LATER FROM AMERICA.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 47, 21 April 1863, Page 3

LATER FROM AMERICA.

* ■ I INTERESTING FROM CHARLESTON ! FEDERAL NEGRO SOLDIERS TO SOLD WHEN TAKEN. CONTRABAND TRADE BROKEN UP. tfcOESSEtIL SKIRMISH IN TENW'MENSE SUPPLIES FORWARDED TO ROSENCRANZ. CONDITION OF THE ARMY OF THE £OTOfcA'C. MA&CHttra ORDERS RECEIVED. ftOSENVRANfIREADY TO ADVANCE. Plan to leaU Vichhurg 100 wwfe* inltfnd-^ The Caiial enlarging rapidly. i ■ itejHsut to reiiMtie the duty vn Paptr. The Alabmtt Escaped from Kingston Later from Mexico*

(Fom the Alia California, Feb. 2!) Headquarters, Army of fnis Potomac, Feb. 16.— Richmond papers of the ; 14th contain the following :— Charleston, Feb. 13.— A French War steamer passed yesterday from Baltimore to Port Royal. . The frigate Ironsides maintains her position permanently among the blockading squadron off this port, A Yankee picket captured on Wednesday evening by our scouts Ort the Hilton Head Island, 'confirms the intelligence of an impending attack on Charleston, and thinks it will be made. t Richmond, Feb. 14.— 'A bill authorising the impressment of slaves and property for the use of the army, passed the Confederate Congress ; and resolutions were adopted instructing the Committee on Judiciary to report a bill providing for the sale of all negroes taken in arms against the Confederacy, the proceeds to be divided amongst the captors. HEATjQtJAnTKRS, ARMY OF THE PotGJIAC, Feb. 16.— Expeditions sent for the purpose of breaking up the contraband trade between Rebels in Maryland and the South, and io prevent the execution of the Conscription Act in the counties on the Neck, ordered to take place on the 12th to the 17th had returned* successful, bringing a number of horses and mules, and a large quantity of provisions seized. A large number of contrabands returned with the expedition. Several vessels Used in carrying supplies across the Potomac were also seized and destroyed. Washington, Feb. 17.-«Accounts t military and naval, from all quarters, are encouraging. . Immense supplies are being forwarded to the enemy (armyt) by the railroad, which is heavily guarded the entire distance to Murfreesboro. Picket shirmishing is of daily occurrence. The cars on the Louisville and Nashville railroad are now running regularly. (New York, February I*.— General Foster left Baltimore yesterday, for Port Royal.

Washington, February Jo.— The army of the Rappahannock is said to be verypoorly supplied with clothing, and have not been paid for some months. A great deal of dissatisfaction exisis in consequence.

The supply of provisions is ample. Chicago, February 16.— Important changes in connection with the Army of the Potomac have recently taken place. On the sth of the present month, the Ninth Corps, under General Smith, started for Fortress Monroe, its supposed destination being North Carolina, where, it is rumored, Burnside is to command. ,

An Alexandria, Va., despatch of the 10th says the Pennsylvania Reserves and a great number of regiments belonging to the Army of the Potomac are in Alexandria this morning. The New York Post, of Wednesday, speaks of an important movement in Hooker's command, the result of which could not but be damaging to the Rebellion.

Thursday's Neio York Tribune says it is rumored that the left grand division of the Army of the Potomac has received marching orders, and that it will soon embark on iransports for Suffolk, Va. The New York World knows nothing pertinent to the case, although it declares that a portion of the Army of the Potomoc recently effected a change of base under circumstances demanding the utmost secrecy. A private letter received in this city (Chicago) to-night, from a prominent member of Congress, says our whole army has gone South. How far this statement is to be believed we do not pretend to say, but taking everything together, it is quite evident that events are not as they were ■with the army of the Potomac. Cincinnati, February 16. — Reports are current in the interior of Kentucky that Morgan at the head of a large force, had returned again, with a determination to make his way to the Ohio river. The report is believed in Frankfort. General Granger, at Louisville, also credits it, but expresses confidence in the ability of the Federal troopsto drive hinvback. Granger's division is now moving from Louisville to Nashville

Transports now ascend and descend the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers unmolested: A letter received in this city on Saturday says that General Roseneranz states that the enemy are strongly fortifying at Tullahoma, and declares that all appearances indicate that they propose making a desperate stand to prevent the Union army getting possession of Chattanooga. Roseneranz declares his army in complete readiness for an advance, and is quite certain of success when he does move. His army is largely augmented, and well provided with ammunition, supplies, &c. The troops are represented as in fine spirits, and clamorous for a fight. The rebels are fortifying Cumberland Gap. M urfreesboro, February 16. — Colonel Monroe, with two hundred and fifty men, encountered a part of Morgan's command, five hundred strong, from Caenville, on Thursday, and after a sharp engagement completely routed them, killing twenty, wounding a large number, and taking six prisoners. They also captured fifty horses, and destroyed nearly three hundred stand of arms. During the action three of his men were wounded.

The weather continues variable, rain one day and sunshine the next. It is definitely ascertained that the rebels, 3,000 strong, are encamped near Caenville, The World says of operations at Vicksburg :— ft is reported that General M' Arthur's division has moved up to Lake Providence, La Here it appears the Mississippi river is not far removed from two

streams, the rivers Macon and Texas, which at high water are nearly joined to' the parent stream ; thence they continue down on Tortuous Point until they reach Red River. It is deemed possible, with a little excavation and cleaning, to turn so much of the river into the new channel as to make it navigable, leaving Vicksburg one hundred miles to the eastward. Should this succeed, we might expect to see half of our army advancing in a fleet of transports to assist Banks at Port Hudson.

An officer of Grant's aimy reports oar forces in full strength around Vicksburg, and at work on the canal, making satisfactory headway. The new channel has six feet of water, and the current is rapidly increasing.

The Tribune's Washington special dispatch says :— «' Important but vague rumors come through rebel channels that Banks has fought a battle seven miles below Port Hudson, the result of which was, that the rebels fell back to Port Hudson, while Banks retired to his camp." New York, February 16.— The Times' Washington special dispatch says : " Two refugees, who left Richmond last Wednesday* state that five brigades of troops, from the Confederate army at Fredericksburg, passed through Richmond on the Sunday before, apparently on their way to Charleston. On Thursday the main body of the rebel army stretched along the railroad between pexter's Junction and Fredericksburg. it is estimated that these forces number forty-five thousand. Great anxiety is felt in Richmond in regard to the anticipated attack on Charleston* and the rebels greatly dread bur iron-clads.

News from Roanoke Island state that the rebels have a large number of small boats concealed in the bayous and creeks of Tynell and Hyde counties, by means of which they expect to cross to the island and capture its garrison. A refugee from Arkansas states that three hundred Jayhawkers, who defy the rebel conscript law, are in the mountains of Clark county, while a thousand more were in Montgomery openly defying the rebels. They have beeii supplied with powder and lead by one of their number formerly engaged in the rebel ordnance service.

A Key West letter gives the particulars of the chase of the Florida by the Sonoma, on the Bahama Banks. While the wind was light and the sea smooth, the Sonoma gained on the pirate, but when she reached the open sea, and the wind freshened, the Florida drew rapidly away, and night coming on, was lost sight of> Some disarrangement in the SonpmVs machinery interfered in the rebel's favor. A special Washington dispatch says that General Shields has been ordered to the Department of the Pacific. The President had telegraphed to Mr Cameron to report at Washington at an early day. It is claimed that he desires the resignation of Cameron as Minister to Russia.

A Washington special dispatch says : General Butler has been in conference with the President, and he expects to get his instructions to-day. It is also reported that the Judiciary Committee of the House will soon report a bill to punish northern traitors. The times says M'Clellan has applied for afcctive service.

It is understood that Governor Stanley's resignation has been accepted. The Alabama sailed from Kingston, Jamaicaj on the night of 25th January. The steamer Swan, from Kej West for New Orleans, has been lost, with 17 of her crew and passengers. The Herald has advices from the city of Mexico to January 11. The attack on Puebla had again been deferred. The Mexican general, Ortega, was making a sort of Sebastopol there, and there had been several skirmishes, in -which the Mexicans were victorious. The Mexicans claim to have captured eleven hundred mules from the ITferich;

Matters are progressing favorably ttt Vicksburg. The ram, Queen of the West, has made another trip. This time she is bound for the Red River* and the rebel craft there will soon hear from her. The canal, it is now stated, will prove a success. When the Mississippi rushes through, Vicksburg will be left high and dry." The Richmond Dispatch of a late date Speaks after this fashion :— c< If the whole Yankee nation should fall down in the dust to-mor-row .and pray us to be their masters, we would spurn them as slaves. Our only wish is to be separated from them finally and for ever-^never to see the face of one of them again — never to hear the Voice of another Yankee on the south side of the Potomac or the north — to have no traffic and intercourse whatever with them. We are fighting for separation, and we will have it, if it cost the life of every man in the Confederate States." The Enquirer, following in the same strain, says : — "• On no terms whatever Will the South consent to a political association with them. There is no concession which could render the idea ought but intolerable and revolting to the Southern mind. We separated from them, because they sought to put on us a brand of social and political inferiority. We would net reunite with them if they would, one and all, consent to occupy the same position of degradation which they aim to rivet on us. We would not consent to hold the northern States even as provinces."

Vicksburg. — A Vicksburg correspondent of the Jackson Appeal, under date of the tOth instant, says : — " The first attempt to reduce Vicksburg, in July, 1862, was a failure. The second part of the farce is now being enacted. The performance -was opened by the gunboats, in connection with forty-five thousand men. The denouement was the repulse of the Yankees, and the loss of fifteen hundred of their number killed and wounded. Again l?as the play come to a dead lock ; again has the fleet drawn off, no doubt for the purpose of bringing General Grant's army down to reinforce, in order to reduce this stronghold of rebeldom. It is conceded here that we may shortly look for an attack by the combined forces of Grant and Sherman, and every preparation will be made to • receive them with bloody hands and hospitable graves.' Activity, energy, industry, and perseverance, mark the character of the operations about Vicksburg. We will never allow the Vandal foe to put foot upon the classic hills of Vicksburg. But it is to be hoped that we may again have a chance to display our valor and prowess upon the cowardly Yankees/'

News from Mobile. — The Memphis Bulletin, of the 19th, publishes some interesting and supposed to be reliable news, from the vicinity of Mobile, from which w« condense the following :—" To-day, again, the dark, ominous smoke of the gunboat fleet is plainly visible in the vieinity of the mouth of the Yazo river. On Saturday heavy firing was heard in the neighborhood of the Yazzo, and it was ascertained that the enemy were shelling the woods for the purpose of driving out our pickets. Nothing was accomplished save the wasting of the gunpowder. These gunboat raids are valuable to us ; they serve to keep our lines on the -vigilant watch, and we are thus always prepared for their arrival. " Gen. Senior Buckner is in charge of the rebel forces at Mobile, and works of preparation for resisting an assault were in progress. There were but 20,000 troops in Mobile proper, though it was understood there were more within supporting distance. Cdmmodore Ed. Randolph is in command of the fleet, consisting of four wooden gunboats and one iron-clad ram, in the harbor of Mobile.

The gunboats rest above the confluence of the Alabama river, and the channel used to reach the city in times when watar was low. " Fort Gaines, on the west side of the entrance to the harbor, mounts four heavy guns, and has an armament of ceven or e : <?ht hundred men. A heavy casemated battery has been placed on the south-western corner of Pintos Point. It consists of four dahlgrens, three rifles, and three 32-po md cannon. The ground at this point is mostly swampy, but wi .iin the fort it has been made stable by filling in dirt.

«• Upon the ' Short Road' leading from MoOlle tO the beach, -west of the li^fht-house, is a battery of six guns, bearing upon the entrance of the harbor. Below the gunboats, at Dog River Bar, spiles have been >iven, extending for a quarter of a mile on each side of the channel. At the centre of fjece spiles a schooner filled with stone is anchored, ready to be swung around in the stream, scuttled and sunk, whenever a blockading fleet passes Forts Morgan and Gaines. Upon the forts themselves the Confederates place but little confidence, but they propose doing their heaviest fighting at the point where the schooner is placed to be sunk.

" West of Mobile a series of earthworks of considerable extent have been constructed, but they have no guns mounted upon them as yet ; outside of these, however, extending to Three Mile Creek, there are very formidable breastworks. There are also redoubts at a village four miles above Mobile, and at a point where Three Mile Creek crosses the railroad.

"It is understood that General Buckner has threatened to destroy the city in the event that he could not successfully hold it. But many citizens, property holders especially, were decidedly opposed to such a proceeding. There are also a few claiming foreign protection, and they also protest against it. What the ultimate decision may be, remains to be seen, when the Union troops shall compel him to surrender or leave the city — an event long Since considered probable, if not possible. " Jeff. Davis visited Mobile on the 29 th of last month, and delivered a speech to an audience not exceeding one hundred and fifty persons, including men, women, and negroes 1 He spoke from the balcony of the Battle House, and his remarks^ strangely enough, did not elieit much, if any, enthusiasm.

"At Moridian, previous to the assault Upon Yicksburg-, there were about three thousand troops, but they Avere promptly removed to VicksbUrg, when General Sherman made the attack upon that place. As soon as this attack was known by the rebels> all the machinery, tools, &c, at Columbus, Mississippi, for the manufacture ol guns and ammunition, Were hurriedly placed on cars and started for Meridian* Here it was found that more cars were needed for carrying troops to Vicksburg, and the machinery was thrown out upon the ground in a heap, and the cars devoted to meet a more pressing necessity. It was Understood that the machinery was to have been moved to Alabama, perhaps to Montgomery td Selma. At last accounts there were only about three hundred raw militia at Columbus, and some of these declared that they had no need of lint and bandages, by which it was inferred that they should run away from all danger.

" It was expected that Sam. Tate, the late President of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, had entered into a contract with the Rebel Government to build the railroad between Meridian and Selma ; that the work was now commenced, aad that all the rolling stock of the Charleston road was there on the line.

" Extensive fortifications had been erected on the Alabama river, perhaps at Selma — to which it was designed the Confederates might fall back, in case of their defeat at Vicksburg or Mobile. Barstow's cavalry is the only force along the line of the Mobile road, which leaves it in rather an exposed condition. The people along the road — rspecially beyond the West Point Station — are represented as anxiously desiring the advance of the Federal army.

affairs IN Missouri — guerillas THREATENING TROUBLE.

" The failure of Hindman to establish his army safely in winter quarters in this State, the Cleaning out the rebels have experienced in Arkansas* and the failure of Marmaduke's raid in the attack on Springfield, have only disappointed the Missouri rebels, who were hoping to see the words of Jeff. Davis (in his message to the Confederate Congress,) verified, and the Ya nkees expelled from the soil of the interior, at least. The number Of rebels who are returning from Aikansas with their shot guns and horses through the western Country, is attracting attention, and creating apprehensions that they will combine at some point and perpetrate mischief before they can be prevented or dispersed. These small gangs have already captured several squads of enrolled militia in Western Missouri. The guerillas are by no means exterminated. Their subjugation is only temporary; Not less than two thousand have been taken prisoners, including the number who have surrendered themselves, and a fearful number have been shot. Poindexter, who is now confined in the St. Louis military prison (minus one leg), who had command of a gang in North Missouri, says he lost half hi3 men by killing, captures, and cowardly surrenders^ and probably other leaders could give the same experience. The Bushwhackers are nowhere organised in Missouri, at this time, so far as known. The outrages perpetrated in the vicinity of Independence, were committed by one or two individuals. Shots are frequently fired at single soldiers riding in the country, and assassinations of this sort are reported almost every Week. On the 2ist, twenty men belonging to the Boone county enrolled militia, captured four Confederate captains on Cedar Creek, near Boonsboro') who had their commissions in their pockets. They should be tried <>s spies, being confessedly in the service of the rebels, and caught insipe our lines."