, 1861-11-30

cnt Indications, the Presidents Message will
not be sent hence in advance Of its delivery in
Congress: The reason for this is probably the
fact that if, as well as the Reports Of the Secre
taries Of War and Navy, will be kept open till
the latest moment, in order to make such ad-
ditions and alterations as the constantly occur
ring events may require.
Sir James Ferguson having denied that he
was acting as spy when visiting this country,
it is only justice to him TO say that he was
charged by many persons in the South with
letters to be distributed through the Post Of
flee in the North, and that on arriving at
Washington and being informed that such
conveyance was prohibited, he at once re-
paired to the State Department and snrren-
dered ell the letters to the Government
Spcnccr's new repeating breech-loading
rifle WAS tried by board Of army officers, by
order Of Gen Mcclellan, on Friday. They
its introduction into the service. An order
for supply had previously been issued by the
Navy Department.
Cot. Berdan Will grant 10 more commissions
to raise companies Of shArp-sIiooters for his
Brigade, as enough have already been granted
this corps must enlist under captains holding
commissions prior to this da1e.
The following order has been issued from
the Post Office Department.
PosT OFFICE DEPARTMENT.
WASHINGTON. Nov. %. {
II lAH been fcp0fttu TO lnl3 department IH1L
some Postmasrers have declined to receive United
States Treasury notes payable on demand when
presented to them in payment forpostage stamps or
stamped envelopes. Po:tmasters are therefore in
formed TINT these notes are to be received aud dis
bursed by them as equivalent in az RESPECTS to
coin.- Il. y. SEEyLF.
Sd Assistant P H. General.
The cargo Of the captured British schooner
Marble, consisted Of seven bales Of blankets,
cases Of cloth, boxes OF starch, Is boxes Of
tin, 12O bags Of coffee, 90 barrels potatoes $50
pigs lead, so bags shot, box shoes, 6 bags ar
row root, 1 case pistols {reyolycrs), 2 cases Of
cavalry swords and cases Of stores: The
Marble was formerly named the Jno. ". An
dcrson, Of Baltimore, and there is strong pre-
sumption of her intention to r1n the block
ade. She will be sent to Philadelphia for ad-
jndication.
WAsu1Ne7os, Nov 29.-The report Of Ma
jor Belgcr, quartermastcr at Baltimore, is sat
isfactory TO the Department, showing that he
has dispatched the forage Of two hundred and
three vessels by railroad to Washington with
in tic last thirty days, bclng an average Of two
thousand tons daily, besides 4 large amount
Of stores to ths Subsistence Department.
WAsH1SGToS, Nov 2S.-Adjutant General
Thomas sent out instructions to-day TO Gen.
Sherman, IN Beaufort, to take possession Of Ill
| the crops on the Island, cotton, com, rice,
| ke-, as military act, and to slip the cotton,
and such Other CROPS as were not wanted for
the army, to New York, to bc sold tllerc for
was also directed to use the negro slaves to
| gather and secure tic crops Of cotton and
! curu, and to erect his defcnscs at Port Royal
| and other places On the Island
| Gen. Summers division consists Of Gen.
I Towards and tie Irish Brigade, two more
! with a suitable contingent Of cavalry and ar.
/ tillcry 1t marched last night to its position
j Which is between the divisions Of Gems. Heint-
zclman aud Franklin, the former having bceu
| pushed some distance further down the river:
| There is report here today that the rcbe!
steamer Nashville has run the blockade Of
Charleston, and entered that port with a val
liable cargo, consisting Of Woolcns, arms
wires for tclegraphic use, salt, etc. Nhilt
tiis report comes only through rebel channels
Consuls notified the Government some TIM
since that the Nashville Was loaded in a Ger
tain foreign port, and was intending to rut
| the blockade.
from Fort Piekcns il about TWO days.
The War Department is hourly expecting
the announcement from Gen. Sherman that Il.
las taken possession Of the rebel fortifeation
| commanding the entrance to st. Helen:
Sound about fifteen miles north Of Port Royal
and commanding the outlet of the Coosaw ant
Combahee rivers, thus securing the entire con
troll Of al1 the approaches from the Ocean II
the cluster Of SEA islands, and aifurding auoth
CT avenue for 4 movement towards the lnte
rior Of tic Palmetto kingdom.
The rebels are already falling back from tn
Potomac before fhe SLOW bnt certain adyanc
Of the Union forces. They hardly offer rcsis
| tance to the passing OF our vessels. Man,
have come up within the last few days loade1
with coal to such an extent as to lower III
price OF that article from $40 to 81.
Letters received from prisoners Of the Cali
| fornia Regiment, now in Richmond, shoy
that but few were killed ut the battle Of Ball
Bluff. Many which it was supposed had bee
killed, are now prisoners there, and it IS cor
fdently asserted By the officers, that fifty wi
include the whole number of dead from til
fight.
The Reliance came up to the navy yard fro1
Indian Head last evening. Capt. Hlmmon
reports that just before he left, ut half-pas
, one O'Clock, heavy fire #as opened from til
rebel batteries at Shipping Point. Three 6
four shots were fired while the Reliance was
sight or hearing. Nothing can be asccrtainc
| | III rcgard to the object the rebels were hTin
| at No vessel appeared beyond Stump Neck
, consequently the supposition is that the Ia
| teries opened on the Maryland shore.
: WAsH1SGToS, Nov. Thanksgiving Vt;
| very generally observed in the camps to-da,
| Thc soldiers were amply provided with cTer.
thing for the purpose.
An order has been issued to the Provo:
t Marshal to investigate the subject Of passe
, with q view Of establishing Il more unifor'
:. | system, to afford greater security to the pu
l lie service.
There was reconnaissance from Genera
+ | Fitz John Porter's and Smiths Divisions t
day, in the neighborhood Of Vienna.