The Sun (New York) Newspaper, December 29, 1864, Page 1

. ‘ By Tcl ‘ egraph to the N. ¥. San. -———— 0 __ FROM WILMINGTON. ‘Fort Fisher Still Under Fire. Explosion of the Powder Ship 300 Yards from the Fort. HE REBEL GUNS SILENCED. "The Land Attack. Many Prisoners Captured. BUTLER'S FORCES —RE-EMBARKED. REBEL NEWS FROM GEORGIA A Guess at Sherman's Intentions. YANKEE PRISONERS TO BE RELEASED, Advanoe Towards Virginia. GENERAL LEE TO sTOP IT. GEIZURE OF REBEL SALT WORKS: Great Destruction of Property. PRISONERS AND ARTILLERY CAPTURED, » &e., WILMINGTON, The Operations Agninst Fort Fisher. Fortress Monroe, Dec. 27, via Washington, Dee. @ —I have [ust arrived here on the Bentiagy de Cuba, from off Wilmington, The attack on Fu rt Praber commenced at noon of Saturday, the 24t!, end was continued all day; was resumed on Sun- day, and kept up with great vigor all day The fort is wuch damaged. All the barracks and store- houses were burned, and the garrison driven to the bomb-proofs, aud scarcely venturing to reply. A wma! portion of our troops lanjled Sunday alter- oon, skirmished with crest gallantry, pushed ur to the fort, and actually entered the work and kileda rebel bearer of dispatches who was euter- fing. Lieut. Wallen, of the 1424 New York regiment captured the rebel flag from Qur troops aleo captured @ whole battalion of the enemy, who were outside of their works, but our forces were withdrawn from the shore. When the Santiago de Cuba left the bombardment, was con- tinuing. On Sunday, the aailore from the Bantlago captured Pond Hill Battery, with 65 men, sud Dronght the whole party off to the ship The torpalo boat was successfully expl ded on Gaturdey morning, at 2 o'clock, but with what re- gult is pot known. The weather has Leen most severe at Newbern and Roanoke Island, The oldest inhabitant ever @xperienced such severe storms. REREL ACCOUNTS, Warhington, Dee KC. &e. the outer bastion. 28, 104 extracts War Department, P M—Major Gen, Dix from the Richmond papers of to-day have been re- ceived at this Department: FROM WILMINGTON The following oficial dispatches were read last @ight: Wilmington, Dec. 27, 6 P.M —To His Excellency the President of the Confederate States :—The ene my has re-embarked under the cover of his fleet. His movoment is not developed. I have visited Port Fisher and find the damage elight, except of the buildings not n@pssary for defence, Only two guns were disabled. The marks remaining !ndi- eate that the bombardment was very heavy. Major Q@en, Whiting, commanding the defences at the mouth of the’river, Col, Lamb, commanding fhe Fort, and the officers men posing the garrison, deserve special commendation the gallantry, efficiency and fortitude displayed ‘ander very tryiuy circumstances, » Rigned, Duaxton Braga, EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War The following and com GENERAL SHER MAN. A New Campaign Entered Upon. War Department, Washington, Dec 25th, 10:30 P.M.—To Major-Genl. John A, Diz, New York: The following extracts from theeRic hmond papers of to-~day have been received by the Department + “The latest official advices from Georgia indi- cate that Sherman has already followed up the occupation of Savannah, by sending @ force of cavalry, artillery and infantry upon an expedi- tion, whose destination can only be guessed at from the direction iu which it has moved, These froops are reported to have gone towards the Al- femaha River, and we shall no doubt next hear Goat they have crossed that stream, and are mov fag to Bouthwesiern Georgia in quest of the pri- pooers of war who were 6 ipposed to be at Ander- wonville, “Sherman's programme for his grand compaign orth ward seems to be no secret. He will start from Port Royal avd move atraight for Branchville, the point of junction between the Georgian and Carolivian railroads. He then proposes to follow the main lines of railroad towards Virginia, steal fg aud murdering as much as he can by the way All very fine, but if Sherman proposes Lee «is- sposes." « * Epwim M. Stanton, Secretary of War. From the Old to the New, The following sensible article appeared in the Bevannab Rervsitcan, on the 21st of December, @he datefof its occ upation by General Sherman : the authority of the Federal mil! forces, The evacuation of Sarannah by the Confederate army, which took place Inet night, left the gates t the city open, aud Gen Sherman, with his army, w.ll no doult, towiay, take possession. The Mayor and Common Cot leave under flag of truce this morning for the headquarters of General Sherman, to offer the surrender of the city, and ask terms of capitulation by which private property and citizens may be respected, We desire to counsel obedience and all proper respect on part of our citizens, and toexpress the belief heir property and persous will be respected by our m litary ruler he fear expressed by many that General Bherman will repeat the order of expulsion from our homes which be enforced against the citizens of Atiauta we think to be without founda- tion. He assigned his reason in that case as @ m)l- itary necessity, It was a question of food, He could not suppy bis army and the citizens with foo ihe atated that he must have full and sole occupation, But in our case food can be abun dantly supplied for both army and citizens } would not be understood as even intimating that we are to be fed at the cost of the Federal Govern- ment, but that food can be easily obtained, in all probability, by all to pay in the Federal currency, to koep within their homes until Gen, Sherman shall have ¢ . ized a provost system end auch police as w sure nafety in persous as well as property, Let our conduct be such se t n the aduniration of @ mag- nanitnous foe, and give no ground for comp!aint or barsh treatment on the part of bim who will for an indefinite periud bold possession of ourcity. In our city there are, as in other communitiog & large proportion of poor and needy families, who, ip the present situation of affaira, brouxht about by the privations of war, will be thrown upon the bounty of their more fortunate nevghbors, Deal with therm kindly, exercise your philanthropy and benevolence, and let the bearth of the unfortunate not be deserted by your friendly aid. GENERAL THOMAS, Hood's Adyance ai FlorenceHis Army Crossing the Tennesses Kiver. Columbia, Tenn, Dee, 23—8 A. di caped prisoners wlo have just arrived from Flor- ence, I learn that the aivance of Hood's army reached Florence on the evening of the Ist, and during the whole of next day his infantry was From Duck K'ver, Hood re- trevted rapidly to the Tennessee, his main army Our cavalry crossed an occasional brush brow. %4- crossing the mver not once making a stand Duck River with Forrest's furce, who covered the enemy's re- treat. No fighting of auy consequence, however, bas occurred eince the affair at Bpring Hill, Ite safe to eay that Teuneasee is now free from revels, in time to hav DECEMI 3ER tured one end thred upon five cthara, whe fell free the raft end ware drowmed. 4 GurTiomes who arrived at Baltimore Tucedis night, from Loudon county, states thet Moneby while sitting 2 « house acer Middleburg, Va. wm fired at through the window, the shot taking offea im bas bowels, amd thas be died om Friday bast. The party profesare te hare soon Moseby after bo we wounded, Tus wegorges above 86. Louis, Mo, breke away on Mouday, and the river is now believed to tv clear from the mouth of the Diinotse River to Cairo Beveral steamers were badly damaged by the ice snd s number of barges and flatboats were carr away. The famous ram Monarch sunk, twenty miles balow #4. Louie, The total damage by the moving of the fos is not yet known. Tux Washington Evening 8748 yesterday an Mounoced the return of the Porter and Butler forces to Fortress Monroc, and the statement was tele graphed North and published in the evening pepera As soon af possible, however, » contra diction of the Stan's announcement was dispatch. ed from Washington, but two late to keep the [alee report from the public, Orvictas dispatches from Washington state tha President Juares had recenity entered Chihushue, and met with splendid reception from the poople He ts now organising e new army to prosecute the War agains the french invaders with renewot en. @rgy% The option has been edvanced that Maxi- Milian cannot long sustatn himself. The Chureb party bes broken from him, the liberals refuse wo be concilisted, and be has neither money nor credit. General Intelligence. (iy Mell to ths Now York Sun.) A vALvAnin bed of emery has just been di . ered in Massachusetts, aid 7 sad A rastor tp Malden, Mags, at the openiny of ser Vices last Bunday morning aeicnewundred the wy enerous Christmas present from his wife of two biew—e Uitte daughter and son No effort willbe made to exchange be sonert oe a7 Gen Kay org South of Nashville, Geu an bas ordered the be ed to Northern prisons. ee eee A xnnut flag, made in Paria, and captured with Map Showing the Position of Fort Fisher and other Defences of the City. jor-dieneral Diz:—The following ia teken [rom @ Southwestern Virginia. Capture ot the Rebel Salt Works. War Department, Washington, Dee 2 Ma- Riclrmoud paper of to~lay ¢ FYROM SOUTHWESTERN VIRGISLAs “The Lynchburg Viaorstas'bas the following ad- ditional particulars in relation to the capture of the salt works announced otticlally yesterday, We had been led to hope that these important works were safe ; but the source from which the report of their capture comes loaves us Lo room to doubt its T Tuesday, the 20th, and held by them, aa ia stated, until Thursday, when the Yankees retreated to- We learn that the place was held Preston, the most of pture, The works are reported arnaged, and, we understood from the emy, that they can Le put in work- by 1 f¥ebruary. A large « tity of salt already gotten out wae cestr all the buildings at the place were burned pieces of artillery were also enptured by them, but they got but little else of any kind, Gen, Breckin- ridge was, at last accounts, at Saltvillc, prepanug to follow the enemy on his retreat. A Umyade con- tinued ekirmishing with thelr rear guard. No further fighting has taken place than that already reported, A gentlernan who passed over the road from Bristol to Glade Springs, aftor the enemy ad- vanced, says the bridges between these places are a) burned, but the track i# uninjured." Epwn M, Stanton, Secretary of War. From Europe. Arrival of the Peruvian, Portland, Me., Dee. 27.—The stearuship Peru- vieu, from Londonderry 16th, and Cape Race the evening of the 24h, has arrived up at seven o'clock this evening Alluding to the Florida disaster, the Lo Jon Times 8a: Assuming it to have been done by design, we are not disposed to waste much indiguation upon the subject, as the method of procuring and equi plug the Florida were such violations of Deutrality eto deprive the sutte of sympathy. [Brazil is really the outraged party. The Times predicts thas Mr, Seward will make amp'e apolory A blockade running case has been on trial in the Court of Exchequer, in which the judge pointed out that all partics in the matter were foreigners, and denounced such vivjations of the rights of correctnes# ey were occupled by the enemy on wards Bristol. whom escaped to he but little ¢ persons wh tion of the e ing order bout 200 under € met, have visited therm since upa- | aye i) a several asylum A large open air meeting of the operatives of Manchester adopted resolutions strongly opposiug the recognition of the slavebolding Confederacy Senor N. Lorente bas resigned the Minis- try of Foreign Affairs, Senor Benarides is hie guc- ces*or The Italian capital will be transferred next May. The breach between the Papal Government and the Prugsiau Minister at Borne, ie widening, | The Times, 16th, city art | The reduction in the bank rate to alx per cent. id asup entirely in harmeny with the staw of the market. and Will be especially weleomed frou ibs being calculated to lessen morbid despondency, which has prevailed in all branches of trade since the speculative mania was corrected by the salu- tary advances up to Sand? percent, The demand for discount yesterday Was of the average charac- ter, under the full expectation that the bank rates would be reduced, Among the suspensions announce! is that of The le, saya? | Messrs. Berger & Co., in the meta! trade, amount of their Nabilitves has not transpired, Aw inmate of the poorhouse in Winchester, Ct., died last week, and @ jocal paper pul lished the following obituary notice “Exch ec his poverty for eternal riches, and his regs fora crown which fadeth not away at the Winchester | poorhouse, November 5, 1664, James C. Binith, aged sixty-seven, The pall-bearers were few on | | thie mde, and not so many, perhaps, ae they that | a commend the passage over the bar above Caswell is Fort Johnaon, where half long range merous islanda at the mouth of the river this fort, at Suithville, several two gun batteries Along the main shore aud upen the | aud most formidable The city of Wilmington, which, with tte ap Proact es is shown upon the above map, ia located bear the southeastern boundary of the 6: of North Carolina, near @ point on the AW known to and dreaded by navigators as Cape F This cape, which juts out at the ext Bmitb's Island, lies to the windward of @ p inte will Le required to a aserios of rebel batteries located at Bald Head. From thence it ls two miles t) Fort Caswett, a fortress of pentagonal form, built by the United Brates, and mounting fifty or more heavy pieces of artillery, which completely About ile nm nue Opposite guns are erected upon one of th lanted, it islauds, other batteries command the 1 for a distance of four or five miles. Here the New Inlet, or eastern entrance to Cape Fear river, la protected | ‘ort Fisher, an earthwork deseribed by the one of the largest kind erected upon the Atlantic coust, Since the war began, the rebela have beon engaged in building and atrength- ening it, Forty of the best Ev glish rifled cannon are placed in positions ecormmanding the entrance from the ceean, and also the proaches from the channel below, Sand batteries, mound hke in form, rise up to the eastward of Fort Fisher ; upon which the rebels have placed some superior guns; and at Federal Point ntteries are erected for tho purpose of disputine the entrance of our voasels through New Inlet. After passing al) these fort'fi- estions our vedsels, tu proceeding up Cape Fear River, will encounter batterios erected on either side les, ia nearly four miles a mile in width at Pleasant Ook, where, on oa sand jaland, a battery of short range guns protects the ebannel, which is otherwise obstructed by torpe- does, It ie believed that from thie polut onwards batteries actually line each side of the river, in ad- dition to which the usual obstructions Lave been placed In the water. Genera! Brags ia so confident of the strength mense fleet uppeared off the coast, on the 21st inst, he telegraphed Jett, Davis: "We aro able to hold Wilt ington ne ee Shipwreck.Appalling I.oss of Lite and Suilering of the survivors. Capt. Joha Eynon, of the steams!\ip City if Dub. lin, arrived yesterday, reports, Deceuwer lth, in lat. 49 41, long. 81 14, fell in with # wreck, and succeeded jn fre named George Builth, steward; Gilbert Duncan, rescuing m it three survivors, The re- not learned, British bark seaman; and John Jobneten, seaman, maining ten, whose t have had perished. The wrock was the ames we Burnside, of Greenock, and upon approaching ber | the three men were sven standing bythe rudder post, and oncaa nally iminersed in the water. Vheir condition was most deplorable, they having scarcely any clothing about them, ex forme jeces of old gai!, ted with I4ts of spun yarn; their esb, and particularly their arrosy feet and legs were swelled, and of a putrid appeirance, in sore places broken outin boils, Frei the statements of these men, it sppears they lett New York for Greenock, laden ith oak timber, With & crow of thirteen, all tld, on the Sth ot November They roing of Deceuber from the sgusbwost v awoy the had tine weather up # the Tu, when it Liew # étron, until the 11th, with seas ¥ galley and deck house, aud ou th away the rewainiud boat, and the ¢ the stores, and,aa every one Was On eck ab the tine, every one was washed overl« ard. Six managed tw wet op board wain ; the rema'niug carryiun ek cabin with all geen no more, The ain then yot inte th rigging, with bie just above the water; the second mate got ute the fore-rigging, aud te three eurvivors, With obo), were ems! led to web inte the mizzon rigging. ‘lhe ship remainiuy on her beau ends, with her masts and loose sails iv the water for about an hour and @ half, when the foretop- mast mualb-mast and mizzon tpimast “ave w carrying the Captain with them, Bhe thus bec reLeved aud righted, her Geeks amidships Uuder water, and the two ends about two lout above the nea, Which went cleso over her the whole time, When daylight appeared oF the the mate Was seen luslod ip the ture parently dead, and, not Leing able tu pot bear bin, Le remained there, Eventually the ses washed the the second mute ashose, & part # body remain- iuog in the rigging where the otLers Were rewued, Cape Fear river, to enter which our veasele | The river here, for a distance of eight or ten | 1 bia position that when our ime | | From New Inlet, it is twenty miles to the city of W luington, which ts ted on the left bank of the river, at the termi of the Weldon Rail- row, Another road runs westward to Man Before the war Wilmington wase port of entry, and « flourishing town Hs bp thousand inhabitants, engaged chiefly in the lumber and turpentine bu- sineas, Since the war broke out it has been one of the chief ports of the Confederacy, into which the blockade-runners bave carried many valuable car- goes, and frown whence @ large amount of cotton een abipped to Bermudas or England, * on | Confederate account.’ The entrance to the harbor ix at all tines dangerous, owing to the prevalence of atorma on the coast and ugly shoals on which vessels aro frequently stranded tn the most ploa- | sant weather The fleet which 1s now operating against the de- fencea of Wilmingtou prises eighty-seven vom acle of all classes, among which ere aix iron-clade ond five frigates, The land force under General Butler, occupy troop ships aud transports, which will not attempt an entrance to the harbor. The Nght draft veenela only are intended to operate Inside the bars and entrances, the other voenels laying off the const near the fortifications, aad throw!ng in ther solid shot or ebells, The troops are expected to land about twelve miles above Fort Fisher, aud attack that fortross in the rear, Tho attacking floet carry a total of eight bundred and twenty guns, Including the amall armaments on board of the tug and picket boats, A novel plan of operations waa decided upon by Commodore Porter in making the preliminary at- tock, A mammoth torpedo vessel named the Louisiana, loaded with three hundred tons of gun- pow/er was to steam up to, and be beached upon the shore as near Fort Fisher aa abe could be driven. Fuses were then to be Lighted, and the crew leave the vessel in time to get out of any danger from the subsequent explosion, The other Vossela were toremain ¢welve tiles from the abore, and ufter the explosion steaw up rapidly towards different pointe indicated in the plan, It wos believed that | She explosion of so many tons of powder, in such | br ximalty & » Fort, would produce # concussion, so paralyzing in ite effects on the rebels, that the foruffeations would Le abandoued or easily taken by wo assault, The result of this peculiar strategy ie partially related in the uews columns of The BUN survivors, perished from cold and fatigue on the morning of the 12th, and wos washed awa from them soon after they observed he wus dead, The survivors, soon after the vessel hted, gained the monkey poop, 6 etnwll space ott, about four by teu feet, and raised abore the main deck about two feet, upon which formerly stood the wheel ; here they lashed thernsel vex to the rudder-post ; but the fea, which was constantly breaking over them for sand nights, would occasionally carry oue adrift, and with the assistance of his fel- low-sutfer would regain bis position, For the six dayet were on the wreck they were with- out food, excep: a te yieces of biscuit which | floated nour them. Fresh water they had note drop of, and were without clothing, except the wet | pieces of canvas which the man Joi nston managed at great risk to cut from the toizzeu-mast where it hung the first day Wews Items. (By Telegraph to the New York Sun.) W. LL, Loverace, was clected Speaker of the new Missourl Levisiature on Tuesaday, and Mr, | Dyer, Chief Clerk, Both are Radicals, | Tas quote for the Dietrict of Coumbia, ander the | ) new call of the Premdent for 500,000 wen, to hil de | ticlenciew vader the last call, haw been fixed us 3,019 men. | Tus affair at Fort Lyon, Colorade Termt which Co, Village oud all ite inbalitant, is to | sutject of Congressional investigatio: Tuk President bas remitted two years of tho aeo- tence of Admiral Wilkes, who was ordered by | court martial to be suspended from duty for three | yoars from the 8d of May, 1364, vegarded as due to the intimate personal relations Letween the Admiral and Secretary Wells, Os Tuesday night a party of rebels who had | for gorne time iu Maryland, but who were pre- y, io | Chivington destioyed @ linge Indien © ude the Tia clemency is | mighty lake of ol below TO THE CITIZENS OF SaAVANEAG. waited on the ‘ahinin: @y we fortune of war we taninw nae parler the old men to bis ‘Father's house,’ shore,’ and went up mie | Poe bey Whe gob law Hie MAAZOU-TIZeIOd WARD WO | water fone mebiomimer # Vineimie be mananm of tne | the Florida, was sold at suction in Boston on Satur Sar, Ar Oro cree wee added to the fund of te Pair. Sailors’ Tux number of hoge packed at Chicago up to Hae urdey te eatimeted af 627,929, ohio u on pro Ranh pb gwnigdar The re 1,609 ip 1568, bd . ‘ Am iron letter hes just been sent by mail from Pittsburg, Pa, to England. The oe ee #0 thin that the sheet was unly twice the weight of ordinary uote paper. Isis to be the thin best iron ever rotled ia the world, and wee manu factured Ly the Sige Iron Works. Tur Providence Jounwar says thet Mr. Russed Cogyshal, who recently died at Newport, BL, jefe fifty thousand dollars for the poor of thet city, and twenty thousand dollars to the Women's Ail Society, besides sums for other charitable pur- poses, A “Wonk axp Arp Boorery" has been organized in New Haven, Ct., t relieve extreme poverty, w prevent street begging, to expose imposture, ty Provide employmeut for, aud otherwise look after vagrants, discharged or convicted criminals, and degraded children, Awirty sying of M, Dumas, the younger, le amusiug Paria, The Erpress is said to have in. vited bim to Compiogne, adding to ber courtesy a» assurance that all the guests were to enjoy full lib. erty in the chateau. ‘What pity, then, Madame,"* M. Dumas, “thatall France bes not been in- A oexrieman of Colorado Territory writes in reference to the recent reported victory of Colonel Chevington over the Indians near Fort Lyon in that Territory, }a which five hundred Indians are reported tw have been Spe ytd instead of » vic- tory, it was massacre of helploss sav: a lérge proportion of whom were women and sLieeo, Tuuxw of the Caneda raiders have crossed the Nine, enlisted in our army, and been arrested and sent to prison. Lf these tellowe plead that they are Confederate soldiers, they may be treated as spies If they plead that they are not Confederate so!- dior they may be treated as burglars aud robbers. In either case they are iu a dilexma, from which they can hardly eseape, Pursroxet Liwcoun's reply to the of 260 young people of Coneord, Maas, under 18 years of #6, for the freedom of ali slave children, is as fol. lowa: “Tell thowe pie pages lam very glad thoi young bevrta are so full of just and generous sym- patby,aod thas while I have not the power te gran) ai. they ask, | trust that they will remember th. Ged lias aud that, ae it seems, He wills to do “A. Linoonn,"* Twenty-Five of the men recently arrested for frauds in the Philadelphia Navy Yard have beeo wont to the Old Capitol Prison, Their trial will take place early next month. A careful investiga. tion ls yolng on relative to affaira in the Faerter ‘genel, are master's Department, at the Schuylkit Philadelplisa, aud extraordinary dev: protised, LOCAL NEWS, NRW YORK AND THE VICINITY, Ou Dokavo DiscovereD mI NEw A “Ucouise” Poosreot,—The golden tut of California pales ; the richness of Nevede is as droas; even Western Pennsylvania sinks tato in- #iguiticance, for im the udghty State of New Jersey has been found the great Oil Dorado, Within three miles of cias#ic Holoken has been dissevered the vleaginous Mecca—the spotto which all the seekers of PotroLa wust make their pilgrimage. This rewarkable event, which wlaost in a dey hee transiormed the country Wereaboute fram e quiet negiborbood to tye betght of an oll mani, hap- poued on Friday la. It had long been known that on the farm of & Mr She. klobeura, three and e@ baif wiles from Hobokeu, there was ® spring Tur Jenny | where wetwry posseasod cartuin medicinal proper- tes, Tho water of this spring waa know to have an “oilish'* taste, but nobody seemed to dream that this way the simple eflervessence from the Of course there ia no Jersey bes “struck ile," reporter bas made a« tour of the pew * il region,"’ and reports that ta s few days, it inexpected, there will be not leas than several wolly thas will flow, it je supposed, ous terous barrels of oil * minutely," which will be worth, itis thought, large amounts of greentecks, This iniormation ean be depeuded upon, aa be hus every rouson to infer it from what wea privately told him by # gentleman of the oll perwuamon, wh owns laud in the tmmediate viclnity, Besides this direct evidence, our reporter found a grees deal uf Cemntiarnad wm then linah tei that New our doubt or