Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1862-04-14
The News Of the Week.

oarfeaders, this week, the accomplishment of
one Of the greatest victories achieved by our
arms since the commencement of this bloody
wsr. As full accounts as have come to hand,
will be found under our War News" head.
But our rejoicings are greatly restrained by
the fact that the victory has been. gained at
the loss of one of our best, bravest and most
skillful commanders, Gen. ALBERT SYDNEY
JOHNSON. We give in'this paper President
Davis message to the Congress of the Con-
federate States, announcing the melancholy
fact, which speaks of the lamented illustri-
Gus dead in terms of the most affectionate
and touching laudation. We also publish
Gen. Johnston's letter to President Davis,
concerning his evacuation Of Bowling Green,
Nashville, &c, which entirely relieves him
from the hasty and unjust judgment which
some were disposed to cast upon his con
duct. Subsequent events have proven his
decision to have been right, and he has
since sealed with his life-blood his devotion
to his country's cause.
The great battle of .SHILoH, in Tennessee,
will no doubt be the entering wedge for a
total expulsion Of the enemy from the whole
Mississippi Valley but as Buell. has a large
force near this scene of action, who seem not
70 have been engaged in this great conflict,
we may hear in a day or two of another
fierce conflict in that quarter. Indeed it is
even probable that the recent great battle is
not decided, as our army was in pursuit Of
tie enemy, which may have been reinforced
largely and caused another engagement. But
relying on God who gave US the victory, with
the great Beauregard in command, we have
no fears as to the result. We shall probably
hear something more than is known at the
tine of writing this paragraph, before going
to press. = y
The loss on both sides is said to be heavy,
but nothing is mentioned except that our loss
is about 5000, and that we took between 4
and 5000 prisoners, among whom was. Gen.
Prentice and a number Of other officers. Elev-
en- car loads of Federal. prisoners arrived at
Chattanooga, on the 9th.
Contrary to almost confident expectation,
there has been no battle on the Peninsula yet.
The enemy have thus far refused to give
Gen. Magruder battle, but is entrenching
himself! This is strange maneuyering, and
has given rise to the impression that his
threatening Of Magruder's linewas a mere
fsiat, while Norfolk is the real object of his
at ack. A few days will doubtless determine
The Merrimac Tor Virginia. went out or
Monday last, and was met by a flag of truce
and some of our prisoners sent on board
This was done, evidently, so as to give tn
enemy an opportunity to get a good look a
the monster" She returned to the Nav,
Yard and had not been out since, at least u
to Thursday last. A considerable storm ha
been raging on the James, and q dense
feg prevailing, for several days, which ma
have been the cause of her keeping unde
cover or it may be, as we have seen it ST
ted, that there were no vessels about for he
to operate on, even the Monitor having dis
appeared since her advent on Monday las
She will be on hand when called for.
There is a report, though not yet well al
thenticated, said to be taken from the Ne
York Herald, that Gen. Price'had given tt
Federals in Missouri the worst whipping
has yet inflicted upon them, and that Be
gleps army had retreated rs miles in gre
disorder. We shall know in a day or tv
what truth there is in the report.
Dispatches received in Congress state tn
a serious mutiny had broken out among t
troops in Nashville, in consequence OF t
late abolition message of President Linco
Nineteen Federal officers had resigned.
Kentucky regiment had m%utinied, and a p
ton of them had succeeded in getting {
after a bloody contest with two Indiana re
ments, who had been sent after them. I
report is credited in official quarters.
P. S.-Since the above was in type. an
fetal dispatch has been received at the v
Departmental Richmond, stating that on
day after the Shiloh battle, Gen. Beanreg'
had another battle with the enemy near Pr
burgh, where ne met Gen. Buells large arr
and after engaging the enemy, in pursuar
of the original plan of action, fell back N
Corinth. Gen. Beauregard states in his
patch, that his chief regret in falling bs
was the necessity it occasioRed for aband
ng q laege quantity Of arms and muniti