Arkansas true Democrat., 1862-05-22

U To Hon. ]. P. BENJAMIN
 Gen. Butler on the l lth inst, took forcble pos session of the office of the consul of the Neither lands. He searched the person Of the consulate and took from him the key of the bank vault. In the vault were eight hundred thousand dollars transferred by the Citizens Bank to Hopes, bank CT of Amsterdamt intended to pay interest on poiiGs. Butler also took possession ot the oinces oi tue French and SpaHish cousulates III old Canal Dahh' and placed guard there. The reneA consul went ou boari the steamer Milan and had not returned sunday morning It is said the guard has been ,o,novad f,orn the office of Spanish and French corenlarns Butler also seized Canal Bank and sam Smiths banking house, and issued an lnhama- tory Drocamation to incite the poor against the rich. promising to distribute among the poor thou sand barrels of beef and sugar captured m New Orleans He IS recruiting n New o1eahs' 1he noor will soon be starved. The enemy have sent . forceup Bennett Carro, which marched through tbe swafnps and destroyed the railroad bridge.
 RICHMOND. May I3.-Four Yankee gunboats are coming up James, river. The flag truce steamer which took prisoners to Newport News bas return ad tbis atternoon. She passed the gunboats ln- chdino the Monitor, this side of City Pont. Much uneasness prevails here, yet very lttle eAclteehe is manifested Thehag truce officers who saw late northern papers say they are filled with most eX- tFaoriinafy exhibitions at the present aspect of affairs.
 BROWNSVILLE, ARK, May 17.-A gentleman inst arrived from Searcy, who made prisoner by t,a fed .rals and was reeased at sun-down Wednes- day. He reports ? 800 federals camped opposite Se,rcy on Watkins, farm and about ,0GG at Litttes ' miles from Searcy All the ieGerals he sawtwefc low Dutch except the cavalry, numbering about four hundred, who were Americans lie says while he was ill their camp news was received of a leoe- ral defeat at Corinth, accompanied by an order for tber recall to Batesyie, but they were deter mined In disobey orders. This gentleman also re- ort the tederas out of provisions, and killing and eating all st0ck and taking corn, meat and FroVl- sions wherever they can find any. lie says IL IS their intention of advancing on and taking Llttle Rock. but thinks they are afraid to undertake the iob. He heard orders given in their camp, after being fired on by the Texans, not to take any prls- oners but to kill every man found under arms While be was detained as prisoner, Dr. was seen on the opposite side of the river looking through spy glass. Immediately the whole com niand wss caed to arms and runners sent Tor help. He says the federals told him they had large force at Batesyille and. d.Jacksonport.
 MrMrHs, May l6-Appeal's special dispatch Gso,n Corinth yesterday says: Enemys movements are ufiRlportant. Sixty paroled prisoners sent through the lines this morning, encountered enc ,,,vss nicl,ez four miles distant. leather IS hot A nerfect calm prevails-no movements Of any l,in1 having transpired. Col. Jacob Thompson, ald to Gen. Beauregard, proceeded this morning under fac of truce, four miles out on Monterey road 10 eneny's pockets, with forty prisoners under escort of a detachment of the Jefferson Mounted Guards. The prisoners had been paroled, and Gen. {la}Ieck agreed to make an exchange. Col. Pres ion smith, of the 34th Tennessee regiment, has been promoted to brigadier general, for gallantry on the field of Shiloh.
 ApDeaI's Richmond correspondent 5th says, very important change has been announced out of
 . t1,o l Fn tTGD and the events of the last forty eight hours III thIs immediate neighborhood would seem to give it official sanction. He says we are to give up the coast, abandon every water course up which gun b0ag can Denetrate and fight the battle henceiorth in the interior. The war is to be made aggressive on our part. Two or more columns under tired leaders gre to penetrate into the enemys country, and carry consernation and suffering to their doors
 MEMPHIS May l6th.-The Jackson Mississippi an ot the l2 says the torch is being applied read ily to all tue cotton along the valley of the Mis- sissppi.
 From Vicksburg papers of the 18th.
 NArcHFz My l3.-Two schooners and three ctmboats anchored in the river opposite this place. The guIboats, il is said, sent yawl with flag of truce, and bearing a demand tor the surrender of the citv As tic yawl landed, number of people had gathered to witness the proceedings, and the men from the boats requested that some one in the crowd should take the dispatches and deliver them t3 the mayor; no could be found willing to ac- cpmmodate the yankees, until at last they prevailed upon il fisherman to carry the note to the mayor. When he delivered the document, and 1t was found to contain demand for the surrender of the city, crowd of exasperated citizens took the fisherman and hang him. and the gunb0ats gave them till lO o'clock to-day to determine what they should do.
 The Vicksburg Evening Citizen of the 18th says: The women and children are being removed from the city to-day by the advise of Gen Smith, in view of an approaching conflict with the enemy.
 Yellow fever said to have made it's appearance in New Orleans.
 RIcaMovD, May l5.-The enemy attacked our batteiies on Wilder's and Daurey's Bluffs, James river, this morning at 5 clock. The Monitor and Galena opened the five at five hundred yarls dis tauce, with great rapidity and violence. Our bat teries rephcd del berateiy At o'clock, p. Tn the Galena was set on fire. The other guhboats have retieated down the river. Our loss is four killed and eight wounded. Our troops are in high spirits and confident of success.
 MEMPHIS, May l6.-The two armies at COrinth HBn stand aimost face to face and front to front The enemy having advanced to within about six miles of C0rnjl--where they halt and seem un wiling to make the attack. Our army is ill good health and spirits-ready, waiting and eager for the af1y.
 The Cairo correspondent of the Cincinnati Ga zete of the Beth ult. says Gen. Halleck s effective force was then one hundred and sixty thousand.
 MADISON, May l7.-I arrived here last night at I0o'clock from Cotton Plant. We have had fight ing at Cotton Plant with someof the federals, Wh0 were advancing on that place to get possession of the telegraph. " had company of Capt. Stephen sons men, commanded by - of Phillips county. w. had sent out pickets to meet the enemy. After the fight on W edBesday we found fiUe federals more No cas uaiies on our side We captured four saddles two swords and several navy repeaters.
 1he tederas were still in two miles of Cotton Plant We intend returning to-day with more force 10 give them another fight. We will whip them sure. GAHAGAN, Operator
 at Cotton Plant
 All honor to the people around Cotton Plant Te them ,e q are indebted for the continuance Of tele egra ,.hc communication with Memphis, now of SO much importance to the government and peo- pie of the state. We understand the operator at Cotton Plant himself killed a federal soldier.
 FROM BATEsvILLE.--We learn through several responsible sources that ten regiments Of the enc my at Batesville have left for St. Louis uia Irontoa, and that all the federal troops this side of w White river have recr0ssed that stream. The same force that required two days to cross over to this side, crossed back in one night. It is reliably reported that but seven thousand federals now remain at B4tesyle and Jacksonp0rt.-ED.
 CoaTNrH, May F p. m.-Special to the Appeal There slight skirmishing on Monterey road this mogning-the CQRfederates advancing and fede- rals retiring. The enemy is in position near all our lines and aR engagement is possible at any mo