AMERICA.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 67, 26 June 1863, Page 2

AMERICA.

NEW YORK, Apbii. 16. Nine iron-clad Federal steamers crossed Charleston Bar on the 7th, moving up the harbor towards Forts Sumtro and Moultre in single file, to attack those forts. In the passage up the harbor a complete network of obstruction stretching right across the different channels was discovered, rendering it impossible to pass. The engagement theu commenced, and lasted two hours, when tho fleet had to retreat, ■with five of the ironclad 6eriously damaged'; one of them sank shortly afterwards, from the damage received. During the last thirty minutes of the engagement the firing was terrific, perhaps never before equalled in warfare. Three hundred Confederate guns, mostly WhitWjgjffi's, poured a concentrated fire upon the fleet, iiad fcho ships not returned, they would certainly have been all destroyed. One vessel received ninety shots, and was horribly riddled. Another received fifty-nine, and another fifty-eight ,• while the turrets and pilot houses of all were much damaged. It is believed that Beauregard superintended the defence. When the uews of the defeat reached New York, gold went up to forty-three and a half premium, and it revived the popular clamor for a change of Administration. A Democratic meeting was held, at which Lincoln's Government was denounced, and resolutions passed that the idea of conquering the South was absurd, and the prosecution of the contest idiotic. While the iron fleet waa withdrawing, battered and crushed, from before Charleston, intelligence scarcely less unfortunate reached Washington. All the Federal expeditions eenfc up the creeks and streams to reach the land side of Vicksburg from the Mississippi were abandoned, and while retreating from Fort Pemberton and the Yazzoo Pass, were repeatedly attacked by guerilla bands of Southerners. The canal, which was to turn 1 the course of the immense river, and enable the Federal iron-ckds to push on to Vicksbwg, has beest dug in vain, while equally useless was the devastation caused by cutting the dykes, and laying the country under water. Admiral Parragufc, the Federal commander of the Mississippi flotilla, is shut in between two batteries, unable to pass either. Admiral Porter nearly met the same fate ; and the Federal general, Foster, is besieged and surrounded in Washington, North Carolina, by a superior Confederate force. Tho great effort of the Federals in the west has thus proved a perfect failure. la the extreme South, the Confederates are gathering round New Orleans, intending to recapture that city. Thoy can concentrate in twelve hours 65,000 men, white General Banks has only 20,000 men to defend it.

I; s^Xn^Tanneßaeeijuad ;. Virginia, the Confederate ; generals are resuming offensive operations. * ?Tlie course of events is setting strongly against the ' Federals both by^aea land land. One attempt to iraise a ij><^Mdan;m|London has failed; whila the Confederate loan is at '2 per cent premium. The violent outcry against England ia still continued in the Republican journals. General Burnside has proclaimed the* penalty of dentli upon all persons aiding the Confederates. Ladies in North America are constantly being arrested on charges of complicity with the Southerners. It is rumoured that M'Clellan resigned his appointment on April Hth.\ ( > Exchange nominally 170. CoWon, 70 cents. Flour, 5 cents to 10 cents, lower. (Provisions dull.