Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1862-04-07

when that vs. refused - worthlesa, they
carried OF tho bread de6antly. :. :.
Many Of the country troops had d'eo
from the use Of army biscuit, and the
Commissary Department vas obliged 70
issne corn for the soldiers rat'oEs'
Cotton thread is twenty-five cents
spool; needles a hundred times the
usual price; matches one cent eacD,
and it 10 q curious illustration OF the
Southern lack of mechanical ingenuity
that, though they succeeded In mann.
featuring few matches, they cannot
make the boxes to hold them. Very
little business is done in the city. The
stores arc mostly closed, their stocks
Of goo is being exhausted without means
of renewal.
FAMILIES LEAVING THE CITY.
Families are constantly leaving the
CITY for the interior, and others prcpar-
ing to move at the moment OF assault:
It is universally asserted and believed
that the place is to be attacked by a
concerted movement, on all sides, on the
18th Of April, with overwhelming land
and naval forcer. The necessity OF sur
render, and the policy ct giving up the
place without fighting, since it must
eventually fall, are openly discussed in
the city; and it is not long since party
Of officers came to blows on the ques-
ton in a public conversation. Troops
have lately been sent from Charleston to
Georgetown, S. c., in expectation of an
attack. On the line Of road from
Charleston to Savannah are about 3d.
900 troops. In rear of the city are
very few cannon, and only two have
been mounted.
A third of Charleston was burnt by
the recent fire. No part Of it is re-
building, except here and there a stable
or kitchen, or a very small and poor
house. The people all say it won't pay
to build, because the Yankees are com.
ing and will burn it again. 1t is since
the recent victories in the West and in
North Carolina, and especially since the
fall OF Newbern, that femllies have be-
gun to leave in great numbers. Those
who can, sell their furniture and other
property those who cannot, leave and
flee into the wilderness. Only women
and children are permitted to leave.
Gen. Lee, who is in command, has or
dered that no ore who can handle a
musket shall pass the lines. All citi.
zens are either already pressed into the
service or obliged to hold themselves
subject to instant draft.
The machine shops are selling to the
rebel government all their machinery,
tools and stock, which are carried back
into the country to be set up and used
for military purposes.
It had been proposed that all the sill
yer plate in the city should be given to
the government to be melted, and the
proceeds applied to the building OF the
iron clad gun-boa,s, but the suggestion
had not met with universal favor. No
specie was circulated, Tom declared
that since be came ashore at Port Royal
be had seen ten cent piece for the first
time in three or four months. The
only currency was Confederate and
State bank notes, and the fractional bills
were in common use.
EDIsro ISLAND.
On Edisto Island it was estimated that
the Yankees have six thousand troops,
and the rebels had withdrawn further
back on the main, in order, they said, to
induce the Lincoln men to advance.
The intrenchments about the city, be.
fore referred to, do not seem to be very
formidable works. No guns are noun
ted on either of the principal lines ex-
tending in concentric circles from Ash.
lev to Cooper River. The inner he es,i-
mates at two miles, the other at three
miles in length. Trains are running
regularly on the Charleston and Savan-
nah Railroad. Not little useless work
has been done for the defence Of the
harbor. Beside the floating battery at
Fort Jefferson, log battery was con-
structed on the other eide of the harbor
10 the channel between Sumter aud Fort
Moultre. Skeleton RATS of crossed
timbers were sunk, the spaces filed wi b
bricks and stones from the buildings
burned in the city, and the whole was
strengthened by piles driven on either
side. Three guns we're to have been
mounted upon it. but it was found i'm
possible to make it secure, and the at
tempt was abandoned. The channel is
now clear.
AN EEGL1SH VESSEL CAPTURED.
The Emily St. Pierre, a fine ship of a
thousand tons, from Calcutta, with two
thousand bales Of gunny bags on board,
was captured by the James Adger. try
ing to get into Charleston about ten
day since. Her register was British, and
her crew the same. She cleared from
Calcutta for a port in New Brunswick,
the Captain alleging that he had orders
to stop at Charleston and 90 in if the
port was not blockaded. When taken
she was standing straight in on the fore
tack, with mainsail set and spanker furl-
ed. hidden from the olockading vessels
by thick Jog until she was within 3.l2
mi.es-a toIerably clear case Of at
tempting 10 run the blockade. A prize
crew was put OH board, and she was sent
to Philadelphia, with her own officers
and crew as prisoners. She had no
colors aboard when taken, but the off,
Ger boarding learned from the crew that
she had the rebel flag flying fifteen days
before leaving Calcutta, and that, when
chased, they threw them overheard, tied
TO the lead. Information was also b.