AMERICA.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 66, 23 June 1863, Page 5 (Supplement)

AMERICA.

NEWS FROM THE. SEAT OF WAIV TO SOth MARCH. recapture of. hie indianola. 'Successful turning. of the mississippi. % — FEARFUL EXPLOSION ON A RAIL WAY. TEN PEOPLE KILLED, AND THIR.j: TEEN WOUNDED. - •• (From the Sydney Mail, June 15.) P :: The Tlenry . Miller, Capt. Hall, brings San Francisco papers to 3lst March ; and telegraphic news from New York and Washington to the 30th. The war -still dragsjts w^ary length alon<*— -tlielatest telegraphic despatches leaving matters at various points in. a good deal of doubt. The" 7 ; Apaily Alta California supplies us with the following summary of intelligence—there being, we may mention, a blank of about a week between the news received by last mail, and the present arrival. Writing on the 24th March, thafc journal says :— It now turns out that the negro bri- | gade in Florida has not been captured. On the. contrary, it has taken Jacksonville. The water has been let in at Lake Providence, and threatens friend and foe. It may come to swimming down there, all round, yet. The rumoured attack upon Port Hudson really took place. The Mississippi was not destroyed by the rebel batteries. She ran aground and was burned by order of Admiral Farragut. The army wss, within five miles of Port Hudson, and in good spirits. We are about to enter upon the third great campaign of the war. At all points great hosts menace each other. Hooker still occupies the lines of the Rappahannock. During the whole of the winter months he has been laboring assiduously to organise the army, whic^ though the best appointed in the service, had become dispirited in consequence of being used as the football for the politicians at Washington. The veterans ofthe Peninsula — ofthe second series of Manassas, and of South Mountain and Antietam, are destined yet to perform great and glorious deeds. No intimation 5 of the point at which Hooker i is to strike; when the spring renders ihe roads, nassable hag leaked out, and it js ■well that-it is so. The knowledge L which would.be satisfactory to us might improve the ruin of the army. As to the plans of the enemy, conjecture even is at fault. Lee is supposed to be still in command at Fredericksburg. We had rumors recently of the rebels massing on Hooker's Tight, and again of their appearance in the Valley of the Shefciandoa, which, if true, would seem to he an indication of a flank movement. Rosecrans confronts Joe Johnson i« | central Tennessee. He has' a large force 'under his command, and many days I cannot elapse before we shall be in re- ! ceipt of stirring news from that quari ter. The policy of the rebel leaders is I undoubtedly to hold off till the water in I the Cumberland River falls, and then I attempt to Cut off Rosecrans' supplies, | and push for Kentucky. The flood in j that part of Tenessee, in all probability, interfered to a great extent with their movement. Van Dorn, for soms time | past, has been foundering about the IDuck River. No fears need be enterStained for Rosecrans. He is one of our 'ablest, shredwest, and most earnest Generals. ! Vicksburg cannot evidently hold out jmuch longer. Grant and Porter are Inressing on it from the north, and !nks and Farragut from the south, arleston nd Savannah are also menid by Hunter and Foster, and the gro Brigade in Florida is progressing :y favorably. Before the war is over >se black soldiers may disappoint my. Heretofore there has been no concert action between our great hosts, hiie M'Clellan was fighting on the ickahomrav, Buell was lying listsly in Tennessee, Hunte? was quiesit in South Carolina, M'Dowell was rouacking on the Rappahannock, and on throughout the whole list of our nies. The Western movement, ich commenced at Fort Henry, and led with the capture of Memphis, s undertaken too soon. The result our victories there was to transfer • south-western strength of the rebels Virginia. For a long time after the icuation of Corinth by Beauregard, had no one to fight down there, w, the rebels are distributed at all nts where bur armies menace, ien' the 'ball is opened this time, Te will be fighting all around, and > admirable network of raP roads, ich has heretofore proved of • such sat advantage to the rebels, will not of much Yalue to them. They are ■eatened at every vital point upon the ;at chessboard. If they weaken the ny before Rosecrans, to strengthen taberton* at -Vicksburg, they run a unce of losing control of the very irt of their railroad system. If they )uld reduce the garrison at Vicksrg, to help. Joe Johnston to turn secrans' flank, thej stand in danger lbsingi that place, and being cut off m all.^communication with Louisiana ITexas^-^a route which it is exceedrly important for them to keep open, c&<*L)auve gui pent by and by should JOme the order of the day. Then, iin, if they should reduce Lee's army the. purpose of saving Charleston, syirwy I<»4 tbeir capital, snd so on [ evurtta. Tha manoeuvring of the winter on c side T ?#«~-fcifu»l"to*a grtrat' victory. ,

Th ■" rebel cb.Kyntratiun which' has j heretofore J>e'en productive "'of so many , successes is app-iftmtlv entirely broken up. Their am ies are now as much scattered as our own, unless, indeed, theyhave been Concentrating- all the winter at some point not yet revealed, while apparently preparing to resist in force at pyeryiplaice threatened. It is hardly possible, however, that this can be the ease. It was practicable to do so so^lo'ng as wfe were .hammering away blindly around the circumference. We cannot see how success at one place, as matters /nbw stand, would compensate for the loss of any of the positions which they now hold. They could, in fact, lose Richmond with less damage than Vicksburg, or the key to their railroad system in the south-west. That city represents more an idea than a material fact. The heart of the rebellion is located where Rosecrans is now encamped. The windpipe is at Vicksburg, and at these places the most desperate fighting of the war, to all appearances, may be expected. On the 26th, the same paper remarks : — " The telegraoh comes freighted with cheerful intelligence today. The operations on the Mississippi River, of the Federal flotilla, have proved successful ; and a conjunction of Farragut's and Porter's fleets, cooperating with our land forces, gives hopes of a speedy reduction of Vicksburg. The rebels, evidently, are fully aware that the great arena which is to decide the present war has been removed, by the course of events, from the Atlantic seaboard to the West. We have further reoorts of famine in their eastern territories. Fredericksburg is being evacuated, and an exodus has taken place from Richmond. The ra.lways on which the rebels relied for supplies have become worn out, and they are without means or appliances to renew either the rolling stock or roads. It is thus that time deals with them, inflicting a just puuishment — the retribution is yet to come. The placement of General Burnside in a prominent Western command shows that tbe Administration is fully aware of the exigencies of the present and the probable results of the future. The West is to be the decisive battle-field ; and, if we are permitted to predicate an opinion from the glorious actions of the past, victory awaits our cause. With the seaboard of rebeldora blockaded, the navigation of the Mississippi unimpeded, Virginia eaten out, Charleston, Savannah, and Mobile threatened, we can discover the bright sheen of success — the triumph of right and justice gilding the- clouds of the rebellion, as do the first rays of the rising sun. Added to this, commercially speaking, the Federal finances, under the skilful management of Mr Secretary Chase, are beginning to manifest a gratifying improvement. Means in plenty are at Our command, and with money in abundance every obstacle is surmounted. Admiral Farragut has added another laurel to his growing honors in the recapture of the Indianola, and we hope to hear that the Queen of the West will follow suit.'' The Alia of the 27th reports that the advance guard of the rebels had reached Danville, right in the centre of Kentucky. This movement has been expected for some time past. Tlie manoeuvring of the enemy in tha southwest for months indicated that a movement in that direction was contemplated. That the Go ernment is prepared for it we have evidence in the appointment of Burnside to the command of the department of the Ohio He will gather troops to meet the enemy in front. Rosecranz will not. attempt the absurd movement of Buell last year, and enter into a race with the rebels. He will look after the lear, which Buell should have done in 1862, and render it somewhat more difficult for the rebels to get out of than get into Kentucky. From the Lower Mississippi also, we have news to the effect that the channel of the great Father of Waters has been turned into the Tensas, and the waters were rushing through. If this be the fact, Vicksburg is no longer a strategic point. It is a hundred miles inland, and the rebels are cut off from Louisiana and Texas. There are some statements about the inaction of General Banks, which should not be received with implicit credence till further advices come to hand. In the Port Hudson matter, either Farragut was too fast or Banks too slow ; but which of the two was in fault cannot be determined with the imperfect information before us. It is not the first time that a lack of co-operation has been observed in the movements of the Union hosts by land and water. The latest despatches say that the rebels are concentrating at Chittanooga. This place is now the key of their whole railroad system. They will, of course, make a desperate stand there. On the 29th, the Alta says : — " Our troops have gained a point within a mile and a half of Vicksburg. If the place is reduced, it will only be by regular siege/ The telegraphic dispatches to-day, says the same j 'Urnal (of 31st March), leave matters at various points in a good deal of doubt. The Yazoo expedition is in a fog. Affairs in Kentucky are in the same mixed condition. It is not yet determined whether that State has been invaded in force or not. Certain it is, that rebels in small prrties have made their appearance at various points. It is now stated that Joe Johnston'6 head quarters are at Atlanta, Ga. ! Bragg at Tullahoma ; and Van Dorn, we know, is somewhere in the region of of the Duck River. It is rumored that the intention of the latter is to strike for the Cumberland, and, when the river falls, endeavor to, cut off Rosecrans from his base of supplies. We are in receipt of a semi-official account k>f the passage of Admiral Far-

rag tit's fleet" by "the batteries of Port Hu Ison. lt was evidently hot vvoik. Tlie Mississippi was tlie last of tue fleet; and ran aground in consequeuce of tlie smoke of the cannonade. From a report of General Saxton, it appears that JancksohviHe," in" Florida,' is to be made the base of the operations of the negro , army. The tow 1 has been taken by them, and General Saxton speaks in the highest terms of their bravery. No case of flinching is reported sinca the expedition started. A fleet of iron-clads left Port Ropal on the 25th. This looks like work in the neighborhood of Charleston. The cause of the delay of the expedition is said to have been the non-arrival of the Ericsson with machinery to remove the torpedoes. It turned up, however, on the day stated. A Sailor's Wife Ec captures a Privateer's Prize and Carries the Vessel Safely to Pout.— lt is _ said the war is producing men. An incident occasionally arises to show that that .the war produces women as well. The Washington correspondent of the New York Tribune telegraphs the following: — " A nav.il command should be bestowed on the heroine of this achievement. Among the American vessels captured by the pirate Retribution was the American brigantine J. P. Ellicott, of Buckport, Me, A. Deveraux, master. Her officers and crew were taken on board the pirate and placed in irons. A crew was put on board the brig, consisting of Gilbert Hay, prizemaster, recently from Port Lafayette; John Gilbert, mate, and five seamen. The captain and mate of the J. P. Ellic tt were accompanied by their wives. The wife of the mate was left on board the brig. This woman had cause to fear bad usage at the hands of the prizemaster and his mate, and managed to get theni intoxicated, when she proposed to the seamen, who were mostly, if not all, colored people from St. Thomas, to make them prisoners and capture the vessel. She had studied navigation on the voyage with her husband, and assumed command, sailed for St. Thomas till she spoke a Fiench vessel, which gave her the right course. She made Tortola, whence she was piloted by colored people to St.. Thomas, where she arrived in safety, and placed the brig in the bauds of the Q. S. Consul, who put the muster, mate, anci five seamen on board the U. S. steamer Alabama.'' Seizure of Confiscated Slaves by Kentucky Officers. — The Kentuckiuns give up their hold on negro property reluctantly, and take advantage of every chance to reclaim it. As the steamer Courier was ascending the Ohio River, he landed at Carrsville.Ky., about noon. On board the boat, among other passengers, was Mr. J. Friek,- architect and engineer, formerly of Evansville, but now a resident of Cairo, haviner in his charge two contrabands hired from the United States authorities at Cairo, with whom he was on his way to some point above to do some work. The Evansville Journal says that while the boat was lying at Carrsville, and while the officers were at dinner, some fifteen or twenty men came on board to seize the negroes, under the plea that they were executing the laws of Kentucky. Capt. Lemcke, hearin >• the affair protested against the act, explaining the s-tatus of the negroes, but was unable to procure their release. Tiie matter was finally arranged by some seven of the Kentuckians giving their bond rendering them amenable to the Courier and Mr Frick for any damages that might accrue to them, and pledging themselves to lodge them in jail at Smithland within two days. These negroes Were, as the Journal is informed, legally confiscated the property of rebels, under the laws of the United States; and the act of forcibly taking them from the Courier, it says, was a high-handed outrage agaiust the lavvs and authority of the United States. T c Boston Post says, that, according to Mr Sumner, the sublimest scene of the war Was the elevation by General Banks of the negro girl on the cannon ; bnt a Memphis observer, describing the immense rush after cotton along the railroad between Jackson and Vicksburg, says : — " If there is one spectacle more sublime than any other afforded by the present strife, it is a steamboat load of Well-dressed gentlemen rushing forward heroically to take the profits of the war when the risks are all over. It makes one feel that we have not lost our character as a commercial people.'' New proposals are soon to be asked for the construction of three enormous ocean-iron-clad men- of-war, similar to the Dictator and Puritan, now in course of construction in this neighborhood. They will be over 400 feet long, and much more formidable than either the Warrior or the Gloirie. The iron armour on the turrets will be no less than two feet thick, and the outside bow — which will be of iron — will be as sharp as the blade of a knif-. The battery will surpass anything hitherto conceived. If present indications can be relied on, ordnance people will be able to cast a twenty-inch gun, which can discharge half a ton weight of iron at a single shot. Two or more of these will be on board. As the crushing force of a 450-pound ball is nine hundred tons, the effect of the future ammunition may be imagined. New York being the only place where Work of this magnitude could be performed, it is saf^ to say that some of our contractors will have the new craft on the stocks before July. Such vessels cannot, however, be built in less than a year The. Tallapoosa — double-bowed paddle-wheel steamer — will be launched at the Boston Navy Yard very shortly. She is 240, feet long, 35 feet wide, and 12 feet deep. She rates with the Jassacus and Mendota, already afloat, and with -tHe * seventeen others yet to be launched.-— iV. Y. Herald.

John' Fitzgerald, a son^iii-law of Senator Dooi i ttie, of. Wincohsin; lately, committed suicide at the St. Nicholas Hotel*, by shooting himself* through*; the head with a revolver. "When his body was found, everything about the room denoted the utmost coolness aud determination on the part of the suicide. His letters were found lying on the table neatly arranged, also 15Q dollars in bank hills and 50 doliars in gold. Mr. Fitzgerald is about fifty-five years of age, and is reputed to be worth 400,000 dollars in real and personal estate. Ir, leaked out on the inquest that deceased had a brother who ended his days in a lunatic asylum. Tt is not at all unlikely, therefore, that there was insanity in the family, and that the tragedy at the St. Nicholas may be attributed to this cause. Referring* to Camp Douglas, the Chicago Tribune says : The Confederate snrgeons have notified to the prisoners to furnish lists of such articles of clothmg as they are in need of, and that arrangements are being made by their friends to supply them. The demands made thus far embraced about 3,000 shirts, 2,000 pairs of drawers, 1,200 pairs of socks, shoes, boots, and other indispensable articles. The Selma (Alabama) Reporter states that the mountains in Jefferson County, Alabama, are infested with deserters and others, who are trying to avoid service in the rebel army. The New Orleans correspondent of the New York Post states that several Louisiana planters are trying the experiment of employing Grerman laborers on their sugar estates, with good prospect ©f success. The Montreal Gazette announces, on good authority, that one company of Royal Engineers, two regiments, and two battalions, will return to England in the spring, "if the American civil war then comes to a close." The Camden (Ark.) Herald says, it. has credible information that seventy tons of English goods, for soldiers' clothing, have arrived at a landing on Red River, through Mexico, for the Confederate States. In view of the flimsy character of the postal currency, a proposition has been made to coin the fractional part 3 ofa dollar of zinc as a substitute therefor. It is suggested that the mints might thus be afforded employment, and a more acceptable currency than that now in use be readily furnished. The spirits have predicted, in Andrew J.ickson Davis's pap. r, that Fiance will soon he fighting for the Confederacy and England for us. Mr Davis has weekly dispatches about the war by spiritual telegraph, but this is the first definite prediction they have ventured to mak°. The La Crosse Republican says the bank of La Crosse is in possession of the Sheriff, under the attachment for the recovery of a bank collection of twenty-one dollars. He found the available cash assets to consist of two dollars. The Winconsin Bank Controller's report exhibits this bank as having a circulation of 25,000 dollars, secured by 25,000 dollars 6 per cent, bonds, and personal bonds for G,250 dollars. The Lynchburg (Virginia) Republican S3 y S : — " We hear that a military critic says that General Robert E. Lee, Com-mander-in-Chief of the army of the Potomac, is a fool, else he never would have let the Federals cross tfie Rappahannock. It was the easiest ching in the world to have stopped them by throwing red-hot rocks in the river, thus heating the water, and scalding the enemy to death." The Vicksburg Whig says : — " The enemy have at list got a boat into the canal, destroying the prognostications of the wiseacres who last summer declared the canal could never be made navigable, and that it was useless to fill it up. A steamer, supposed to be a dredge-boat, has been seen plying up and down the canal, and we suppose that a few days more will suffice to make it navigable for the enemy's gunboats." The Herald has a letter from the blockading fleet off Charleston, which states that while the commander of the British frigate Cadmus was on a visit to Charleston, one of his boat's crew became intoxicated with bad rum in a drinking saloon, and began to speak of the Union navy and the ships composing the fleet, and finally gave a lusty cheer for the Union cause. In an instant he was a dt-ad man, being pierced by five pistol balls. The rebels were in a rage, and raved and swore that no man should cheer for the muds'lls or their cause. The affair will be laid before the English Government. The Washington Star, referring to the return of General Foster to his command, says: — "There has been no disagreement and no quarrel between General Hunter and himself; and further, that his abseuce from his troops was not the result of any hitch whatever in the affairs of the expedition, which is proceeding with its work as rapidly as has been intended by the Government." The Washington correspondent of the Baltimore Sun remarks on the subject : — " The newspapers represent that there is. a hitch in the intended operations against Charleston, But it cannot be one of a personal nature, because General Hunter is in command/and is solely responsible. It cannot be from want of means ; therefore, it is believed that the delay is caused only by some doubt as to instructions, which will be made explicit,'' Terrible ExplosToivl; and Loss of Life on a Railway — The/ New, Haven, (Ct.,) Morning Journal and ..Courier publishes the following in ihe yd'rm of aletter. The writer/says:--^- Sir.mi last addressed you, I have passed thrj^ufeh o|je of the most terrible and heart'lri^idingjscenes that' it is j , os^ble^/that being i can go hrougtu • My^o»apjß frptn instant death

seems almost miraculous." In "my" last I believe I fold thaW intended immediately fn join my regiment Tn accordance w|th that inten'ion I proceeded to the depot'of tlie Opelou--a«5 railroad near Algiers, where T found wailing at the depot Lieutenants Johnson and Wheeler, and about eightyfive soldiers of the l-3ihC. V on their way to join their regiment. Then* was also a number of officers and soldiers helonging to othei" corps stationed along the road. Soon after I arrived at the depot, Major-General Butler and Brigadier General Slieply, with a portion of their re spective Staff, d-ove up. A. special train had heen provided for them. LieutenantColonel Kinsman, of General Butler's staff, and Captain Bowies, of Gen. Shepley'S, both invited me to go on the train with them— an invitation I would have gladly availed myself of, as it wis probable that th« special train would arrive at the end ofthe route two or three hours in advance of the regular train— but as Lieutenants Johnson and Wheeler were both unwell I declined the invitation, preferring to remain with them and render them any assistance they might need and I was able to give them. We left Algiers afc half-past ten a.m. There were no passengers cars on the train, so we made ourselves as comfortable as we could on platform and freight cars. Lieutenant Johnson, Lieutenant Wheeler, Mr Champion, our sutler, and myself got into a freight car. There were a number of soldiers and officers' servants in the car with us. Between the locomotive and the car we were in, there was but one car, and that was freighted with ammunition. There were a number of persons, soldiers and others, in the car, freighted with the ammunition, and the dou+s on either side were left open. All being ready, we proceeded on our journey without meeting with any event worthy of notice until we had arrived within about a quarter of a mile of our destination, when, just as the locomotive began to slacken her speed, the ammunition that was on the train exploded with a report that was plainly heard at a distance of twenty miles. The car in which the am ■ munition was stored was blown to atoms so completely that one wheel which was left entire was the largest portion of it that could be found. The track aud ground for a considerable distance were torn up, lhe locomotive was badly injured, and the tender completely demolished, and all the people who were on them either killed or severely wounded. The rar that Lieutenants John-on, Wlieeler, myself and others, were in, was made a complete wreck. Ai the time of the explosion Lieutenants Johnson and Wheeler were seated on boxes at the upper end, or that portion of the car next the ammunition car. I was reclining on the floor of the car, a Utile to the rear of the centre. The force of the explosion suddenly stopped the forward motion of the cars, and threw me considerably forward of my old position and flat on the floor. It was fortunate for me that I was so thrown, for the knapsack on which T had been leaning was torn to shreds ; as it was, tbe wreck and rubbish was heared above and about mc, but left me unharmed. There was a second, a much lighter explosion than the first one, and this threw something ot considerable weight on top of me. I looked up and was horrified to see that this new weight was the torn and mangled bodies of men, whose blood I could see and feel flowing upon me. As soon as I could do so, I extricated myself from the wieck, and having assured myself that I was not injured to any extent, breathed a prayer of thanks to God for my preservation. I set the men to work to clear up the ruins, and got out the dead and wounded. The cane and bushes were set on fire. I saw shells which I supposed were loaded, lying about among the burning stuff, and shuddered as I thought that more of us must be ki'led ; but [ felt at all risks the woun led must be got out and cared for, and this could not be done without first extingui hing the fire. The brave soldiers, after the}' had recovered from the first great shock, appeared to perfectly understand and appreciate their situation, and they set vigorously at work, and obeyed without the slightest hesitation, every order and direction I gave them Fortunately none of th • shells were loaded, and soon with the assistance of soma of the officers from the camp near by. I had tlie wounded carried to a house that is used for a hospital There were soon a number of good surgeons in attendance. The lime that elapsed from the first explosion until I saw the bodies of Lieutenants Johnson and Wheeler could not have exceeded a minute, and yet they were perfectly dead. Tliey and most of the others that were killed, must have been killed instantly. Not a trace, if we except a hand and foot, and these only by conjecture, has been found of those who were known to be in the ammunition carat the time of the explosion. A portion of the body of a man was found near a tiee, full a quarter of a mile from the place of the explosion. Up to noon to-day, they have found ten dead bodies, beside a number of limbs, a head, &c , and thirteen wounded, most of them severely.