The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-11-18
NEWS FROM GEN. WOODS DIVISION.

The gunboats Cambridge, Mount Vernon and Lockwood
have gone up to Newport News tonight.
The rebels have assembled in considerable force AZ
Great Bethel. An attack upon Newport News is by no
means improbable.
The gunboat Young Rover has been sent to the York
river.
The Cambridge, just from the Rappahannock brings no
news.
The recent fire at Norfolk CONSUMED large quantity Of
valuable stores, including nearly their supply Of
oil
The S. r. spauding leaves for Hatteras Inlet tonight
having in tow two schooners loaded with frame houses
for the troops and stores.
The Belydere will also leave for Port Royal tonight
OUR FORTRESS MONROE CORRESPONDENCE.
FoGrEKss MONROE, Nov. Is, 1861.
flags IF Truce not yet Slapped Ia Tie Rctes-Imnofan,
Request of General oot Regarding Southern C3ygespon
Reconnaissance BY Our rroo4sA Bat Held uitia
HaVa Mile Of The Enenys Pietets By Some Of our or
cersDischdrge Of One Hundred Union Prisoners by The
Rebels, and Their AsTisa at tie F5rt, dc, DC, de-
At headquarters am informed that the order In rela
zion flags Of truce from Secessia r side had
no. confirmed by the rebels up TO the time of nv
writing this. General Wool, however, the subject
with Indifference and seems to but very little about
their ORDERS way another The Major General also
requests to state that all those sending letters south
must limit their correspondence to page and If des
tined beyond Virginia, ton cents postage must also
closed for letters going to Richmond only, five cents ia
sufficient The reason for limiting correspondence to one
page obvious Every letter gong South necessa
riy undergo examination at this department and be
marked "ex'd," before the same can be forwarded
the business Of the Generals staff being mutarious
and il some letters covering four and five pages appear
in the mall it is great job to get through half dozen
such epstles in so many hours.
t4a
from various points have been made and
ure still making and if this does look like IN sim.
pending crsisn in tho affairs OF this department then
am mistaken. pleasing circumstance occurred here
last evening, which somewhat broke the monotony of
camp life number of officers having their ladies' with
them at this post, it thought proper 10 arrange
little festival for their mutual benefit Accordingly the
efficient Provost Marshal OF the department p A. Davis
and the Provost Marshal Of Camp Hamilton Captain II.
H. Burleigh arranged bail, on the 18th inst
ut the Chesapeake Female Seminary The band Of the
Twentieth regiment engaged and the precincts
formerly devoted to the study of the fair daughters the
F.Fy.'s appropriated by Northern soldiers and
their spend social evening, and trip the light
fantastic 10 tho sweet strains Of first class New
York band. The number Of ladies unfortunately
smited to only ten while tho gentlemen outnumbered
them than double. This disparity, however, only
tended TO make these fair creatures tho more
appreciated. Dancing commenced a hour,
and kept up until half-pas eleven, when the company
invited TO partake OF supper labored under tho
Impression that the supper would consist variety Of
Dishes improvised out OF salt junk; but never
mistaken in my life than this thought. The
supper consisted Of roast fowls, fresh meats ham,
oysters, cakes ice cream almonds raisins and
last though not the least bountfu supply of sparkling
Heiasck. After due justice had been done the elegant
repast numerous toass were offered and responded to-
Among Others ttThe Union-one and indivsblen the
health OF Major General John l.. Wool, the ladies' mine
hosts, Captains Davis md Burleig and others
IN ION has ypar ufa kv ~,
r. Bendx, of the Tenth New York Volunteers Colonel
D. W. Wa:drop, Union Coast Guard Major Wegesack Of
nent; Professor Rufus X. Brown, Brigade Surgeon Of
General j. X. r. Mansnelds staff DR.. Bradley Of tho
(of the firm OF Voorhees, Bel) sutlcr Of this place.
Harbor Master James Millward Jr, and Others Among
the guests were Captain ,s Of the Tenth reg
and Quarermaser Aaron Seeey, Of the same regiment
Major Gustav b. Hellcday, Of the Union Coast Guard,
Governor of tho Rip Raps, but lately dubbed Fort Cal.
houn; Captain VIM Fay, Of General WOODS staff, and
several other officers OF the Mas.a Volunteers
The toast in honor Of Massachusetts handsomely
sponded by Captain Porter Wagon this post
adcsccndant Of the old Bay State.
After supper dancing agan commenced and contn-
ned until late or rather early hour in tho morning Al
together the festival vesy line occason and re-
fleets great credit upon its olignatorsCaptans Davis
Here, within half mile of tho cnemys pickets,
merry time had, as in mockcry TO their treachery
Their homes and their sac e s0i taken posses
OF by what they cali Northern mudsis" but these
very mudslls know how to ENJOY themselves and
and prepared TO meet the rcbclioas horde thor
Homestead. short time after the soec had concluded
the rebel pclets themselves by firing few shots
across Hampton creek, without, however, dong any
damage.
Tag Ct truce went from hore Norfolk and has re-
turned as close this letter having board hundred
released Union prisoners, who Immediately
transferred to the Baltimore boat, and will
be transported to their respective destinations.
Those persons who have arrived flag Of truce were
almost beside themselves with pleasure the idea Of
being again III q country where could act and think
being thrown into prison. All agree in
asserting that after their release bad been orsc by the
not until they had been transported tn 2halcpii-
vessel that went to meet the rctol nag Of ;uce-nd
only foun security in being Sheltered IL the sar Spa.,
glcd Banner II was an affecting 81 so Iae o!
these hardy men shed tears OF jcy lei ,n fcec
men Some OF these people are gong = "ashinSton;
to do. As general thing the so k Of clothing allowed
passengers who leave secessia Is We lirte aso
their stock Of funds. No coin is al,owc TO be taken
from there and all the money these persons have about
them is in Virginia or District Of coclnbi, bi.s.
From some intelligent gentlemen coming from robot
dom on this flag OF truce, learned Iew ar.!eas OF
tho state of affairs there As matter 81 coursc ragn
OF terror pervades the entire domains a the socaifed
C0ncderaey. Mob law Is Rampant. and or, body is
bound to bow to the dication Of as Roger A.
Pryor, Colonel Migan and other lfankcnoncers IN
mand For instance, Roger A. Pryor, Colonel the Third
regiment Virginia Volunteers gave order TO all OF his
captains to send their to the day election
This order was obeyed, and Pryor, finding the men
had donc he directed placed the captains under arrest
for obeyng his orders, he being constantly drunk and
obvous to everything else but his rotations OF whiskey
The great and boasted engine Of destruction the SO
much talked Of Merrimac is last ready and will pro-
badly pay us visit one of these fine evenings but
chanic who worked the vessel that she will
float three miles outside Of Norfolk. The vessel
has been raced almost to the waters edge, and being
heavily plated with iron will not be able to keep her
equilibrium.
The Navy Yard at Norfolk is empticd of all the guns
that formerly stored there But the clearing out of
the cannon is like all the acts of tho rebels merely bragg
gadoco, nasmuch the ordnance has been removed to
gull people into the belief that something is done
Numerous cannon from this place have been rolled along
e highways and placed alongside OF railroad tracks, dis
amounted few have been South and others made
use of in the inrenchments Craney Island Tanners
creek and Sewas Point. In the Department of Norfolk
commanded by Gen. Benjamin Huger comprising all that
portion Of the country within forty miles Norfolk the
military is 15,000 hardsr fed poorer clothed
troops than the service My "a very intel
Iigen gentleman) states that it is great wonder to him
thousands Of Union in Virginia that our forces
have not yet made attempt to take Norfolk He states
that landing of the might be effected Pigs Point;
and, having taken that is an easy matter march