St. Mary's beacon., 1861-12-12

Military, anu, tuat oeu. A'iec 10 '"A'"S
sire .,uous exertions to acquire dominion
over the State. It is stated, in the
Memphis .Aoalanehe. that Gen. Rains
has attacked Mon,gomery's command and
Ecu, it to pieces" and taken Montgomery
prisoner Also. that Ben McCalloch
has surrounded Gen. sigers division.
which will be either compelled t" sur
render or suffer the same fate of Mont.
gomery's Jay hawkers. fric" is reported to
be advancing upon St. Louis. aud TO be
daily receiving large reinfsccmrnts from
the people in the counties through which
lac is passing. These statements, howev-
er. are not sclieved at Washington. aud
as they have not received the official sahc-
ton. have DIT very generally appeared in
the loyal press. Federal reports show
a very differen, condition Of affairs. aud
/ claim that Prices forces arc Diminishing
rather than increasing. and that Ben Me-
Culloch, instead Of having surrounded 81
gel. is making rapid strides f"r the Ar
kansas border. From the same source.
VIC learn that the Fedcrals now have u
fierce Of Is 900 men at st. Louis. and. If
this be correct. i, i. not likely ,ha. Gen.
Price has any designs upon this post.
The news from Kentucky is exciting
md full Of interest. The Federals are
reported to be making genera! advance,
from St. Louis, Cairo and Louisville.
upon Columbus and Buckner's forces at
/ Bowling Green. The combined Federal
force in this quarter is estimated as high
rs 265, 900 m.n. With which they cx-
pect TO be abe to speedily crush out
the ''rebcllou" in Kentucky. The Con-
federatc force il also estimated at a very
high figure. aud they claim to lie able
to hold Columbus against $1,000 u.en
II is stated shat Bucsucr will be attack
ed. in a few days. with an ovcrwhelni-
ing force, and the Federals express
themselves quite sanguine Of b";rg able
to drive him out of Kentucky. Thc
Federal General, Schocff, had been con-
PEELED to rc'rea. before superior force
Of Confcdcrarcs under Zullicoffcr. who.
it il stated. was marching on Somersi t
with q force Of 10000 men. The re-
port, a. to the Federal force in Ken
lucky. is no doubt exaggerated, but it
is quite certain that there has been an
immense force concentrated in this quar-
ter. and that Kentucky will be the thea
ire Of active war the present Winter
The West has Put forth her full strength
| in this contest, aud, as she has much
at stake. will no doubt battle hard for
the supremacy. If the Mississippi is Il"
be opened at all to Western traie, il
can only be done by successful march
to New Orleans. and to that end de-
cidcd victory in Kentucky mus, be gain
ed. On the other hand, the Confc,lc-
rates have every incentive to valor and
every cause for resistance, for the ill.,
va>ion Of their homes. if not their indie
pcndencc. depends upon defeat of this
expedition. We may. therefore. l,ok
for rome hard 6ghing in Kentucky, and
may hcnceforth. We think, rather look
to that quarter than the banks of the
Potomac, for the grand battle upon
which the issues Of the present war are
to be decided.
There is norhing new from Port Roy
al or Fortress Monroe of character 20 in
terest our readers. At Charleston and
Savannah the Conftderates are reported
to have large force, which conrists Of
volunteers from different sections Of the
South aud not drawn from any Of the or
ganized commands heretofore in the field
The citizens residing upon the coast III
South Carolina and Georgia have applied
the torch to their cotton and rice crops
aud. in many Instances. to their dwellings
tina. nothing Of value may fall into the
hands Of the enemy. Tybee island has
been evacuated by the Federals, and Fort
Pulaski. although threatened BY large
naval force. had not bee attacked up to
the date of the latest dispatches from that
quarter.
The fight at Pensacola had not been re-
sumed up to late last week, though it was
though, quite probable that it nigh, be
resumed at any moment The late fight
there resulted il no d cisive sdva.tag TO
either side. and may be regarded rather
as useless waste Of ammunition, then an
as military operation ofimportance.
Congress has. as jet. done nothing in
the way of legislation upon the leading
ones,;nns of IN, ,lay hat the Indications