Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1861-05-16

the auxiliary vessels are progressing rapidly,
as we learn from letter dated on board the
corvette St. Louis, now off Pensacola Those
ships arriving out from the States with all green
hands VIII receive small detachments of trained
soldiers from the men ol-war that have been in
commission some time and the best gunners
will be put at the most delicate posts. In the
United States Navy there are It is estimated.
34O0 OF the best artillerists in the world, of
these, fully one-half are now on the coast, lust
where they are wanted.
The United States frigate Wabash is reported
ready for sea. Tier armament has lust been
finished and is a heavier one than she ever car
red before. 1t consists of two ten-nch pivot
guns Of extraordinary size, weighing over ten
thousand pounds each twenty-eght nine-inch
guns of nine thousand pounds each; fourteen
eight-inch sixty three hundred weight two
twelve-pound howitzers for the launches and
two twelve pound light howitzers for the cut
tiers. The battery altogether weighs over three
hundred and ninety tons"
Miscellaneous War Items.
The President has conferred on Colonels
Thomas and Mansfield the brevet title of Brig
adler Generals and Maj. Anderson has been
promoted to the rank of Colonel in the army.
Rufus King, late editor of the Milwaukee
Sentinel and appointed minister to Rome, has
been chosen brgadier general Of the Wisconsin
state volunteers.
The exact number of men in Fort Pickens is
said to be $40. These men are all regulars, and
about 400 of them frst-rate artillerists. As
800 could properly work the ordinance, there
is quite respectable force left to repel storm
ers, and keep the quarters secure, in case of at
tack. Arrangements have been perfected by
which 400 artillerists and "boarders" from the
Heet could he sent over at anV time
Thursday night 81 of the Maryland Guards
were arrested BY the Massachusetts, picket
guards, who invested Baltimore, for attempting
to escape to Virginia to join the rebels there.
They will be dealt with as traitors
Secession forces in large numbers are being
concentrated at Alexandria, with heavy ord
nance, and it would seem with the intention of
fortifying themselves as part of II systematic
approach to Washington.
A large train of cars arrived at Washington
Friday morning at o'clock, filed with troops,
who uuinterruptedly passed through Baltimore.
They were the Pennsylvania regiment, Sher-
mans battery, and regulars from Texas.
| In addition to the new military departments
of Washington, Annapolis, and Pennsylvania,
the states of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois will con-
slitute a fourth one, to be sub-divided hereafter
into several others. 1t will be called the de-
| partment OF the Ohio, and Maj. Gen. McClel-
Ian of the Ohio volunteers, formerly distin
| guished officer of the regular army is assigned
to its command. His headquarters will be at
| Cincinnati.
Advices from Charleston state that butter is
selling for IS cents per h. There is no ham OF
bacon in the market. Cattle are suffering fol
want of hay.
There are about 1000 secession troops at
Richmond, who have not yet been paid. Flour
at Richmond is ten dollars and pork fifty dol
lars per barrel. The people are very poor; the
banks broken, business Frustrated, and no
money to be had. Virginia or North Carolina
bonds are worth only 20 cents on the dollar.
A letter from on board one of the United
States vessels off Pensacola discloses the i'm
portant fact that the rebels in possession there
intend, in case they are likely to be worsted in
an encounter with the federal forces, to destroy
Pensacola, Warrington and the Navy Yard, By
blowing up and burning This has been ascer
tanned through spies, who assert that the pow
der has already been placed and the train laid
for the purpose. Warrington is said to be now
entirely deserted by its inhabitants and the
houses are now occupied by rebel soldiers.