The Express.
London, England, 1865-01-03 00:00:00

,TELLIOENCE.
--11 P-
- AMERICAN MAIL.

• LATICBT IN

We have this morning received a file of paper
from Now York, dated the 20th nit. We extract a
few passages giving details of important move•
meats but briefly mentioned in yesterday's tele-
grams.

THZ PURSUIT OF GENERAL HOOD.
9,000 PRISONERS TAKEN.

♦ sposial despatch which appears in a seoond
edition of the New York Times contains the fol-
lowing :

Naihrille, Dec. 19.
Thomas la pursuing the enemy to Duck River. We have
nearly all Rood's artillery, and his army is really fearfully
demoralised. All the doses are high, and all the bridges
Ia Hood's (mot destroyed. Our pontoons are up. We
captured 3,000 of the enemy's wounded at Franklin, Top-
pings. Slaw Thursday we ban captured and brought Ia
Jost 6,000 penman, maldng 9,000, counting the wounded
taken at Franklin. We have captured four major-generals,
inoladlegOomerals Jackson and Johnston, as wallas Brigadier
Oeserale Smith and Roger. Hood bad 65 pingo of artil-
lery. We have ensured 54 pigpen. The somny's killed aed
wooaded is a little lea than our own. Our entire loss will
not nag 3,600. None of our gamma diners were Wand.

This le the handonseet victory of the war.
Forrest gave Murfreesboro another trial, and sru re-
pulsed. Bassein and Milroy drove him from the town.
Our We victory at Franklin was not esaggerated in the
Wet. The rebel Gemara Johnston says that their lose was
. .

6,000 Mod sad wounded. He states that six rebel parole
were killed and wounded is that engagement. He my
MajorAenwal Pat Cleburne, body. He was shot through
the heart. The whole rein' low in Franklin on the 30th
ult. was 6,030. Ours Is odloially reported at 1,900.
llketusen has gives Breeklerldp a oleasting out in lest
Twinesess, sear the Virgisia Um. killing, wounding, and
motoring • Urge somber, and ptting most of his artillery.
Gemini Ed. McCook is after General Lyon in Kentucky,
and he cannot moans.
Murfreesboro, Bridgeport, Stemma, Chattanooga, and
Knoxville all right.

THE EXPEDITION TO WILMINGTON.

The hew York Beenireg Port of the 20th has the
following acoount of the expedition to Wilning•
ton: _ _

--- -
The expedltioa against Wilmington has been opened by
Admiral David D. Porter, and has been anticipated both by
the loyal people of the North and the rebellious classes of
the South for some time. Preparations for the capture of
the forte defending the entrance to Cape Fear river have
bees in progress for months, but not until about the let
of September were the Offiaell 'Wined and measures taken
to carry the desired plaits into execution. About that time
Admiral Porter was directed to assume command of
the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, and he at
once commenoed to put his squadron in order.
The Orel step taken was in perfecting the iron•
clad fleet, which was doe* as speedily as miscible, and the
result has prodoced the Dictator, cue of the lamed Tenets
of bee alms in the airy; the Atlanta, one of the beet pro.
&betimes of rebel invalidly; the New Iroasides, which has
sever hese toned mating; the lioeadiaook. which wee
deemed sovalnatile a vessel that she was at oace selected
as the liamitip af the squedexik and ether tronelede, which
will be of peat service as carrying one the plans. Amen
the wooden vessels selected were the Wehmh, which was

Admiral Dapost's legible at the captors of Port Royal ;
t►e illaseecola, of Moeller and Ifeerimask MOWS ; the
Oolr•de, the ehill amesg U 2450110 'wow fripAsi ; the
Brooklyn, of New Orissa& Vicksburg. aad Mille fame.
The fleet sambaed, all MK 46 veal* and 849
gamL win be observed, upon reteresis to tie list
of the vends employed epos this sapodillas, that quit* a
large somber of Wm ere bleekailorsseseis, purchased by
the goverarmst sad ascend into palate. The choice
of thee* ships was wise, inasmuch as they are of light
draught. ad aphis el easily threading the intricate
olasesell whisk smetalatie W approash S. the Oape Fear
river. The rand plan of attack was decided ups a dam*
time attic Admiral Porter sisemed commend of the fiat.
It was &Ada that the heavy vessels which, by rams at
Ithelr draught of water. could sot ones the bar, should lie
el viable • shame of two rails' sad 'actively shell
Fort Flier, which esmosads the eatreace over New
Last Bar. The vessels not participating I. the general
bombardment are to pass up the ithensel sad ever the bar
bate the river. It is thought that some vesiele might be
lost, or so badly disabled as to reader them iacepable of
ellessia sows. bu► the amber of UM; fiat employed
would prevent say disaster from such sa saddest. The
sides of the wooden wale ere pistol with chain armour,
as owe Admiral Termini's diet wins they passed Forts
Jeckson sad St. Philip, sad Forte Marisa sod (his..
in Nellie Bey. The same premation of Irking the
vessels ode by side will be needed to, it circus.
steam will permit. While the fleet resilervoneed
at /Willa Reeds the yards, topmasts, sod extra
spars were seat dews ; boss removed from the decks, and
the view& cleared for action in the most thorough eraser.
Bags filled with used were placed es the molt vulnerable
party of the decks, and I. pleas to preterit the boilers and
maohiamy. lo fact, everylldei that human ingenuity
could dale has bees dose to make the vessels shot and
shell proof.
Has ships are provided for the accommodation of COO
wounded, sad as extra corps of surgeon. was swiped to
the egged:es. &sea hospital simmers and a number of
top were thee detailed, seder the direalle of Flea.
Surgeon For, end every measure adopted to give peeper
are sad stiontios to the wounded la the ado&
GENERAL SHERMAN AT SAVANNAH.
The New York Times says that the war has now
entered upon " a new era," regulated by new con-
ditions :

W► lave takem aw►y from our adversary the power to
strike blows. We have utterly deprived him d the Wis.
tire of attack. Lee's army at itiobutoad is oompied by
Gait's im wash a maw that the symbol gametal must await
blows, while be is helpless to give them ; sod he must await
them when be is. Hood. with what army be ham left
him, must woe put himself is a similar position.
It be does mot he will exhaust himself all the more
rapidly by his daring mid imprudemae. The two aisle
armies of the Orefedsreey. therefore, are limited to the
=min of meats& fmootiom—sanely, that of deleadieg

themselves end their letrembed pasithe, wherever that
may he. They no Yew defend the Ooofederecy. And
this bagpipe at jest the time when the Omfedeney Is
*tethered et every vital point, and more Ikea ever before
shade in seed el eilleient defense. For not only are Thomas
and Grant striking end preparing to strike the armies
opposed to them, het we have se army of velenas,
not kW than 50,000 strong, under Shermen, whose special
Weiner it is to strike hud blows molest pants as im.
patent as they are weekly defended. This army bee
maned 300 miles through the very heed of the Confede-
racy. Samemh is already within its peep. Charleston
will follow ere long. But as if this wen sot enmesh, a flee 4
more formidable than any which we have Were seat oat,
is cm its way to operate onoa amoeba meet importaet
point. It cannot be hog before every pen on the
Soothers mast will be reposes seed, and the naval
blockade raised. Meet of them ports are at the mouths of
importeet news leading late she hairier of the Soothers
States. Oar saml force, relieved of the Wade, sad of
all servile along the meet, will traverse them riven to their
heeds el eavigstion, mettles off from communication with
each Miler the several motions of the Cloefedeney. With
remarkable facility oar armies can thee be trampocted to
any desirable point.
The Confederate government will sot be more helpless
for the stein:Moe of its subjects, white and black, than it
will be for retaining them in eubjeotioe. The Confedera-
tics itself will boom* a rope of sand, and, without question
or negotiation, the legitimate authority of the government
will be established.