Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1862-05-02
Times Special
WASHINGTON, April %.


Of Ex- Mayor Belrett.
Times Special
WASHINGTON, April %.
;. Ar, officer of artillery, in town tonight
from near Warren ton Junction. reports th
rebels in strong force on tbs south banks o
the Rappahannock, in the direction of Cor
J. louisville. Gen. Ewellis' said to be at tn,
crossing of the river, where the railroad
bridge was burned, with 500 men, Genera
Smith, at Gordonsville, strongly entrenched,
J with 10000 men, and General Jackson cross
ing over from the Shenandoah valley tc
unite 5000 there to the eforcc-making total
column of 5000 men. 1t the figures are re.
liable, we are in sufficient force in front ol
Manassas to manage the rebel army.
am assured by gentleman of this city,
whose position brings him in business con
tact with II. Mercier, that his mission had
reference only toAa large amount of valuable
tobacco belonging to the French government.
The tobacco is known as the Belmont to-
bacco. While there it is said that NJ. Mer-
cier has undoubtedly examined somewhat in
to the condition of the bogus Confederacy, in
order 10 report to the Emperor the true con-
|diton of things.
ot WASHINGTON, April 23
Capt Cutting, of Gen. Burnside's staff, ar
rived here to day, with dispatches to the
government He states that Gen. Reno COM
manded the national forcesat the late recon-
noissance TO Elizabeth City. Capt Cutting
gives the following particulars of the affair !:
On the 18th inst, Gen. Reno left Roanoke
Island, from which place he took about 2.
900 men, and proceeded to Elizabeth City,
where strong rebel force was reported to be
entrenching themselves. On Saturday, an
advsnce was made upon the rebels. The en-
| etny opened FIRE with artillery as soon as our
troops made their appearance, and from all
appearances thought they had US in trap of
our own making Our troops Immediately
formed and charged on the enemy, who ran
at the first fire. We Immediately then took
| possession of the town, and after remaining
few hours retired to the main army. Our
force was about 1000 under Gen. Reno and
3 boat howitzers under Col. Howard. The
force Of the rebels consisted of Georgia
regiment Of 1,100,a portion of Wise's Le-
glon, and battery Of artillery. The enemy
was totally routed, with loss of about 80
men. Our loss is about - killed and 48
wounded. ORG 'r.f
Col. Hawkins, of the New York Zouaves,
received slight flesh wound in the arm
His Adjutant was reported killed.
Information received from Union men is
that the guns of the national forces under
Gen. Burnside were probably opened on Ft.
Macon yesterday or to-day. Gen. Park com
4nands our forces. .i'
WASHINGTON, April %
At the Republican caucus held tonight, at
the capitol, about so members were present
A general debate ensued on the Confscation
bills, in which Messrs. Straus, Blair, Covode,
Hickman, Olin and others participated. The
discussion was somewhat Of The character Of
that which has recently taken place in the |
House. The sense of the caucus seemed to
be in favor of discriminating against the lead |
ing rebels in the con6scation of all kinds Of |
property. 1t was unanimously agreed to re-
fer all the bills pending in the House to Sc
le ct committee of seven members, moved to- |
day by Representative Olin.
--r--e- s,t WAsHINsToN, April "a.
At noon to day commenced the announce
ment of the decisions on the proposals for
conveying the mails ON the Pacific coast and |
in the West and Northwest, &c. A large /
number of bidders were in attendance at the
P. o. Department. The proposals for the
Pacific coast are very much higher than for
merly, and those for Kentucky aud Missouri
are considerably advanced, owing doubtless
to the military disturbances in those States,
while in Indiana, Illinois and other States the |
rates are lower In all the number of routes |
is about $500, averaging ten bids for EACH
The sum total of the Offers for the entire |
lettings is about equal to that of four years |
ago for similar services.
Correspondence of the Missouri Republican.
NJ
Col. Slough, after the battle at Apache |
Canon, fell back and took position at Bernal |
Springs, As miles south of Fort Union. This
was deemed the strategic point, being
within supporting distonce of Fort Union
position to harass the enemy and to form
ajunction with Oanby, when he should leave |
Ft. Craig, 800 miles south. We had been
there one day when Col. Candy sent from Ft. |
Craig his Assistant Adjutant General. with |
pere1nptory orders to Col. Slough to fall back |
with his column to Ft Union, which was i'm |
mediately executed. 1t would seem that we
crippled the enemy in the Apache Canon
more than was believed at first. We have
reliable information that we killed over 100
men, including 6 officers, and wounded over
200. We have now in our possession at Ft.
Union 21 officers and 80 privates.
The enemy Immediately fell back to Santa
Fe, and are again, it is believed, concentrating
in their old position at Albcrquerque.
Yesterday an express arrived from Col.
Candy, stating that he would leave Ft. Craig
on the 81st Of March. If the enemy is in
the vicinity Of Alberquerque, with ordinary
travelling Col. Candy is in their imme-
date vicinity. and our column is l8O
miles from Albuquerque. We will only leave
this morning. He will be unsupported by
this column, and with 900 regulars will have
to encounter their forces, unless he can slip
by and Join the column which leaves here
this morn ing
1t is under stood that Kit Carson; with a
regiment of New Mexican volunteers, 700
strong, will remain and CARLSON Ft. Craig.
1t is rumored that Coils. Steele and Bailor, Of
the rebel army, are advancing into New Mex
leo, with 800 additional men, and important
events will probably occur before the next
express leaves for the States
Awell authenticated report has just reached
herethat the Texan forces. 1000 strong, are
entrenehing at Santa Fe, and that Col. Candy
having strengthened his command up to L.
200, is 30 miles south of Santa Fe. This
may enable our two columns to act together,
and make US 2,400 strong If this is the
case, we will have one of the bloodiest bat
ties on record. The enemy's artillery mum.
bers about 18 pieces-ours II pieces.
i -- e. BALTIMORE, April 25.
The us. gun-boat Hercules, Capt. Dur.
gan, has arrived here with another prize and
two important prisoners, one of whom has
been largely engaged in the contraband trade,
j. in passing mails and dispatches between the
secessionists and rebeld IN. The Govern
ment agents have been looking for this man
/. ever since last fall. He is wealthy, and has
been a most unscrupulous secessionist, His
70 hholl