Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1861-05-31
CnAMBERsBuRa, Nav Is

CnAMBERssuRo, May %.
It is known that the secession SITS at Will
Transport and Hagerstown are iconcerting a
plan to enable the Virginians to..inyade Wash
ington. This move is supposed to indicate
an attempt TO interfere with the election of
Thomas to Congress, which is deemed a GER 4.
tainty. III
: 49, Il BALTIMORE, May 20.
A steamer from Fort Monroe has arrived
here She left last evening at-T o cleck, when,
a small steamer from Norfolk undertaking Of
truce had Just landed over 100 rsfngses On {
the Cumberland. They were mostly wives
and children of laborers IN the Navy Yard.
They report there are from 1000 to 5000
troops at Norfolk and Portsmouth.
The Louisiana and Georgia troops were the
best accoutred and disciplined. Provisions
are very high.
Sixty-seven Union votes were cast at Ports
mouth, and over twenty in Norfolk. ~
| Several batteries have been erected between
Fort Monroe and Norfolk. That upon era
ney Island, midway between, and command
ing the approach to Norfolk and Portsmouth,
has embrazures for forty guns.
| The encafhpment at Newport Point has
thus far been undisturbed.
| No immediate attack on Sewalls Point or
Norfolk need be expected. Gen. Butler will
not risk valuable lives for point of SO little
importance compared with others near at
hand.
Commercial Washington Dspatchl
New YORK, May 20.
COL Butler, brother of Gen. Butler, had
long interview with the Cabinet. Gen. Butler
desires that instructions may be sent to him
regarding the method ofdealingw with fugitives.
It is understood that the government endorses
the previous course of Gen. Butler regarding
slaves.
Posts Special
Great interest is manifested in Baltimore III
the habsas corpus case. 1t is thought that the
Government will respect the Courts civil
powers.
Secretary Cameron is ILL s- s.. .-.....
The President accepted four Illinois regi-
ments who came to him rather than await
State action. They include Esworth's orig
inal Zouaves and Hecker's German regiment.
1t is said that Major Smaller has been ten
dered the Colonelcy of the Fire Zouaves, in
place of the lamented Ellsworth. 1t is I'M
known whether he will accept
In day or two an advance column of the
grand army will be pushed forward to Manas-
sas Junction.
Tue list New York regiment has returned
to the Washington navy yard. A false alarm
took them down the river.
Government is satisfied that its naval pre-
parations are in such state of forwardness as
to effectually blockade every Southern port by
June 18th.
Other election returns from Virginia show
the vote in Accontuck precinct, near Mount
Vernon, was rs for Union and 10 for secession.
Wetzel county gives 613 majority for Union.
| WASHINGTON, May 80.
Carl Schurz has been deprived of the graft
fcation of proceeding with his brigade to
Fortress Monroe. His leave of absence as
Minister to Spain, was, to-day, revoked, and
he will at once enter on the discharge of his
duties at Madrid
The Secretary of the Treasury, to-day, tel
egraphed to the Collector at Cincinnati, in
order to facilitate supplies of goods to the 10y
alists of Western Virginia, entering at the
port of Wheeling, that section being exempt
from the restriction of blockade.
The general character of the correspondence
: lust received here shows better understand
ing in European capitals Of the true condition
of affairs in this country.
The first diplomatic dinner of the Presi-
dent will take place Tuesday next
, The President has determined to appoint
Hon. Robert Schenck as Brigader-General
Col. Anderson has been assigned command
of western military department.
Gen. Mcdowell commanding the new Vir-
ginia Typographical Department, has no par
ticular place for his headquarters. They will
be movable, according to circumstances
Information had reached Washington that
the secession forces had thrown, up earth
works, perhaps 200 feet square, at Manassas
Gap Junction, and commanding the track for
perhaps mile. They are under command of
Gen. Bonham, of South Carolina. Gen. Ma
grauder was there in command of battery
1t is believed that Col Kershaw's South
Carolina regiment has removed up the road to
Centreville, Fairfax county, to strengthen
the position there, in view of the probability
that the Federal troops would strike blow
at that point, to cut off communication with
Harper's Ferry.