The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-06-12

dark clouds gathered, and tremendous storm of
hail set in, continuing until after five o'clock.
Some OF the hail stones were larger than marble,
and battered against the windows in manner that
threatened complete destruction to the glass; 1t
is the opinion Of many of the oldest inhabitants
that mere severe hail storm has not occurred in
this vicinity for many years. During the storm
the electric fluid struck the lightning rod on the
cupola Of the Post Office, in Nassau street, and
flashed down the iron conductor to the ground not
doing any damage 30 the building The report
was very loud and terrific. Several horses fright.
ened by the noise, took to flight, but fortunately
no serious casualty, so far as heard from, took
place.
In the Board of Supervisors last evening Super
visor Purdy offered resolution, which was
adopted, to the effect that the Counsel to the Cor
poration be requested to state at what time the
State can exact payment from the city of its pro.
portion of the State taxes. The report from the
Commissioners for building Harlem bridge stated
that the works were progressing rapidly; that the
work Of sinking the cylinders in the central draw
is nearly completed, and will be finished in Eve or
six weeks; the masonry work is nearly completed
The report was ordered to be printed-one
thousand copies.
The cotton market was steady yesterday, while the
sales embraced 600 TOO bales closing without quo,abs
charge in prices. Dealers disposed to await the
receipt OF private letters by the Arabia and Adriac be-
fore doing much. Flour heavy, and prices
lower, especially for common and medium grades
Extra brands were also heavy and less active Wheat
steady ant IN good demand for good sound winter
red ard Western club FOR shipment while other descrp
lions were less bIovaIt. Sales were made to 0 fair
extent. Corn heavy, and lower for common aud in
~ md mi af md
yellow were unchanged Pork was in better re.
quest, especially for prime The sales Included
SIS rs S18, and prime at $40 S1s $iI. Sugars
firmly held, while the iaolemency of the weather.
bined with the enhanced views of holders tended to
check transactions Coffee firm, while the sales en-
braced between 5000 and 900 bags Rio a. liz Iac,
part for export Fre'ghts were steady. while engage
ments were to . fair extent, both by American and
foreign yeseels.
The Late Bloody Engagement Near For
. tress MOnr0e-Its Mist 4 kes and Its Good
Results.
The details of the hot and bloody engage
ment on Monday morning last between de-
tachment of troops from Fortress Monroe
and heavy rebel masked battery near
Hampton, are before our readers We have
thus the admissions before US of several un.
fortunate mistakes in the movements Of the
Union forces; but, in summing up the results
we find that the admirable bravery and steadi-
ness Of our raw volunteers will compare with
those qualities in the most thoroughly seasoned
regular troops, and that all that our men re-
quire in the face of the enemy is wide awake
and skilful management In this instance they
appear to have been blindly led into snare of
masked batteries armed with numerous heavy
rihed cannon, against which they had only three
light field pieces to bring into play.
The unfortunate collision between the New
York Seventh Germany and our Third (Al-
bany) regiment is explained in the fact that it
occurred before day break. Such mistakes have
broad day light. At the storming of Chepulte.
pee one detachment of our troops was some
what cut mp by cooperating detachment
installing their friends for the enemy
and similar misrepresentation, if we mistake
not, very seriously deranged for time the
unity of the French army at the battle of Ma
gensa. 1t is certainly very hazardous bust
ness to be moving about in the dark detach-
ments Of troops from different points through
In this instance, no doubt, the collision be-
tween cur two New York regiments contributed
much to the advantage of the enemy, in giving
them abundant warning of their approaching
assailants, and in retarding the onward move
ment of our troops.
1t strikes us, too, that the prolongation of the
fight, with our troops fully exposed before the
masked and inaccessible battery of the rebels,
after ascertaining its strength was culpable
sacrifice of brave men and . fooliah waste of
ammunition. The tried and established brave
ry Of our troops is the great reieeming feature
of the expedition; but their lives are too pre-
cious to be wasted in headlong enterprises
ton, the defences and the strength Of the
enemy. We have no desire to PREJUDICE Gen
Pierce, the officer IN command of this ezpe.
dition; but it seems to us that, having die.
covered that three small field pieces were in
sufficient to cope with a hidden battery of
thirty heavy guns, he should have withdrawn
from the range of its fire, reported progress
to General Butler, and awaited reinforcenents
or further instructions.
From the immense supplies of artillery
heavy and light pieces, which fell into the
hands of the secessionists with their occupation
of the Norfolk Navy Yard, and from their two
or three foundries in full blast at Richmond,
they are prodigally supplied with cannon, and
especially round about Norfolk Thus, in that
quarter they are enabled to supply their nu-
merous field works with ten, twenty, fifty or q
hundred guns each, as this or that position may
demand. These field works might be taken at
the point Of the bayonet, if our zouaves could
leap those Intervening bitches of fifteen or
twenty feet in width; but as this feat is not in
Guided in their gymnastics, and as the heaviest
guns may play against an earthern embank-
ment for month without preaching it, we ap-
xrohnnd that tta shnrtozf rrsr Of dialcdnir