The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-12-15

OUR FORTRESS MONROE CORRESPONDENCE

4 xTOp!spHs--StVtV
Norei Bed C,csri,9 of the Enemy Necessity the Mother
| Of decentralization Of he Butler Expedition
Gen,ai Brnsiss Epgn'ition Pyo5a,y Rendezvous at
Fortress Honror-- Briliiaa, Mdn@um'es by The Eleventh
/ Pennsylvania Cara5yT'eir Proficiency in Drtt, and
What the Officers Ars--Bri1ade Drills by Acting Bysga
der eaeyal Mr. Weber addition 10 TIC Assistant Adju
/ tant Generops cGce, &C., &c.
This being tho usual day for Gags OF truce ply
tween hero and Norfolk General Wool despatched tho
steamboat George Washington charge Captain James
Milward Jr., Easbos Master who took with him worry
large Of clothing received and forwarded by Cap
tain rier Tmadge United States Quartermastcr Of this
department Tho onora transmitted the following lot
tors containing money besides very extensive mail ad
| dressed TO various parties South
| r,sr or MoSEy isrlgas FoRw pECEMDER IL
/ 1861, NJ FLAG or TRUCK.
1. George ". Gray prisoner Of war at Richmond, con
| tanning Sc in gold.
Q Charles Bean, prisoner Of al Richmond, contain
/ ing SIS in gold.
j. willard A. Luce, priaoaer Of at Richmond.
| & Captain William r. Wilmington First Michigan rcgi-
mont prisoner Of supposed 70 10 at Castle Pnckncy
| containing So in gotd.
s. John T. Bacon, Richmond. Va. containing draft for
g. Sergeant Robsrt Burns, Seventy ninth N. US NJ,
| prisoner Of war at Richmond 81 in gold
Aired tiagier, prisoner OF war ut Richmond, son
/ tanning 81 IN god
| containing SO In god.
o. Joseph C. Barnes, prisoner OF war at Richmond, con
/ tanning ST. IN gold
10 Tyler Briggs, prisoner OF war at Richmond, coz
| tantag S3 IN gold.
II. T. d. Peacock, Ninth NJ Y. ", prisoner Of at
| Richmond, containing $50 N gold,
L. Dor The soldiers OF tho First Minnesota regiment
prisoners Of at Richmond, containing 500 tn god,
from T. d. Neil, chaplain Of shs Ifst minnesota regt'
H. Llop,suan. james Canon. ssty-n'ash regiment
~ Y s H.. prisoner Of war a. Richmond or elsewhere,
coniang 500, IL gold
IA. H. i. Ciagbor,,, prisoner u NJ Now Orleans,
Ja., containing s., - sJli.
Ii John CRAIG finneDy rerinept, prisoner OF war at
| Rionr md, containing 81 u gold
There IL notha reported from secessa, and the
truce boat brought back two ladies', who SO North to
their friends. From these Passengers am unable to
CLEAN any Intelligence inasmuch the roboi authorities
do not allow any persons they permit escape Their
clutches to witness anything that might possibly b
ported These lady passengers only reerate tho state
mens OF all tho persons who have come this way before
that anarchy rcigns supreme Provisions unusua1l
high and scarce nj that coffee many instances selling
as high 81 so and IS psr pound. Sugar to be
plenty (why shouldn't boS) Bacon and hams average
ssysuty-ly cents pcr pound; fresh beef, twenty
Are cents, and lour $40 and $40 rer barrel.
The weather at Norfolk and Richmond up to to-day
has been very moderate but this being extremely cold
my Informant states thu. little suffering exists among
tho chivairy and necessarily tho troops from Uncle
Jack Frost This cold snap, howevor, - only forerun-
nor Of what is to yet Onr troops arc plen,ifHy
supplied with good winter clothing, blankets and
Portable log board houses Ohanks to the ndeatgabe
exetions Of Captain Grisr Tanadgc tho chief Quarter
MASTERY while tho other hand credbly Informed
that blankets are not only among the rebels but
even luxury. Tho enemy driven to his wits end for
the want covering, has COMO TO work tanning The hides
of cattle aud using tho like buffalo robes. However
tho great consumption Of shoe leather and tho blockade
on that as every other article, necessarily mar
the supply Of raw hides TO very contracted
limit, for the purpose OF converting them into SOFT
covering like buffalo skins But necessity tho mother
Of invention, aud this is one.
sufficient number Of days having elapsed since the
Butler expedition has sailed and having by this time
douhtedy arrived q: It's destiration AM at liberty 10
disclose the poir where tho attack Is to DO made The
monster transport Constitution, carrying 1000
troops, and tho uoe States gunboat Georgia, formed
the vanguard, aad Il is beyond doubt thai
the feet deserted BY the $. r. spanidng on the
9th ns erroneoasly reported b. the stone lcct,"
norton or the expedition The occupation Of Ship
Is!and, at the mouth q the Mss!aspp pon. long
talked Of 10y tho administration TO he forcby taken
poss ascn Of Accordingly General Batter was detailed
and commissioned 10 command the expedition, and how
we'll he will succeed in his undertaking remains to be
seen lie is provided with everything IN the shape Of
vessels to make hia undertaking OF Infinite
SUGGEST aud am also led to believe that Commoiore
Prise. Tho latter portion however, cannot assert
authority, bat am certain that something to this effect
has been arranged
In few days the burnside expedition will DO rondy
and viii, beyond doubt, rendezvous at Fortress Monroe
body, hiey from Fort PekenF and New York, was in
this b. Dor night before last, and Tended Of General
Burnsidc's ais who had long conversation with Gene
raj Wool anu Chief Quart rma5ter iaaadge Tic AID
turned lat evening to Washington.
This morning the United States gunboat Whitehall
CAPTAIN VIM. j. Balsr commanding, arrived here from
baltimore via Annapolis, where she had bcen sem ts
repaired AID rebtted Captain b. informs mo ihat tho
whitehall had rot pa tc natci N TIE action between oar
gunb ats and the rebel steamer Patrick Henry, James
town, on the lst inst l., near Newport News.
This morning witnessed rcgmcnta drill Of the
Eleventh Pennsylvania cavalry, commanded By Colonel
Samuel Perkins Spear late Of the Second United States
dragons. TO drill by squadron Of cavalry when
tho order to charge Is XIV en- II aeafs pofirc:t tc'f
but regiment numbering ono tolfaud men 9Ht
ed spirited horses who pal,ke Of The spirit and de-
termination Of their riders, and dash headlng AMI blind
ly forward on the Imaginary foo II reminds The beEoer
Of roaring cataract, which impairment chsc'
and dashes everything down its steep banks until 1t
reaches the lowest abyss This regiment has been Scr
vice but little three months and during tho great
portion the time has received nothing from the gov
erhmcn bit short forage The horses when they first
rived here emaciaed and greatly in want o. fodder
The animals have since that time been well cared for,
and viii under in day two, the stables being
pearancc then and Ike that Of day and nign Tho
and rigid discipline enforced by colonel Spear and
lieutenant Colonel George Stetaeboh gentlemen long
ard ouoraby known IA the regular service--has tho
most salutary effects and boldly assert that regi
mcnt Of regulars compete with this regiment after
the lapse OF another months instruction.
Most Of tue officers of this command have bean at.
tached to the United states Army and service either
Ia Mexico the frontier, and scarcely be
wondered at that good officers make good soiicrs.
The brigade dri.s commenced by Acting Bri yader
General Max Weber, 90 Monday last, aud continued every
day this week have been complete success. Yeser-
day General Wool anil stat present, and expressed
themselves very much pleased with the exercises Gen
Wool issued orders to General Weber TO mako requ
sitons for cartridges and yesterday afternoon tho br
gae wen. through the eyoluons Of firing with the pre-
cison OF veterans. Tomorrow the Acting General will
mannuyrc his command IN the regular aeld movements,
! going through sham bntile
Captain Vim. D. Whipple Assistant Adjutant General
Of this department, and Chief OF Major General Woods
staT has been much engaged with the duties Of his
Office that it found that he must either have
assistance not be able % attend to his Office properly
To obviato this difficulty, Captain Hiram Stevens, ato
Assistant Adutan General to Brig adler General Phelps
Newport News. ordered to this department and ia
present engaged in assisting Captain Whippie the
affairs Of his Office There is need for he n,a
o one sign general orders from headquarters and
Captain Stevens attends to that portion Of the AJaat
Generals Office whc Captain Whpp.c transacts the rou.
| tine business Of the department
grand scouting party consisting or six companies Of
the Sixteenth Massachusetts, in command Of Major Daniel
$. Lanson and company. OF the Eleventh lcnnsyl.
yania cavalry commanded by MAJOR Geo Stetzel went
out today but have not returned tho hour Of my
writing this.
OUR NEWPORT NEWS CORRESPONDENT.
CAMP BUTLER, NEwrosT Ntws Dec L. 1881
G,ness IN CaapNo BOARDS 30 for C5pcrf7s Barroc,s
utt-Runaigcy Stares-Bot.etteS on Dsep Cfuek-Supe
yioyy If The Virginia Negro Oerr ne Real ssDoysys