LATER NEWS FROM AMERICA,

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 7, Issue 367, 29 October 1863, Page 4

LATER NEWS FROM AMERICA,

(From the Daily Times October 8.) By the Hanoverian barque Hamburg, consigned to Messrs. Cargill and Co. with grain, we have later news of the progress of the American war. The Hambui'g brings Californian papers to the 14th August, from we gather the following particulars : According to the latest reports the contending armies in Virginia were drawn up —the Confederates on the Rapidan, and the Federals on the Rappahannock. These rivers form two sides of a triangle, the apex of which is at United States Ford, where the two unite and then flow eastwardly in one stream by Fredericksburg. There is a statement, in one despatch, to the effect that Lee would make another Northern movement shortly. It is said that the leadership of the army of the Potomac, is regarded as the stepping-stone to the next Presidency. General Meade was reported to have resigned the command of the anny, but for what reason is not stated. It was generally expected that Sumpter would succumb to the Federals in the next attack, for the defence of which great preparations were being made. The correspondent of the Tribune reports that Lee’s infantry was all south of Rapidan, though his cavalry scout between that river and the Upper Rappahannock. A division had reinforced him from Bragg’s army, and an equal number had left him for Charleston. On the Federal side there were but little signs of an advance, Lee was too strongly posted for an attack by the Federal forces. The heat was so great soldiers were not required to drill, much less to march. The steamer Ai'ago, from Port Royal via Charleston, had arrived. Correspondents of the Bth say the Confederates had built numerous additional batteries on James island, and were also building interior lines of defence near the city. About seven thousand troops from the North had landed on Morris island during the past week A letter, dated the 10th, says General Gilmore had notified Admiral Dahlgren that he would be ready to commence an attack on the 13th. The navy was ready and fighting would commence that da}. The greatest confidence was felt of the fall of Sumter, Wagner, and Cummings Point in from rfvo to six hours. A deserter from Wagner reported that twothirds of the guns had been removed from Sumter and mounted on James island, and that the fall of Sumter was regarded by the Confederates as a certainty—the damage done in April by the Monitors rendering it hopeless to hold it. The Federals were shelling night and day, while from Fort Johnson the Confederates were keeping up a brisk fire upon the Federal gunboats. At the time the Arago left, the ironsides and three gunboats were shelling Cumming’s Point. A letter from Morris Island, dated the 4th August, states that the Federal lines had advanced under a hot fire from the Confederates. They had advanced within about six hundred yards of Foi’t Wagner, and their batteries and fleet allowed the enemy but very little rest. Occasionally there had been very sharp and continuous firing, and on one or two occasions Fort Wagner responded vigorously for a few moments. The principal shelling from

the Confederate side had been done by Sumter, Johnson, and Battery Gregg. General Grant, who succeeds Meade in command of the army of the Potomac, has claimed five battles from the Confederates fought outside Vicksburg, and states that the capture of Vicksburg was attended with a loss to the Confederates of thirty-seven thousand prisoners, among whom were fifteen general officers ; at least 10,000 killed and wounded, among the killed being Generals Tracy, Tilgman, and Green ; and arms and munitions of war for an army of sixty thousand men, a large amount of other public property, consisting of railroads, locomotives, cars, steamboats, cotton, tfcc., and much destroyed to prevent its capture. The loss on the Federal side he states to be— killed, 1242 ; wounded, 3861 ; missing, 507. Through Arkansas and Louisiana the slaves were being run off to Texas, and very few were left for a considerable distance back of the Mississippi. Troops continued to be sent down the river from Vicksburg, their destination unknown, PARTICULARS OF THE FALL OF PORT HUDSON. The New York Tribune , of the 10th August, gives the following particulars of the fall of Port Hudson : The steamfrigate Hartford and gunboat Albatross, from above Port Hudson had reached New Orleans. None of the captured Confederae’s had been paroled by General Banks to the last accounts. Of the garrison, 4000 were in line when the garrison was surrendered, beside 500 wounded, and 1000 sick. The wounds are mainly in the head fi’om the bullets of sharpshooters. The Federal batters had destroyed an immense amount of stores. A large supply of ammunition had fallen into the hands of the Federals. There was a great Union meeting and torchlight pi’oeession in New Orleans on the night of the 11th. A large number of residences were also illuminated.

After expressing a hope that the event would hasten the war to an end, the Tribune proceeds to sa_y that—“ The surrender of Port Hudson was tendered to General Banks on the 9th instant. The particulars of this surrender were very interesting. Vicksburg had fallen on the 4th instant. The news soon reached the fleet before Port Hudson, whereupon salutes were fired both on land and water ; the bands of the different regiments performed in their best style the different patriotic airs so well known to the American people. It was difficult for the Confederates to believe that Vicksburg bad surrendered. Perhaps this difficulty was strengthened by the fact that the surrender of Port Hudson depended in some measure upon that of Vicksburg. The Confederates are described as having eaten their last crust; they had eaten up their mules and were described as feeding themselves upon dead rats, and would probably have surrendered their position at any rate before many days. At two o’clock the Bth inst. a parley was sounded from the Confederate works, and an officer came out with a despatch from General Gardner, asking on what terms a surrender would be accepted. An answer was returned to the effect that none but an unconditional surrender would be accepted, which terms were accepted by General Gardner. Twentyfour hours wei’e given to make the necessary arrangements for surrender, and at 12 o’clock noon, on the Btli of July, the Federals entered into Port Hudson, the No. 2 Gibi-altar of the Mississippi.

The hungry soldier? of General Gardner were soon well fed from the commissariat of the Union army, from which 6000 rations were drawn. The number of Confederate soldiers drawn up in line, when the surrender took place, was about 4000. In addition to this number there was about 1500 sick and wounded ; the wounded numbered about 500. There had been terrible sickness in the garrison, almost total destitution of medicine.

On the night of the 11th instant the people in New Orleans turned out in thousands to celebrate the event, and there was a grand torchlight procession in honour of the victory.

On their way down the river the Albatross and Estella were fired upon by some straggling guerillas. During the attack and subsequent siege of Port Hudson, the conduct of the two Louisiana regiments of coloured troops is stated to have been of a high character.

Jeff. Davis was reported to be seriously ill.

Gold at New York was quoted at 26| to 26f.