Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-02-19
NEWS FROM SOUTHERN PAPERS.

ENI" EAhoAA SUI FAfLnS.
From late Richmond papers we take the
following
THE FEDERAL FLEET NEAR SAVANNAH.
A letter from Savannah, under date of Feb.
10, says: The Yankees are still actively
engaged in our vicinity. Their gunboats, to
the number of ten, are to be seen In Wall s
Cut with dredging machine, endeavering to
deepen the channel Nothing has been done
to molest them, but Fort Jackson is being
strengthened and other batteries finished, %
&c. The writer appears sanguine of success
ful defense Of the city.
THE BURNSIDE EXPEDITION.
The Federal troops had all re-embarked at
EdentOn and gone to some other point At
Elizabeth City about thirty houses and two
hotels were consumed. The Federal officers
at EdentO1 had assured the people that they
had not come to rob and harrass them, but
while the officers were making this assurance
and giving orders the soldiers were filling the
gunbosts with cotton they found in the cotton
houses.
1t was rumored that Elizabeth City had been
evacuated by the Federal troops.
MOVEMENTS or GENERALS
Gen. Bragg has established his headquarters
IN Mobile. He reached there on Wednesday
last.
Brig. Gen. r. III. Anderson, who for some
months past has been stationed at Pensacola,
has been ordered to Virginia
We learn from a gentleman who arrived
from Currituck on Friday ttCt several of the
Federal gunboats reached tho ,anaI on Thurs
day afternoon about o'clock, and commenced
FIRE of shot and she'll on our men who were
engaged in barricadir6 the canal. On Thurs
day 80 Federal vessels we're lying of Roanoke
Island, and twenty had gone up the Albemarle
Sound.
FROM WESTERN VIRGINIA.
report has reached US, from a source enti-
tied to confidence, (says the Richmond Dis
patch,) that a body of the enemy attacked our
cavalry in Mercer county, the latter part Of
last week. Our cavalry, consisting of not more
than two companies, (sOme say one,) was sur
prised and attacked by the enemy, who killed
one man and took six prisoners and captured
some of the horses. The 18th regiment, Col
Heth, encamped at Packs Ferry, started to
reinforce the cavalry, but fell in with six hun
dred Of the enemy, whom they engaged and
repulsed, with what loss is not stated.
NOORFIELDs TAKEN BY THE FEDERALs.
A gentleman arrived from Winchester (says
the Richmond Dispatch) states that the Fed
erals have taken possession Of MoOrfields, the
county seat Of Hardy county. About $500 of
them, Ia part of Gen. Lander fOrce,) marching
from Romney, entered the town perhaps on
Monday or Tuesday. There was some slight
resistance by small militia force Of 700 men,
under COlOnels Monroe and Harness but they
soon retired, and the enemy took possession.
The changes in the occupation Of that part
Of Virginia have been very sudden within a
few weeks, and with no loss of consequence to
the enemy He withdrew from Romney upon
the approach Of Jackson; but as soon as the
force under Gen. Loring was ordered away, he
returned and mended his hold by extending
his line Of occupation to Moorfelds. Hardy
county is one of the richest in the northern
PARTON of the State. The corn crop of that
county is immense. Thousands of cattle are
in winter driven there to be fattened for mar
ket.
FROM GEN. wISE's COMMAND.
The Richmond Dispatch of Saturday says -
On Thursday, at 5 o'clock, six Of the gunboats
(side-Wheel steamers) Of the enemy appeared
of the mouth Of the Albemarle and Currituck
canal, and fred a few cannon shots at the
camp Of Gen. Wise, then at the bridge a mile
or so distant. The General deemed 1t proper
TO withdraw towards CuTrituek Court House,
as he had no means Of defense against the
guns Of the boats. This he did. Subsequent
ly nc ordered further withdrawal to Great
Bridge, in Norfolk county. A few of the en-
emy landed at the canal, say two or three hun
dred, but they did not leave the protection of
the boats while observed. Gen. Wise had only
some ! 200 men. Henningsen's batteries were
not with him.
MOVEMENTS AND DESIGNS or THE FEDERALs.
The Wilmington IN. c. Journal of Wednes-
day says,
The Federal gunboats have passed up to
Winton, the county seat OF Hertford county, on
the Chowan river. The Chowan is formed by
the confluence of the Meherrin and Nottaway
rivers. The main branch Of Nottawsy is the
Black Water, which is crossed by the Seaboard
and Roanoke railroad, about half way between
Weldon and Portsmouth, though rather nearer
the latter place. The Black Water is navigable
up to the railroad, as a steamer has been run
ming regularly in connection with the railroad
trains, although necessarily small one, owing
10 the narroWnesS and crookedness of the
srresm The movements Of the Lineolnite
gunbOats would seem to indicate a desire to
force their way up as far as the Portsmouth
road, so as either 10 obtain possession of il, or
al least cut Of communication by that line
Although capable Of doing much harm to
the people resident on the shores of the sounds
and the rivers emptying into them, il is evil
dent that there would be no strategic end to
be served that would repay the vast outlay Of
men and money that the Burnside expedition
has OccasiOned, unless either Norfolk is at
tackled or possession is obtained of some lead
ing line Of railroad, and therefore it is, we
take it, that the attention of our authorities
will be, or at least ought to be, directed TO the
protection Of the lines Of communication, espe-
cially of water communication, leading from
the navigsble waters of Albemarle and Pam
lico sounds, in the direction of any Of our
deep, is 50 narrow and crooked that 1t might
be stopped by trees felled across it.