LATEST AMERICAN NEWS.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume V, Issue 224, 8 February 1865, Page 3

LATEST AMERICAN NEWS.

(Abridged from the Times, Nov. 28.) New York, Nov. 15. The most contradictory statements are circulated respecting General Sherman. One account persists in declaring that he is marching upon Charleston and Savannah, another that his object is the liberation of the Federal prisoners at Andersonville, a third that he is moving into Alabama to destroy Hood’s communications at Montgomery and Selma, while a fourth is equally positive that, instead of advancing, he has returned to Chattanooga, and, with his whole army, excepting the portion left with General Thomas to hold the Tennessee, is rapidly moving upon Lynchburg, Virginia. Confederate accounts, which are to the 11th, afford no clear intelligence, and merely urge upon the people the necessity of being prepared for startling news from Georgia. The Federal General Canby, while reconnoitring White River, Arkansas, on the steam Cricket on the Sth, was shot and fatally wounded by a guerilla on shore. The boiler of the gunboat Tulip, of the Potomac flotilla, exploded on Friday last, destroying the vessel, and killing 55 out of 66 prisoners who were on board.

The prosecution in the case of the St. Albans raiders was closed at Montreal on Sat urday. F. Bennett Young handed in his commission from the Confederate Secretary of War, and asked for a delay of thirtydays to enable him to communicate with the Government at Kichmoud before offering his defence. General Butler was publicly received last night by about a thousand ladies and gentlemen, to whom he made a speech at the Fifth Avenue Hotel. He congratulated the public on the result of the Presidential election, which he thought proved the American Government to be the strongest m the world. He considered this to be the proper moment for making a final appeal to the people of the South to return to their allegiance, and that the Government should offer a complete amnesty, to include the civil and military leaders. Ho named the 3rd of January next as a limit for their acquiescence. Should they fail to respond by that, time, it would be duty of the people of the North to drive the traitors into Mexico, the West Indies, or elsewhere, and divide the estates among the soldiers. In conclusion he announced that he should leave New York today to resume his duties in the field. November 16, & a.m. Adjutant-General Townsend officially announces that the President has accepted General McClellan’s resignation, and has appointed Gen. Sheridan to the vacant major-generalship, as a recognition of his personal gallantry, military skill, and confidence in the courage and patriotism of troops under his command. Both resignation and appointment are to bear date of the Bth inst.

The ‘Australasian’ arrived out at 12-30 last night. The ‘Persia’ brings one hundred and fifty thousand dollars in specie. No despatches from Sherman have been received.

It is asserted that he is in a position beyond communication with Washington. Southern journals report that Hood is marching on Chattanooga. The Eichmond papers warn their readers to expect startling news from Sherman. The press continues to speculate on Sherman’s movements ; some asserting that he has started for Andersonville or Savannah on a sixty days’ campaign, while other papers assert that he is marching on Knoxville, his object being Lynchburg, Virginia. Forrest has moved from before Johnstonville, and is supposed to have joined Hood. The Confederates have again attempted to pierce Grant’s line, but were repulsed. Eichmond papers anticipated that Grant will attack Eichmond immediately. The Gap Canal is complete. Buttler has left New York for the James Eiver. Sheridan is expected in the neighbourhood of Winchester. The Confederate cavalry, during a reconnaissance of his position, were driven back and pursued beyond Front Eoyal, with a loss of two guns and 150 prisoners. Butler, in a speech which he made at the Fifth Avenue Hotel, stated that he thought the time had arrived when the North, in the magnanimity of her strength, could offer an amnesty to the South. If this was not accepted, he urged that a short, sharp, and decisive war should follow, with partition of the Southern lands among the soldiers.

On the arrival of the Florida, the American Consul at Bahia proceeded to Washington, where he had an interview with Mr. Seward! It is not known what course Mr. Seward will pursue in the Brazilian difficulty. General M'Clellan’s resignation of his commission in the United States army has been accepted, and Sheridan lias been appointed to the vacant major-generalship. COMMERCIAL INTEIXIGEKCE. Money easy. Gold, 137| premium. Exchange on London, bankers’ bills, 261; on Paris. 2’BU 213. Stocks tending downwards. New York Central, 124 f; Illinois Shares, 127 k; Erie, 100£ / FiveTwenty United States Bonds, 103^. Cotton dull—middling, upland, 142 c. Flour, wheat, and corn dull. Provisions heavy. Coffee, sugar, and molasses steady. Petroleum crude,46c.; refined, 70e. November 16. A large force under Magruder has endeavored to cross the Mississippi, near Gaines’s, Landing, to reinforce Hood. A Confederate force on the Mississippi side is co-operating. It is believed that the Federal gunboats will prevent the crossing. Several attempts to cross Texan cattle over the Mississippi for Hood have been frustrated. Three thousand cattle, strongly guarded, have crossed the Black Eiver. A body of Federal troops, however, subsequently attacked the guards, captured* a third of the cattle, and dispersed the remainder The Confederates on the James Fiver are very active. On the 11th inst., Lee was massing troops on the left wing. There are no indications yet of either army entering winter quarters. General Camby, the Federal commander of the Mississipi Department, has been shot by guerillas. Price has moved westward from Cane-hill.

G-allant Action of a Federal Officer.— Such men as Lieut. Cushing are an honor to any country and service. We take (he following from the Spectator of the 19th Nov.: —“ The military news from the North is nil , except that one de.- d of great daring is reported from Albemarle Sound in North Carolina. On the 27th October. Lieut Cushing. of the United States steamer Shamrock, ascended the Roanoke river towards Plymouth in a steam launch, with a torpedo, for the purpose of destroying the Confederate ram Albemarle. He passed successfully up eight miles of river without attracting the notice of the enemv’s pickets, though the river is only about two hundreds yards wide, passed the Confederate ship Southernport within twenty yards without drawing attention, and reached the ram. The crew of his launch were only thirteen in number. The crew of the ram were immediately alarmed, and began firing, wounded one of the crew at least, and perhaps others. The Albemarle, moreover, was surrounded by logs for thirty feet from her side, in order to protect her from such enterprises. The steam launch was put at the logs, which were broken in some feet, the bowsprit of the launch resting upon them. The trrpedo boom was then lowered, and Lieutenant Cushing managed “to dive the torpedo under the overhang and explode it just, as the Albemarle fired her gun right into the luncli filling it with water.” Lieutenant Cushing then ordered such of his crew as survived to jump overboard and save themselves, but most of them were captured. The Lieutensnt himself, however, contrived to swim ashore half a mile below, and hid in the swamp till daylight. For some hours he walked through the swamp, and so managed to get out below the town, where he fonnd a negro, who brought him information that the Albemarle had really been sunk by the torpedo. He skulked along through another swamp, captured a skiff belonging to a picket of the enemy, and so reached his squadron. Only one of his crew escaped capture or death except the Lieutenant himself. Lieutenant Cashing is only twenty-two years old. He is of course recommended for promotion.