Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1862-03-21
WAR ITEMS.


The floti'la got under way at half ,,..
FIVE O'Clock this morning, March If,t,
and dropped down slowly until about nv
O'Clock. When six miles above the Isla,I
stern wheel steamer ran out from the sb,I.
of point on the Kentucky shore and .te..
cd down the river. Four shells were thru
after her but the distance was too great r..
the shells to take effect. At nine DBL
the fleet rounded to about three miles ah.r'
the sLoal. The Commodore then or4s-.s
three Of the Mortar boats into position. d.
this hour e o'clock) we are within ran,s
There appears to be large force on h.
kentucky shore, and We have counted d.
teen guns in position on the bluff. A lar.
number OF rebels transports can also be sen
across the low point near the Missouri sh.-.
busily engaged around the Island.
The mortar boats are momentarlly ~.
pected TO open fire. We discern the ms.,
liked Of floating rebel batteries at III. {.
| nd.
The rebels at Island No. 10 hayea 7--y
strong position. FOrty-six guns have ban
counted.
LArLR.-Eight mortar boats shelled q,
battery above the Island to-day. The 90.
nv ,eit it several times but returned. Tl.-
only fired with two guns. Our she'll rs..
ed the Island easily.
Gen. Pope has sent dispatches to Comm
dore Foote saying that his heavy guns slr..
mand the river 50 that neither steamba,
| gunboat Of the enemy can pass.
Firing has been heard in the direction
| New Madrid all day. IL Is supposed Ola.
the rebel gunboats are trying to force De
sage.
Seven rebel transports are hemmei 10 t,.
Island No. 10.
The encampment Of the enemyis .-.
| and is supposed 10 be large enough IA
900 u 10000 men.
| The expedition up the Tennessee ry-a
arrived at Savannah, Tenn, and is mn.
| eeedins farther up the river. The f,e
commanded by Gen. {. F. Smith. ri.
Gems. sherman, McClernand, Hurbur, r.
| Wallace as division commanders. Their
| force in the section through which the sz--
dition is to pass, Is estimated from so 1000,
100 600. Gen. Wallace's troops burnsl.
bridge at Purdy, and tore Up the track
the railroad 10 COrinth, Miss, cuttlu. Of
train laden with troops. which arrived viii.
the bridge was burning.
Reliable information has been receive.
through the sworn statements OF four railr7l.
men employed by the rebels in the remo7.
Of their forces, that up 10 last Friday wes
the rebels had between 10000 and l00M
men at and near Manassas, % 900 betvss-
there and AQUA Greek, and l., 000 az w
chester, Leesburgh, &c, all Of whom .--.
have been concentrated at Manassas q.
DAYS notice. The rebels were able % en-
Z - At
er talked Of evacuating till after the h
Fort Donelson, when they freely said --
should have 70 retreat whenever NcC
advanced.
Our forces found at ThOroughiare STAT
on the road from Manassas TO Wmc1ssz
> freight cars loaded with commisslry s,-s
and valued at $50 600. The fire kini.s
the enemy failed 10 consume them. Ils-
els burned BarstOw's station, and Ceil- b.
Bridge, together with number Of tu..---
at those places
An order was issued Monday morn.-.
the seizure Of the printing Office and thea
rest Of the proprietOrs Of the Washing.
Sunday Chronicle, that paper havln.
lished news Of military operations, tllr
disre-arding the order of the Secretary
" ar. The order OF arrest was placed 10 O..
hands of the military governor OF the DE-
t-Ict Of Columbia, and the editor qt Che %
Per brought before him. The editor ,a.-
that the news was handed him at a very d.
hour, and the paper went to press witl,
/ his personal supervision. He expressed Bro
/ regrets aud promised to guard car-i---
| against u recurrence Of similar publcll
| whereupon the execution of the order Vi.
l uspendcd.
The 9TH y. Y. Volunteer artillcry. s-...
/ 81 and instructed for heavy artille-T ssrra.
and recently ordered to Washin.ton, 81
been retained and appOrtiOucd in coupi-
to garrison the different forts IN New l-.
I harbor.
TIE naval committee Of the Senate
agreed 70 report bill at once for the arr-
| priation Of SIS ,000, 600 for iron clad 7a
OF war.
\ battalion comprising the lst Na.rl-a
and portion Of the Iowa cavalry attacz=-l
force Of rebels 600 strong on the 18th, J.
teated them and took possession o., @.
town OF Paris. Tenn, but 4 large t0rcs
[ rebels being within a few hours marc1l-;
distance, they retired, bringing away
number Of prisoners.
JEFF. Davis has sent a message to the r.-
! Congress stating that he had suspended 81
erals Floyd and Pillow from their c0mma1-
until they could give more satisfactory
counts of their action at Fort DonelsJn.
Petersburgh and the surrounding ten MI
have been placed under martial law, as We
| as Richmond and Norfolk.
! The Richmond Examiner Of the llth say
| considerable uneasiness is manifested By 90
| public on account Of the report Of our iIr,a
| falling back on Manassas and the [ pper
| tOmac. Positive assurance Is given thl
these movements have rot been on account,
the pressure Of the enemy. but are pursl
stategetic. Gen. Johnston has the cOnhia1=
of the administration, and is certain that
new line of defence will be organized. lt d
thought the line Of defence will extend t---
Stanton to GordOnsville.
New Madrid, No. was evacuated By
rebels on Thursday night, and Island No.
Is reported deserted also. The rebels
behind quantity of guns, and stores WI
/ they were unable TO carry away.
| Some fighting took place Thursday t-.rs-
/ their gunboats and our seige oatts1s. u
/ which We lost % killed and woun1si 4 ar
from one of their guns dismOunl 1= +.
I our 24-pounders. killing 1 or men. O-l-
| Carr of the 10Th Illinois was killed VEINS
day night while placing pickets. ne =,
! of the enemy is not known; theye eaiI,--
! of their dead and wounded.
! No movements Of importance are IL. pa.
along the Potomac. The rebel ten. Jas
! son was in person at MIddetOwn Neln->-.
/ morning, miles north Of S;rasbur-
| AshbY's Cavalry still hangs in the M
/ jackson 5 retreat On "Wednesday a boy
them came up to 20 of our Cavalry WILL.
I iJrasing three miles from Winchester, ar
three Of them were killed. They made %
charge, and our men retreated unharmsi
\ number Of itinerant spectators went
Fairfax Court House, THURSDAY, and tl-i
possession of all vacant stores, 10 commen1
business The Provost Marshal, howe'--
elected them promptly.
In the evening a number OF dWclNn-- .-