St. Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1845-1863, 1862-03-13

Tie n US.
Til" war rows Of the Fast week Is de
ei,lctlly stirring. There seems to hav'
b,,tn y general advance c.,mmsneed alsnI
the linc IF iise Potomac, aud the Confsfe
rats are reported 10 Ia. gradually falling
back along the entire line Charlcstaxs
and l.eesburg have been evacuated and ar,
now in the possession of the Federal troops
Winchester and the batteries on the lswr,
Potomac are likewise reported AZ deserted
a rum"r prevails in Washington that Cen.
trrville has been abandoned aud that she
Conf.drrates are abou. falling back from
Manassas to Gordonsvillc- This rumor i,
said to be generally credited in Washing
ton. but. as Manassas Is deemed to be
much m"re defcusitle position THAI
Gordonsvillc. we cannot see the policy in
such movement. II Manassas has been
abandoned, we do not believe there will
be stand made between that past and
Richmond, nor do we believe that the
confedcrates have fortified and held ,his
Position for the past nine manfhs @
desert is'upon prospective advance q
the enemy. II the weather continues as
mt present, the next week or SO, We pre-
sumo. will test the reliability Of this ru-
n'or. and. in the meantime. We shall
still hold to the opinion thst Manassas
will be the field upon which the crca,
battle ofthe war is to be fought.
Late adviccs from Fortress Monroe show
that quite severe and exciting naval Gu
gagement has recently taken place in that
vicinity. 1t is stated that. Oh Saturday
last. the Merrimac reached the mouth Of
James river and commenced an att,cL
upon the Federal shipping there stationed.
The engagement is reported rs fierce aud
Ut disastrous termination to the Federal
cause. The frigate Cumberland was sunk
and the most Of her crew, numbering
from 300 to 400 men. killed, drowned or
captured. The frigatc Congress vas next
engaged, captured and subsequently
burned. Her crew. numbering over 800
men, were likewise mostly made prison
FRS. The Minnesota and Roanoke were
iuiss seriously injured in the fight, and.
On board the former, six men are said 10
have been killed. The gunboat Oregon
WIS blown up 10y tho Merrimac and the
sunboa, Z"uavc is rcportca to have been
seriously injured. Several transports IRE
likewise reported as injured, aud some
oss. FROM the shclling Of the Publications
1t Newport News, is admitted. The Con.
escratc steamers jamestown and York
o~n participated in the fight, but to the
Msrrmac is generally conceded the credit
If having done most Vt the work. A sub
''4uent encounter is reported between thu
Mrrrmac and the iron clad steamer Mont
or. which lasted for several hours, with
'ut resulting. it appears. in serious loss
r damage to either. One report shows
he Mcrrimac to have been injared, but
despatch from the assistant naval Sccreta-
y Fox. shows that che fred the last shot
.ud steamed away in manner that in
luccd him to believe that she was unin-
ured. The better impression seems to he
hat her ammunition had given out aud
hat she returned to Norfolk far a fresh
supply. At latest reports, she had not
however. and the Monitor, it is
stated, is ready to renew the engagement.
when she shall again show herself. The
Federal loss. in killed and drowned. is es-
imated at from $50 to $50. whilst the loss
u prisoners is not stated. Captain Buc-
,anan, a Marylander. commanded the
Mcrrimac in the late fight.
Late intelligence from the West con-
irms the report IT bloody and protract-
ID fight in Arkansas. which Is officially
as a Federal victory. The
light lasted three days and Price 10 re.
ported to have been routed and forced
10 continue his retreat. The Federal loss
is officially reported at 1000. IN killed and
and the loss Of the cnemy 10
to hare been greater. The re-
pert, We think. il rather too indefinite TO
be relied upon a. evidence Of great Fed
rral success. aud. As it makes no mention
of a further pursuit Of the rebels" We
are inclined to question the cor
RICHNESS Of the rcportei result, even
though it hears the signature Of the re-
doubtablc Hsll-ck. Gen. A. s. John
>ton is reported to have evacuated Muf-
freesboro anu to have fallen back upon
lpcea.u. in Northern Alabama. Several
p'sts are said TO be still held By the Con-
f.icratcs "a the Tennessee river, hut
whether for permanent or temporary pur.
passes il is not kaown. Some consterna-
n