjoyment, music, addresses, &0., contributing much to reader the day one of happiness. At the State Soldiers’ Depot, in Howard street, Admiral Farragut mede bis appearance during the day, and was received with great enthusiasm, as was also Commodore Drayton, who accompanied him. In response both the distinguished geatiemen made some remarks. The bark Mary Bell, Roberts, referred to in the ship news column as haviog beon launched last week on the Ohio river, is probably the largest soagoing craft evor constructed in this country away from tide water. She is six hundred tons burthen, and will be fitted for sea before going down the Mississippi river. Ler frame was up before the breaking out of the rebellion; but while the rebels disputed the passage of the Mississippi the work upon her was stopped. ‘The schooner Dragos, Captain Petersen, from Curacoa, arrived at this port yesterday morning, baving on. board the captain aod crew of the brig George Laidiaw, from Cardenas, Cuba, which was stove to pieces of Cape Hat Voras 11 gale of the 22d and 234. The Laidiaw was loaded with molasses, aod, with her cargo, was « total leas. Mr. Alfred Mitchell, wbo resided at 26 West Fifty-fourth street, was yesterday so severcly crushed betwoon a car and a postat the depot of the Broadway and Seventh Avenue Railroad that he died soon after. Alfred Hopper, a colored porter ina Cortiandt street Paper warehouse, charged with having at different times stolen large quantities of wall paper from his employers, and Cyras Thomas, of 149 Spring street; Charles Dan- bouser, of 160 Orchard street, and Harriet Wilson, of 18 Thomas street, for the alleged purchase of the same with the knowledge of it having been stoien, were ali yester- day committed to the Tombe for further examination. The Cotton ment Fin: According to General Foster’s despatch, there are in Savannah thirty-three thousand bales of cotton, a portion of which is so doubt of the sea islands quality, which is werth over two dollars a pound. This cotton would pro- duce in England over eight millions of dollars in gold. Let the government ship it at once to Europe, with a few thousand bales addditional which may be gathered at New Orleans and along the Mississippi, bring from England twelve to fifteen millions in coin, which, with the amount already in band, would form a safe basis for a return to specie payment on the plan recently suggested in the Henaty, With the speedy return of Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia and North Carolina to the protection of our loyal army and navy, thousands of bales will be released and added to that captured by General Sherman at Savannah, Let most of it be sent abroad and turned into gold, which can be brought here, when the tide will be turned in our favor, and, more than all, the ooin which bas been taken from us will come back. What an excellent chance for Mr. Fes- senden to make a master stroke, which would restore the confidence of the people and strengthen the government credit! Now is the time to begin this arand financial revolution. Whrac Next? The situation of Jeff. Davis, bis ruling junta and bis army in Richmond, may now be aptly to that of the unfortunate Jews, when, in their rebellion against the authority and power of imperial Rome, they were in- vested by Titus in their sacred clty of Jerusa- lem. Despairing of a successful resistance, cut off from every hope of outside relief, and reduced to the extremities of famine, there were yet added to the terrors of the siege the most violent discords within of divided coun- cils and clashing factions. Such now is the situation of Jeff. Davis and his ruling confede- rates at Richmond. Whether, from an incapa- bility of agreeing upon a timel¥’ capitulation or retreat, they will await, like the Jews, the alternative of a wholesale destruction, is the problem which now remains to be solved. We incline to the opinion, from the develop- ments of disaffection against Davis that bave leaked out through the Richmond journals, and the debates in the rebel Congress, that the des potic reign of the arch traitor hangs upon @ mere thread, which may any day be breken in & reactionary revolution and coup d’cdat at Richmond in behalf of peace. What was the work which he was set up to perform es the military dictator of the so-called Confederate States? The establishment of an independent Southern contederacy, bounded on the north by Mason and Dixon’s line, the Ohio river and the northern boundary of Mis- sourl; on the extreme west by the Pac fic Ocean; on the south, temporarily, by the Rio Grande and by the Gulf of Mexico; and on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, including the pos- session of the Mississippi river, from the Mis- souri to the sea; of Washingten, Maryland, Fortress Monroe and Chesapeake Bay. Such was the Southern confederacy which Davis was set up to establish, and upon the corner stone of African slavery. He and his leading confederates entered upon this stupen- dous enterprise, it must be confessed, with inadequate means, but with abundant promises of success. They promised their deluded fol- lowers that the Yankees would not fight; tat if they did their commerce would be swept from the ocean; that the Northern democracy would join their Southern brethren; that King Cotton would bring England and France to the rescue; that the finances of the United States would soon be broken down, and that should all these expectations fail in the interval, the Presidential election of 1864 would surely settle the contest, in the recognition of the Southern confederacy on satisfactory terms. The inevitable end of the war, in any event, was to be a Southern confederacy, resting on the corner stone ef slavery, from which King Cotton would dictate the law to the continent, and the laws of trade in the four quarters of the globe. Dazzled by this magnificent programme, the slaveholders of the South, as by a sort of spontaneous combustion, were inflamed and eager for the war, with the sound of the signal guns opened against Fort Sumter. Where are they now? Where are their expected North- ern and European alliances? Where is King Cotton? Where is their overshadowing South- ern confederacy? Where is its corner stone, that fascinating Southern domestic institution of African slavery? Let Hood, and the belp- less remnants of his shattered army, from the northern border of Alubama; let Magruder, from Texas; let Price, and his routed troops, from Arkansas; let Joe Jehnston, in his un- deserved disgrace at Macon; let Hardee, stealing off from Savannah into the swamps of South Carolina; let Beauregard, from Charleston; let Bragg, from Wilmington; Breckinridge, from East Tennessee, and Davis himself, from beleagured Richmond, give the answer. All their great expecta- tions in succession have signally failed. Their confederacy is now, for military pur- peses, reduced to the contracted area between the Alleghany Mountains and the sea, frem Richmond to the Savannab river; while Wil- \mington, the last link of connection between the “confederacy” and Nassau, is cut off, if not in our possession. Against this hopeless condition of things what is the alternative to which the slave- holders of this disjointed Southern confederacy are now invited? It is the foolish experi- ment of emancipating and arming their negroes as the last but winning card for Southern independence. It is the alteraative of tearing out the foundations in order to save the building; it is the Japanese alternative of hari-kari, in order to avoid destruction by other bands. Itis upon this proposition that the slaveholders of the South are now called by Jeff. Davis te make their election. Here, however, that delicious Southern panacea of State rights and the question of suicide come to the relief of the slaveholder. Hence the wranglings which prevail among the rebel Solons of Richmond. Fire-eaters who have lost their slaves, and reckless politicians who have never been blessed with slaves, are clamoreus for negro emancipation and a negro army; while those alaveholders who still possess their negroes, whe know what they are, and who are still hopeful that “something may turn up” in their favor, even in the old Union, better than Southern emancipation, fight stoutly against the sacrifice of their slaves to the Moloch who Tules the roost at Richmond. ‘The crisia is at hand for the settlement of this controversy; and there is every reason to be- lieve that it will very soon be settled in the overthrow of Jeff. Davis, in the abandonment of his bopeless cause, and in the capitulation of the rebellious States, each for itself, or all to- gether, to the supreme government of the Union. We expect soon an ignominious ending to the cruel, bloody and remorseless reign of Jeff Davis. Manuatran Istanp Must Sprreap Irseny.<= We see by the late news from Eugland that it is in contemplation to construct a railroad into Liverpool, by way of a tunnel under the river Mersey. We have no doubt that the English will accomplish this, for we know that they bave conatructed the Thames tunnel, built the Great Kastern and the Menai Suspension Bridge, Anglo-Saxon energy can accomplish anything. So, it appears, can Celtic enterprise as well; for we perceive that the Alps, over which Han- nibal led his weary troops through parses cut, as history tells ue, by heating the rocks and split- timg them with vinegar—the beet engincering known to the Carthagenians—and over which Napoleon carried his victorious army {oto Italy, are being successfully tunnelled at Mount Cenis forthe accommodation of travellers and the intercourse ef commerce. Thus modern skill is devoted to appliances of peace, where ‘horrible wer” demeaded it in former ages, But the moral of this matter Lies in the fact that if Englishmen can tunnel under the Mersey 6o can we tunnel the East and North rivers, and forma connection with Long Island and New Jersey, which is fast becoming a necessity from the growth of our population and the ex- tremely small limits of the island on which New York stands, It must be done before leng either by tunnels or suspension bridges; for the metropolis is swelling so immensely that, like the frog in the fable, Manbattan Island will burst if there is no room to spread itself. General Sherman has almost identified his name forever with the Christmas festivities. As Henry V.,0n the night before Agincourt, promised his English comrades that “Crispin Crispinian should ne’er go, by but they in it should be remembered,” so, after the present opportune achievement and the grim jest with which the news has been sent, General Sherman may fairly hope that no American will ever buy a Christmas gift for bis child, his sweetheart or his wife, without a remembrance of the great soldier who bas given this grandest of Christmas gifts to bis country. The capture of Savannah is really great success. It gives a royal spoil to us anda severe blow to the enemy in its plunder of arms, ammunition and eotton, and it will intensify in Richmond city those “frantic manifestations of contempt for the rebel government” which we hear of in so many ways. In this latter respect it does as mucb for us'as would the greatest victory in open battle. It not only depresses the Rich- mond people as one more disaster, but it raises new clamors against the government that had misrepresented the relative strength of the forces and declared that “Savannah was safe.” We have heard and will bear again that Savannah was useless to the confederacy, be- cause it was a well closed port, and that, there- fore, it mattered not who held it. Indeed it has been said in Richmond that it the Yankees would employ against Savannah the strength and time necessary to take it, it would be so much better for the Confederate cause. But that is merely the gabble of the Richmond editors. The rebel government had different ideas. That government thought Savannah of so much importance that it concentrated there fifteen thousand men, and one hun- dred and fifty guns, in the hope to save it. Fifteen thousand men, in the pre- sent condition of the rebel forces, and in view of the scarcity of men in the rebel States, is a very large army; and, therefore, it is but natu- ral to suppose that the authorities thought Savannah a very important place fer their cause. The rebel government was right. Savan- nab, aside from the supplies in it, was import- ant as the last great city between the Savannah and the Mississippi rivers at which the confed- eracy could hope to rally any new power. It was the last inch by which the Richmond juata held on to Georgia, Alabama sad Miseissippi. Hardee’s retreat is the old story of too many to lose and too few to fight. It might natu- rally be wondered how it is that a man with the sense to get out of the place ever had the stupidity to get into it. If he was to leave so soon, why did he go at allt He opens with the rebel government, it will be seeu, the same question that General Jobnaton did in refer- ence to Atlanta. He was probably sent there to fight for the city “desperately;” But he has elected to lose the city and save what he con- siders of more consequence—an army of fifteen thousand men. Johnston had concluded to do the same, and he was condemned to the hari- kari of handing his army over to the brainless Hood. Perhaps another Hood may supersede Hardee. Let us hope for the best. Hardeo’s position opposite Savannab, at Union Cause- way, may be seen on the map we give to-day, whieh also shows all the country in which he will move for some days to come. It is not impossible that he may unite with whatever other force there may be at Augusta. It is hardly possible that the enemy will attempt to hold that place; but the united forces will likely retire to Charleston; and it may be that the force now with Hardee and the force at Augusta will eventually fall into our hands, with the fortifications about Wilmington. Wilmington is now the point at which the sorely pestered confederacy feels a most alarming pressure, and all the power that it can muster out of Richmond on the Atlantic will naturally go there, with the desperate effort to save its single seaport. Hood’s overthrow in Tenuesseo and Hurdee’s retreat from Savannah enable us to define the limits of the rebellion very distinctly. It is bounded by the York and Savannah rivers, the Alleghany Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean. Within that space is concentrated all the practical resistance that can be opposed to the United States. All that is alive of the rebellion is there. And the one point that we have to strike at in that space is the army under Lee. Now is the time when the de- struction of that army and the capture of Rich- mond city will have its full effect. Now even the most sanguine rebel is depressed; and there is uo question that, with a great success on the James, the most hopeiul would lose all hope and give up the cause. But we have seen the elasticity of the Southern mind, and we know that it will come up out of very great depts if there is only the shadow of a hope to encourage it. If we leave that shadow of a hope—if, after one, two or three months, Rich- mond still defies us, those now so beaten down will rally once more. Hood’s ten or fifteen thousand will be recruited to thirty thousand, and Trans-Mississippi additions may make a formidable army of it once again. We glimpse at these as pessibilities only, and as reasons that ought to induce our government to strain every nerve to annihilate the rebellion by one grand biow now, while it is possible that one grand blow may do it. Polttioal Revolution in England—The Biter Bit. Recent events in England have a political significance which must be as apparent to the governing powers as it is gratifying to us. It was expected by the class referred to, and whole aristocracy of Great Britain, that our war would afford such evidences of the weakness of our institutions that the British people would be oured of their aspirations after more extended rights, universal suffrage and a nearer approach to popular government. But the turn affairs have taken here have turned the tables there. The successful progress of the Union arms, the continued victories of our generals and admirals, and the certainty that this government is strong enough to put down rebellion and reconstruct the country upon its former heals of wroanerity and volitiog! walty. have not only destroyed the hopes of the aris- | chronicling its events, might almost say with tocracy, but have given an immense stimulus to the feelings of the working classes in favor of popular rights. On the 26th of January last John Bright de. livered a speech at Birmingham, which was re- Produced in our columns, the bearings of which seem not only to have inaugurated a new era of thoughts for the workingmen of England, but have actually ripened into whole- some doctrines of independence and into pub- lic declarations of the people’s rights. Mr. Bright’s allusions to the social and political equality, to the comforts and irresistible auc- cess which the United States hold out to the emigrant, have opened men’s eyes, and the light of a vindication ef human rights is dawn- ing upon those whose fate it had been “never to rise one step higher than that which they formerly occupied.” The last mail brings us fresh tidings of this feeling. Demonstrations in favor of an ex- tension of the elective franchise—of universal suffrage, in fact, have taken place in Brad. ford, Yorksbire, headed by four prominent members of Parliament, who did not hesitate to point out our late Presidential election as one of the most imposing spectacles that a nation could give “to the world. If these movements are carried algo into Lancashire and the populous counties of Staffordshire the pulsations of freedom will oscillate across the Atlantic and cement between the Ameri- can citizens and the English nation a friend- ship against which the most selfish schemes of the aristocracy cannot prevail. At the present time there are twenty-five thousand artisans working and lately working in the mills of England who are readg, to come to this country, induced to emigrate partly because of want of work in consequence of the scarcity of cotton; partly because of the en- couragement offered by manufacturers here, and partly from a desire to settle where so many of their relations and connections are located. Tiese men will bring the skill for which they are proverbial, and when peace is restored we shall sce the finest cotton and woollen fabrics in the world manufactured in this country. There is already in course of construction near Buffalo a woollen factory which is ¢o be entirely worked by British artisans, and we may feel assured that before long there will be many more establishments of a similar kind. If Eogland had known the full extent of the nerve and resources of this country when the war broke out she would have assumed a differ- ent position. That knowledge is strengthened now by the results of Sherman’s and Thomas’ recent vietories, the possession of Savannah and the certain fate of Wilmington. The tide of prejudice agaiost this government, so carefully swelled by the misrepresentation of the gov- erning classes and rebel agents in England, has turned, and that country may find before many months elepse that the direst evil to herself has been produced by the very means she employed to bring it upon us. The Bervices amd Dangers of Army Cor- respondents. The story of that new class of men which the exigencies of the war have called into exist- ence for the second time in this country—army correapondents—if faithfully told, would com- prise many curious and creditable chapters in the general history of the rebellion. Faithful to the journals they represent, untiring in the pursuit of such news as the public require, and sharing all the bardships and dangers of cam- paign life, without military rank or honors, they not unfrequeny play the double part of soldier and civilian with infinite credit to them- selves and the profession to which they belong. When our readers peruse the glowing descrip- tion of # battle they little know how much of it is penned under shot and shell, and what imminent danger attends the labor which is to entertain them at the breakfast table or the fireside. From ourown “army corps” we lost some brave men on the battle field, some by disease contracted in the discharge of their duty; and we have had to wait for months the retura to our service of those confined in South. ern prisons—men captured in the front. Major General Hancock recently appointed one of our correspondents, Mr. Anderson, toa captaincy and position as aid on his staff for his gallant conduct in the field. It has not been an uncommon thing for our correspondents to lend effective service to the commanding gene. rals at very critical moments, when one gallaat act might turn the tide of battle. A few inci dents in the career of one of these gentlemen, who has been with Thomas through his late brilliant battles, will illustrate. Captain D. P. Conyngham did such signal service at the bat- tle of Ressacca, by carrying despatches undera withering fire across the field, from Gen. Scho- field to Gen. Judah, and subsequently guiding a division into action at a critical moment, that he was personally congratulated on his gal- lantry by General Schofield, and received the following letter of thanks from General Judah :— Cupar Srainas, » May 18, 1864, Captain D. P. Conrnanam, Actiog A. D.’C.:— Cartain—-[ cannot disrupt the associations that bind me to my porsonal staf without thanking you for the ag services you bave me. The gallant man- ner in w you couveyed my orders, under a heavy arful ordeal to which my division was 4th jnst., Dotonly commands my ao. d admiration, but attesta my long con- firmed optoion that tbe Irish soldier is the nouparell of « With the best wishes of your chief for your J.B. JU dior General, 0.8. A. Our correspondent was wounded slightly in this fight, and if he had not been an army cor- respondent and did not carry bis budget of news in a portfolio, inside his vest, which turned the bullet, we should probably not have had the accounts of the battles of Chattanooga, Franklin and Nashville from his pen. Riding to the front, in another action, he was accosted by a general, who, seeing him in civilian’s dress, asked whobe was. Upon being informed the officer remarked, “I don’t think newspaper correspondents will go far in here.” They were soon in a hot fire, and the general fell, badly wounded, when our correspondent said, “You see, sir, that correspondents go farther than generals here,’’ and quietly rode on in search of news. When Hood threatened Chattanooga be volunteered his services, and at the battle of Nashville fought for a time in the trenches with his musket, though tendered acommand. We might multiply instances of this kind in the case of this one correspondent alone. He was complimented on the field of Chancellorsville—his first great battlo—by General Meagher for his services as aid, and had one of our horses shot under him at Bristow station. These facts show to what continual danger the members of our army staff are exposed in the performance of their duty tous and to the public. They are the bigtorians of the war, and some of thom, in Future suosens_oag weitere; Laas, ere future welfare, | am, truly DAH, Briga neces, “All of which I saw, and « great part of which I was.” A very interesting incident {n the career of our correspondents was the parting of two of them in Atlanta—one to go South with Sher- man on his hasardous march through the enemy's country, three hundred miles, to Savan- nah; the other to go North with Thomas, to be present at the Franklin, Brentwood and Nash- ville battles, and both, as it happened, destined to meet in this office on the same day, with the news of the success of both generals, and shake hands once more, rejoicing in the vie- torlous result of their labors. NORTH CAROLINA. Safe Return of the Expedition to Plymouth. Successful Skirmishing with the Enemy. Reported Bepulse of the Union Guaboats at Poplar Point, Roanoke Biver, NAVAL ATTACK ON FORT BRANCH, Key Kew ae Our Newberm Correspond :nee. Nawenan, Deo. 16, 1064, AN EXPEDITION FROM PLYMOUTH, An expedition, under the command of Colonel Freakie, left Plymouth on the 9th inst., under orders from Briga- dier General Palmer, commanding the district of Nort Carolina, SKIRMISH AT GARDNER'S BRIDGR ‘The first point reached was Gardner’s bridge, om the Roanoke river, beyond Jameston. Hore was cnocem- tered a force of rebel ocavairy—probably acting as videttes—the main force (infantry) being strongly tm- trenched on the heights beyond, the position being ap- Ninth New Jersey, which formed in colama by platoons, rushed onward energetically across the bridge, up the eights, and succeeded shortly in driving the epemy from his position, with but slight loss to either party. Captain Graham, with his cavalry, charged in his asual gallant style, and, following closely on the heels of the flying rebols, succeeded ib taking several prisoners, THE ENSMY PUBSUED TO FOSTER’S MILLS. ‘The main column continued its onward march, but aia ‘not succeed in coming up with thé rebels until reaching Foster’s Mills, where they were discovered strongly im- trenched, and with one piece of artillery. Similar te their frst position, this was approachable alone over a bridge, a this time the — had succeeded “ = roy ing; but e plank irpose, althoug! transit was of a more hazardous character. The oom- mand, bowever, crossed in safety by this.means, and im line of battle confronted the rebels ou the other side, ‘ANOTHER SKIRMISH. The enemy wow opened with his artillery, to whioh oer force responded by a brisk fire of musketry, whi the effect of dislodging the enemy. ; i dl rear. ind! (ront and rear, the to escape b; 4 Ber tin remen u no ee cin ier coos heavy to themselves. ms ‘OAPTURES. We captured ia this engagement five sionea twelt one colonel, igen North Coreting = and thirty nom Soy officers and privates. ‘THE COLUMN RETURNS. harp bp aemmapceninernn fo Spm wera wag ees ron baviag been accompli: as far as practicable, the com- mand countermarched to Plymouth. INABILITY ‘OF THE GUMBOATS TO CO-OFERATE, A fleet of gunboats which acoom! (he expeditien 0m setting out was uaable to o0-operate o: advance be- youd Jameston, owing to the number of tor; sunken in the river by the enemy, aod by which boats were lost—as reported in a previous despatob. Captain Judson, Adjutant General of thia district, left in Ju y yesterday with afiag of trace party ve moet the rebel authorities at K inetoa. RRVIVAL OF ACTIVITY IN XEWORRE, Newbera and vicinity are again beginning to assume a aspect, and the indications of the ravages of the fearful epidemic that so lately and fatally raged ere bave almost disappeared. REBEL ACCOUNTS. Wnanworo, Dec. 31, 1864. All quiet at Newbern. Tae enemy is moving ap Roanoke river agaiost Fort Braoch. ATTACK UPON THE UNION GUNBOATS AT POPLAR Wiarwator, Deo. 22, 1864. General Leventhrope attacked the exemy's gunboste ry low Poplar Folat, on the Roanoke river, om "The fight iasted three hours, when ‘again yesterday, when the enemy succeeded im landing some sharpehooters, Their main fleet of gunbeats aod transports remain below the a.tacking force. DEFRAT OF A NAVAL ATTACK ON FORT BRANCH. It will be geen from our despatches that a naval attacly on Fort Brauch, on the Rossoke river, has beom band- eomely repulsed, DEFEAT OF AN ATTEMPT TO LAND OW ROANOER RIVER, Wriarwotow, Dec. 23, 1864, General Leventhrope 4 agai repulsed be enemy, who attempted to land on river, Th rm PROMOTION OF BRIGADIER GENERAL O. WILLOOZ. Brigadier General 0, B. Willcox, commanding the Fires division, Ninth corps, has been brevetted major general, to date from August 1, 1464, giving him rank above many Of the recently breveited brigadiers. At the commenes- ment of the war General Willcox commanded tho First regiment from Michigan, which crossed the Alieghaaies te protect Washington; was made Military Governor of Alexandria when our troops crossed into Virginia; was ‘wounded at the first Bull run, taken prisoner and held thirteen montbs—during part of this time as a hoslage; Seiten ty be brigadier general of Ball run; succeeded of Dis brigade; took jement at South Mountain, tell assumed his command; ab Antiotam did distinguished service as commander of the Third division, Niath ; Succeeded to the com. amand of the corps, which he led at Fredericksburg; weet with Burnside to Kentucky and took part in 1 ign and the siege of Knoxville, aod has ‘Tennessee campal done gallant aod meritorious serv.ce ering the oam| in Vieginia as commander of the First division of the Ninth corps. It isa record to which any soldier might well point with pride and satisfaction. iN OF PAROLED PRISONERS. prisoners, from Florence, RETUR: About five hundred paroled Alabama, arrived in this city Inst train from Washingtoa, Upon getting lines they received from the government a complete outfit, which makes them look much finer than one would ‘expect to find them after the t hardabipe under, in rebel poe. Thoy felt once more to touch New kc soil, and at once spresd out to their several destina- ious, eager to roach their homes and firesides. c Inq A Gewriemar Crvsnen.—Yesterday morning, about haif-past eeven o'clock, Mr. Alfred Mitchell, @ goutiomam who lived at No. 26 Wost Fifty-/ourth strest, while nding at the upper depot of the Broadway and Seventh rem we Railroad Company, was crushed between a oar ‘and one of the poste of the ‘building, and so terribly in- jured that death ensued & fow momenta afterwards. 6 remains of deceased were conveyed to bis late rest dence, and (he Coroner notified to hold an inquest. Svicion sy Saoorime,—Information reached the Core. ners’ office yesterday afternoon that Mr. Dorrifils Tuttolle bad committed suicide, by shooting bimself through the head with tol, at 87 West Twoenty-sixth street. After tee atime tr, Tuttelie was conveyed (0. Bellevue Hoe- pital, where deyuptod tho act Wid. tol appear. to. the ‘om i cause whieh pr Geesued precinct pol was tweaty- Pe ng CH and a native of Massachusetts. hel inquest will be ‘on the body, Fatat, Rarwroap Oasoatty.—Georgo Reynolds, © mam about 60 years of age, who some days ago was rua over by ono of the Ninth Avenue Railroad oars, near hy es of Washington and Twelfth stroots, yeater day « he Tentdenca on Ba ton roa, trom | of r . oar wi owe jower pars of the body of decosedy Serkan Newmans was nvtided ts hold an tnauest.