Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-10-29
LATEST NEWS FROM THE SOUTH.

LATEST NEWS FROM THE SOUTH.
Memphis papers Of the 22d, Charleston Of the
2lst, and Richmond Of the 2ist, have been received
In New York, and contain the following:
LETTER FROM RICHMOND.
Correspondence Of the Memphis Appeal, Oct. Is ]
RICHMOND, Va, October II, 1881. The army
Of the Potomac has fallen back from Fairfax
Court House, sure enough The main body
is now at Centreville. This Is just what |
ment had been ordered. They will fall back
further vet They will keep falling back. They
will conjugate the compound verb, to fall back,
say, in every mood except the potential. Nob3dy
has the least idea of what IL all means-that 10,
nobody about town. The President, who keeps
his own counsels. and the bright-eyed little Sec
rotary Of War, who does not whisper word Of
the business Of his Office even to the cartridges he
eats for dinner, may know, but all others are i2
norant. That the army will retire as far as the
old line OF their intrenchments at Manassas juno
ton, have learned upon good authority.
Meanwhile the town Is wild with rumors. The
Yankees, we are told, are moving In strong COL
umn, under Gen. Banks, upon Harper's Ferry.
There was report to- day that they were landing
at Urblna, on the Rappahannock. Also. that
another heavy attack was about to be attempted
on the Evansport battery. and that an effort would
be made to put troops ashore to take II in the rear
In addition to this, great activities reported at
Fortress Monroe A large number Of horses and
sixty or seventy ried cannon, have been received
there within few days. 1t Is impossible to get
there is just enough of foundation for them to
justify us In believing that several fents will be
made In the Fast, while powerful army will be
| thrown into Kentucky. The great struggle will
be in that State for the present. Ii might ven-
ture to suggest the reason for the backward move
ment In Fairfax, I should say II was designed 10
release a considerable portion Of Johnson's army
for operation in another quarter, leaving Beaure-
"a IN 10 border m
advance Of the Yankees, which 1t could success
fully do. should the odds be ten to one against
the Yankees.
One Of the Armstrong steel guns brought over
In the Bermuda passed through this city yester-
day. II Is a tremendous piece Of ordnance, and
excited great attention as Ii was drawn brongh
the streets. Numbers of the new Enfield rifles,
with the sabre bayonet, made their appearance
this morning in the hands Of soldiers to whom
they had been distributed. Ii 10 a beautiful and
very dangerous looking weapon, which the YAM
kees may soon become acquainted with at the
other end
There has been a considerable run on the Post
Office department for stamps since the delivery
Of them commenced, and the supply has been ex.
hausted for the time, but they will be abundant
again In few days. The stamp is really quite a
good one, though somewhat defective In adhesive
quality, and inconvenient In sheets from not hav-
Ing been perforated with diving lines for tearing
them apart. This omission will create demand
for scissors, and there will probably be rise In
the latter article.
A large amount of real property has been en-
tered on the books Of the receiver for sequestra-
ton I'm the county of Albemarle, belonging to two
sons AID daughter Of Hon. VIM. C. Rives
Three bodies of land of sOO acres, which were
the list The sons and daughter are all married
at the North, where they reside for the greater
part Of the year, though VIM. c. Rives, j., has
built beautiful residence at Gotham, on the line
of the Central railroad, which he inhabits at
stated intervals. Francis r. Rives, Esq -, who
was at one time Secretary Of Legation at London,
and who has risen to some eminence at the bar in
New York city, has always claimed citizenship
In Virginia, and has manifested a special interest
In the exhibitions of the State Agricultural So
ciety. The sequestration is now in course Of ad-
jucation before the receiver, and, under the Pc
culiar circumstances Of the case 1t is hoped that
their removing to Virginia a. place Of perma.
nent abode.
SOUTHERN ACCOUNT OF THE NAVAL ENGAGEMENr
AT THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI.
The New Orleans Crescent Of the l4th contains
long account Of the late attack on the Federal
fleet. We make a few extracts:
On riday night about l2 O'Clock the little Heet
left the forts in the following order: The Manas-
among the feet, and run down the first vessel she
could get at, sending up rocket at the instant
she made an attack Then came the Tuscarora
and the tow boat Watson with the five barges in
tow these had orders to set fire to the barges tn
moment they seen the rocket from the Manassas
After these were the Calhoun. Ivy, McRea and
Jackson, and last was the launch, bringing up the
rear The tow boat Watson was under the com
mand Of Lient Aveitte.
The night was intensely dark, and II was al most
impossible to see twenty yards ahead. The Ma
nassas put on heavy head Of steam, and dashed
on In the direction where ii was thought the
enemy were lying. Suddenly large sup was
discovered only about length ahead, and before
Lieut.. Marley could have time to ERE the signal
rocket, into her they went, with an awful crash
An appalling shrek was heard on board Of the
doomed ship. and the iron steamer was borne off
by the current, and found herself In the midst Of
the ensmy's feet. The signal rocket was fred
tie enemy beat to quarters, and perfect storm of
iron hail was falling upon aud around the Manas-
sas, the machinery OF which, II was soon discov-
cred by the commander, had In some manner be-
come deranged. This was most inopportune and
perilous; and the Richmond, soon observing that
something was wrong, began playing upon her
with all the power Of her guns Lieut.. Marley
found that only one engine would work, end
with that he began king his way out Of reach,
towards shore; but the shot fell thick and fast
around and upon the sold turtle" and her fate
seemed hanging on hair, when the brave little
Tuscarora aud the Watson came up with the five
barges on FIRE, and soon cut them adrift on the
stream.
Com Hollins did not know what had been the
result OF the firing, neither did the Pest Of the
commanding Officers. 1t was too dark to ma ke
observations, and be did not wish to risk sig nails
30 daylight was waited for impatiently IL came
at last, and presented the following picture The
enemy, some miles down, heeling Il for the open
sea Dy way OF the southwest Pass, with one OF
their ships sunk on the middle ground The
Manassas close In shore, among the willows, con
ceaed as well as possible; the Watson and the
Tuscarora aground on the bank, not ia. of The
Tuscarora was soon pulled of by the rest, and
the fleet commenced pursuit of the retreatin g
enemy. They soon came within range, and a
heavy cannonade began The sunken ship seemed
to be in n very bad tx, and she nearly on her
beam ends The Richmond drew up on the out.
side and protected her with her full broadside
The other vessels Of the enemy soon got aground
but near by, and In great measure protected by
the Richmond's guns.
Our fleet pitched shot and shell into them will,
vengeance, and informant tells Us that he saw
at least two shots hit the Richmond, which were
fred from the Tuscarora and two or three from the
| Ivy. The shots from the Yankees were all badly
aimed, and not one touched any Of our vessels
though over 500 passed all around them. After
continuing the cannonade until about O'Clock
Com Hollins concluded that the sport did not paw
for the powder, and feeling that he had won
glory enough for one day, and that the enemy
were In fix that II would take them some time
to get out Of, he ordered his feet back TO town
The Manassas struck the vessel which she ran
| into, near the bow, and cut into her upwards OF
twenty feet, If we may Judge from the fact that
splinters, copper and nails, were found In the
cracks Of the iron her sides to at least that dis
lance. She drew OF from the collision without
1 trouble, though she undoubtedly tust,d he,