The New York herald., 1861-12-08

THE SITUATION.
The reconnoissances made on Friday and the few
previous days, in the direction of Fairfax Court
House and Pohick church, have failed to discover
the enemy in that direction. General Smiths dyi-
sion was out yesterday, in the neighborhood of Vi
emma, on foraging party, and brought in no less
than ninety-four wagon loads of provisions
The accounts published from rebel sources, rela-
tive to the appearance of some sixteen vessels
OF the Union fleet inside the bar at the
entrance TO Savannah, which we published yegter
day, may be quite true; but the rebel idea that
they formed part Of Commodore Dupon's squadron
admits of some doubt. ii is true that Com Dupont,
being slilfd naval officer and knowing the value
OF seizng upon Fort Pulaski, may have despatched
portion Of his feot to that point. II is certain
that he could easily have done So from the position
he occupies at Port Royal and ~ bee Island; but.
nevertheless the sixteen vessels seen at the mouth OF
the Savannah river may prove to be the advance
of the stone feet destined to block up the en-
trance to that city. In either event. whether they
are part Of Commodore Dupont's squadron, or
Commodore Chadwicliis stone neet, the fate of
Savannah is sealed. 1t is pretty certain, however,
that hey comprise portion Of the stone feet as
the Savannah Republican of the 9Th instant de-
scribes them as Icing old whalers. IN connection
with this intelligence, we give to-day an excellent
map of the position of Fort Pulaski, and the key
to Savannah, together with the range of the gun
and the disposition of the fleet at the entrance.
BY way of Fortress Monroe we have news of a
Eight which took place on the morning of Friday
last at IIatteras Inlet, between the Union gun.
boats Underwater. Stars and Stripes, Putnam, Ceres
and Spauldng, and two heavily armed rebel gun
boats. Between twenty and thirty shots were ex-
changed without doing any damage. A heavy
gale prevailed at IIatteras on the ID but did no
damage to the fortieations
Further efforts appear to be on foot to open
commercial communication with the reclaimed
portions of the rebel seacoast. Some time ago we
heard Of the enterprise of Senator Simmons, OF
Rhode Island, TO Hatteras, with a view TO trade
for cotton, md transmit the same to Europe II is
said that an application was made to Collector
Barney yesterday to obtain clearances from this
port for several schooRers to Accomac and North
amptcn counties, Virginia, which have recently
come under the Stars and Stripes but the Collector
had not yet received instructions from the govern
ment to grant clearances to these points
We learn by dispatches in the Memphis papers,
from Richmond, that the rebel General Price has
been superseded in his command of the district of
Missouri by General Heath Of Virginia.
The rebels are now threatened on all sides, to an
extent which causes considerable quaking through.
out the whole Southern confcderacy. Our latest
intelligence, in small compass, is about as iol.
lows:-
l. Columbus, KY, is to be taken.
2. Memphis, Tenn, will be bombarded and re-
duced.
g. Parson Brownlow has possession Of East Ten.
nessee and will probably, soon cut Off all inter-
course between Virginia and the extreme South
4. The stone fleet will in few days seal the fate
Of the city Of Charleston.
". TOIt uldSk Will DS dItdSheO anu reduced.
g. Savannah must succumb or be left in ashes
T. Fort Barrancas and Warrington, Fla, are al
tcady heap of ruins and Pensacola must follow.
MISCELLANEOUS NEWS
CIR correspondent at Havana, writing on the
81 at., announces the sailing of the first division
g expedition against Mexico from that port
9" lay previous. 1t consisted of seven trans
p9r' 'rrying troops and munitions, and four war
St. The second and third divisions were to
j afana ON the I'd and Sd inst snan;sb
y md British vessels of.war were dalv ar.
ri schooner named the Break o,pav.
~ ~ New Orleans on the 20th ult. had arrived
ma. Appended to the letter OF our cor.
re, ant, we give transatons from the Diorjo
Z, p S1i,,o, containing Spanish opinions of the
OF Messrs. Slidell, Mason and Gwin.
reports of the progress of the food and fuel
fan in Ireland, given in the HERALD this morn.
ing prove that the great bulk of the pcasantry Of
# the most fertile countries earth are actu
ally starving at the very door of her English task
tnasters. poor man in Galway has just carried