The South Australian Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1858 - 1889)(about) |
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Monday 25 January 1864
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NEWS BY THE MAIL.
LATEST AMERICAN NEWS. [From the Home News, Thursday. December 3.]
By the arrival of the Bohemian and Edinburgh, bringing dates from New York to the 20th and 21st November, we are put in possession of additional; particulars respecting Longstreet's attack on General
Bornaide'e position. It appears that General Long street advanced across the Tennesse on November 14, bat was driven bock to within one mile of the river. During the night General Longstreet crossed it with the remainder of his troops, and on the following day advanced in force upon the Federals, who fell back, skirmishing. Several unsuccessful attacks upon the Federals ware made in the coarse of the night. On the morning of November 16 the Federals, finding it impossible to hold their position, retreated to Campbell's Station or Concord, the Confederates closely pursuing them. Desperate fighting ensued, lasting throughout the day, the Federals being driven from point to point. Under cover of the night the Federals continued their retreat, and on November 17 reached their inner line of defence at KuoxvQle. On the morning of the 18th the Federal outposts on the Kingstown and Dudon and Clinton roads were also attacked and heavy skirmishing continued until night&lL On the 19th the attack was renewed, and after a severe cannonading the Confederates despe rately charged the Federals and drove them from their positions towards Knoxvule, capturing a portion of the chief fortifications only half a mile from the town. By the latest aocount the Con federates had completely invested the town. The Federal loss on the 16th and 19th was upwards of 500; that of the Confederates on the same day is estimated at 1,400. The Federal General London was severely wounded. General Shacklefbrd had a sharp encounter with the Confederates on the east side of the Holstein Biver, three miles from Knoxvule, on the 15th, and succeeded in checking their advance from that direc tion. It is believed that a great battle was fought on November 20. Despatches from the head-qnarters of the army of the Potomac of November 19, announce that no farther advance had been made by General Meade. A chaplain of a Federal regiment who was taken prisoner at Morris Island, but released at Richmond on November 18, relates that several Confederate officers admitted to him that the accounts of the suf ferings of the Federal prisoners at Richmond from exposure and scanty feeding which have recently appeared in the Northern journals are not exaggerated. The crops in the Confederacy are abundant; but, owing to the extreme difficulty of transportation, only an insufficient quantity of food reaches Rich mond, and die Confederate soldiers being of neces sity first supplied, but little is left for the 13,000 prisoners in and around the city. On some days it has been found impossible to serve out more rations than one piece of unsifted commeal bread to each prisoner. It is now reported that the objection of the Confederate authorities to forward supplies from the Northern States for the Federal prisoners at Bichmond arose from the use of the word "com missaries," instead of "commissary stores," in the request for their transportation. The error has been rectified, and Neal Dow, who is one of the pri soners, writes to Washington that 48,000 rations have been received and distributed among them. The consecration of the Gettysburg battle-field as national cemetery took place on November 19. President Lincoln, Mr. Seward, the Son. Edward Everett, and Governor Seymour were present. Mr. Lincoln delivered the dedicatory address, .in which be said:—"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth upon this continent a new nation conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the pro position that all men were created equal. Now we are engaged in a great <av3 war, testing whether the nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met upon a great battle field of that war. We are met to dedicate a portion of it as the final resting-place of those who here gave their lives that that nation might live, and to resolve that the dead shall not have died in vain—that the nation shall, under God, have a new birth of free dom, and that the government of the people by the people, and for the people, shall not perish from the Mr. Everett made a long speech recapitulating the events of the campaign which terminated with the battle of Gettysburg. The Evening Pott of December 21 publishes the following from New Orleans:—"General Banks oc cupied Brownsville upon the 6th without any oppo sition. After Banks'e arrival the Mexican General Gubors crossed from Brownsville to Matamoras, and endeavoured to raise a revolution in favour of the French, but was defeated by General Cortiano, who now occupies Matamoras with Juarez troops. Cor tiano has placed four steamers at the disposal of Banks. A revolution in favour of the French was feared at Matamoras; and as the American Consul was fearing personal violence, a portion of Banks'e troops were in readiness to go to bis protection if necessary." Two million dollars in gold hare been shipped to Mexico on French Government account. The United States Marshal has seized all the cotton in New Orleans. The negroes in that city have peti tioned to be allowed to vote. Advices from Charleston to the 17th November state that four monitors have passed op the channel, apparently to ascertain the depth of water. Twenty five shots were fired into the city, doing no damage. Sharp skirmishing has folp*" place upon the Bapi dan, in which the Federals were driven back. The Confederates have refused permission to the Federal Government to send stores for the Federal prisoners in Bichmond. It is officially reported that there are no more Con federates in Western Virginia. The Federal lora in a late attack upon Franklin's forces, near Opelousas, was 670 men. One regiment was captured entire. Franklin's troops will proceed by way of the gulf. Federal General M'Nefl has issued an order, stating that each time the telegraph is cut between St. Louis and Fort Smith he will hang a guerilla. General Butler has arrived at North Carolina, after enlisting and organising negroes. In his department (Virginia) it is reported that all Confe derate prisoners will be placed under bis jurisdiction. Since hi* arrival at Norfolk a merchant has been con demned to AS months' hard labour for smuggling rfaisky. The report of General Forater superseding Bum aide is doubted. Mr. Wendell Phillips has made a speed! asserting that President Lincoln had informed him that tbe greatest folly of his life was the issuing ofthe eman cipation proclamation. The Tribune contradicts that statement, but the Strald asserts that Mr. Lincoln has, on many occasions, expressed this opinion. President Davis h?n officially 'acquitted Bishop Polk of mismanagement at the battle of Chicka xnanga. The Richmond Examiner urges a forced loan as a remedy for the inflammation of the currency. The bounties offered to soldiers in New York now amount to 700 dollars. The Montreal Advertiser announces that 36 Con federate officers arrived some time ago at TT?lifi?T from Wilmington, in the steamer Bobert Lee, and proceeded to fhMtl^ provided with funds for carry ing out a plan to release the Confederate prisoners on Johston's Island. Their plans were discovered and frustrated. Tbe authorities have taken such pre cautions as will prevent the success of this attempt.