, 1862-04-04

The Situation at Hampton Roads.
IMPORTANT FROM THE SOUTH


FORTRESS MONROE, Arpl 3.-The weather
IS clear and pleasant. Everything progressing
IN 9 most satisfactory manner.
The rebels fired several shots from Sewau's
FONT, Last night, at the transports in the har-
tor, some Of the shells falling within fifty feet
OF vessel loaded with horses.
4 reconnaissance was made from Newport
News to Waits Greek, q distance Of nine
miles The enemy appeared 5000 strong and
opeIe6 with cannon on our forces, but their
balls passed entirely oTer them. Our batteries
were Immediately got in position and we
opened fire On the rebels, when their entire
force broke and fled, fording the creek in great
confusion, but keeping ont Of range.
The object Of the reconnaissance being &C.
complished, the troops returned.
The whole country through which our troops
passed vas formerly the garden spot of Vir-
ginia. It is now perfectly devastated, and but
one house Was left standing. The houses,
fences and trees have been burned by the re-
turning rebels.
There are no signs Of the Merr1mac yet, and
from her long delay the opinion is gaining
ground that she Will not come out She has
now fine field to operate in il she should
triumph oEer the Monitor; aud if she should
fail to come low, It is thought she is afraid to
run any risks. An officer of the Seminole
says be read Savannah paper Of the :2.33d ult.,
which acknowledged terrible rebel defeat at
Pea Ridge, and admitted and there was no
use to attempt to conceal the fact.
4 second Reconnaissance was also made to
Big Bethel. The enemy was found to have
returned and occupied the earthworks in
force, and on seeing our scouts, they threw
On the previous advance, but they were uuoc-
cuIied and no damage was done.
The steamboats, convey ing troops to New
port News were repeatedly fired into from
Sewal's Point, and also By rebel gunooat
Ills afternoon, hut no damage was done SO
far as We can learn.
BALTIMORE, april 3.-Thc following intel
lgencc is from the special correspondence Of
the Baltimore american:
TIE runher Of rebels in Fort Pulaski,
Savannah, as reported By de=erters, is 500.
Two German companies there had reyolted
siege guns were so statlonedsthat the guns ut
the foIt could not reach them.
The rebels have Withdrawn all their troops
from The coast and abandoned their earth
works, previously removing their cannon to
Savannah. The city OF Savannah, however, is
all the approaches to it. The force there is
ya1iously estimated by refugees ut &C, 600 to
50 0C0-prObab!y 20, 600 is more nearly correct
i great despondeucy existed among tbs
troops and people at Charlc=ton. The tall ol
Newbc1n created the greatest CONSERVATION.
Tie tirc-eatefs ri1iculvd The North Clrolina
troops, charging. them with cowarlice. The
shop-keepcrs and bankers in Charleston Lad
also refused to receive North Carolina money,
md there being tTo North Carolina regi1aent:
there at the time, revolt was the cousc.
qucncc, ard the shops were broken open, and
| the troops helped themselves The regiments
! refused to serve any longer, and were allowed
| to return home.
No direct information OF the abandonment
| Of Pensacola by the rebels has yet bren re
| ccivc1, but it was generally believed that ou1
| troops had crossed over from Santa Husa Isl
aud, and occupied the place.
The latest adyices RECEIVED from Norfolk by
the "nnderground ~ rlilroad leaves no roo;i
to doubt that the Ae.ri1u;,c was thoroughly
rpairt d and in commission, and ready for a.1
other expedition against 1lc WOODEN walls .
the Federal navy and river transports lying il
The Roads. The delay Of the Merr1tnac i;
coming out is believed to b- that shcis wal:in:
| for ammunition for the heavy guns that hayl
| been placed on board of her, and also for SOM
internal machines, which are bciug construct
ID by Bonlbastes M;slniug. Tic rcbe1stcamer
jamestown and Yorktown were also getting
strengthened and more thoroughly clad witt
iron to accompany the AIerrimac. There i
also rumor that two other steamers arc bcin:
clad with iron ut Richmond to join in the ex
| peditien. X;
As TO thc loss Of life on the Merrin,ac in lie
conflict with tho Monitor, VIC have now villa
is Claimed to be positive information. Ono q
the recently arrived 'contrahanGs' states til.
hc was nurse in the General Hospital at Nor
folk, and that up to the time Of his dtpartur
he had helped to STROUD g. ofthe crew OIL
Mc11imac, and that both Commander Bu
cbaDan and Lieutenant Meyer arc dead
Thcrr were still number Of wounded sui
yiviDE. The scoptraband'' also states tha
TIC last two shots Of the Monitor were repre-
sfn.ed to bc the only oues that severely IL
jurcd the 31errimac- Shots were thrown I'll
der her shields at the moment she attemptc
to run the Monitor down.
The military stationed at Norfolk from til
Gulf St ties have been very severe on the Vii
.inia clIiyalry since their defeat at Roanok
Island. Even the Richmond Blues, the yer
pink OF chiyalry, have fallen il, pua'lie estlul:
tior. All award bravery to O. Jennings Wist
but his father has so fallen in public e5tim:
1ioD, that he is proclaimed in Norfolk a COW
warI and poltroen. In lis escape from Nag
Head, he rode thirty miles on horseback, mo-
wii11ssanding liz lad previously reported hin
self too III to remain At Roanoke IsIand ut th
head Of his command Wise and Floyd no.
rank as The tlcct-footcd. Ny informant say
TINT Wise would be hooted if he were to al
pear in the streets of Norfolk and Richmond
He has retired to his farm in Princess An
! pnunfr.