The New York herald., 1862-12-09
INTERESTING FROM FORTRESS MONROE.


Our Fortress Monroe Correspondence.
FossRKss MONROE Deo. 7, 1856:
The Banks Erpedieion-The FJwr Espcda,ns Nttsd OF
at Fortress Aonioe-Operatioss on the "Souh Sidc'-
TIC Last FIog Of Truce-No Union Prisoners RturaeL
During the past yoar four grand and imposing
have been fitted out and started from this ha borvz
the great Sherman and Dupont expcdit to Port Royal
the Burnside expedition for North Carolina Butes expe
dlton to Ship ssand, and last though least General
Banks expedition, bound, ho sagey declared South
Past experience shows us TINT all Of the above enter
prsss not only highly important, but also great
successes; and why may mot sugw like tiurnra
from the last expsdtonary corps, such a. so great
genius accomplished statesman and earscss soldier
as Major General Nathaniel p Banks has had Adnce
in managing affairs aud arranged everything 70 suit
himself?
The department ofacers l6 the Seventh Army corps-
General DiGs communicative contributed not littIs
toward furnishing the feet with the necessary stores and
supplies required for active campaign aad Lieutenant
Colonel c. W. Thomas the efficient Chief Quartemastsr
tE post and Lieut. Col J. Mclean Taylor, Chief Com
missary, have labored day and night to facilitate
the sailing or the transports Besides quarsrmxster and
commissary stores the feet also supplied with
,xmenss amount OF ammunition by Lieut. I. G. Bayicr,
army officer, and far the general outf, Is
concerned no Hampton Roads any other
rendezvous better equipped and cared for than the exe
dtosary corps OF General Banks. With the previous
pedons that have left here although the greatest
tsen aud secresy were maintained sti little clue
leaked their destination, and particularly the
rsioal press gave "aid and confort the enemy by
giving and detailed account Of the forces and
hnts places be sttackcd that the rebels had
opportunities meet the shock aud render our vcto
less complete than otherwise Thus Shertnans ex
pedton, which originally was destined to land at Buls
Bay compelled TO change It's place TO Port Royal aud
80 on tc the end OF the chapter.
Tho last enterprise however, has been conducted with
80 much sscresy that tho brgadier goners
under General Banks destination than
does the private. We IN this department. however,
are enlgntened and IN the secret a. mach 2: oommodoe
Judging from appearances, our friends In Dixie look
upon Tanks expedition with great unsasiness The fact
that large number Of transports lying in Hampton
Roads Giied with troops for nearly month naturally
made imagine that the force would be disembarked
rebel capital have heard rebel say that he appre
hended this self same force would land on some psint
On ns James & am1 wn's Lee srns
grand army would catch them mapping and be ena.
bed by coup dadt TO carry the rebel stronghods and
fna lily take possession OF Richmond
On the strength Of tho presence Of Banks troops in
this barber, the rebel Major General S g. French
mandlng the ensmy's troops the 'South sido'viz:
between the Backwater and Richmond the south
bank u the James riverhas had heavy renforcemens
sent TO him, and = battle u y daily imminent. gI Inc Inc
ID inst, Carsvie, when We captured some forty
prisoners and the famous Petersburg Rocket battery be-
and, gallant troops met In overwhelming
numbers fear need % entertained ae 10 our
ability maintain position. Major General Peck Ia
one OF OF the Army or the Poomac and has
the confidence Of Major General Dix. aud II will not be
many days before the country will be electrified with
brilliant success IN the vicinity Of the Bacawster.
On last Wednesday the steamer New York sent TO
City Point charge OF Captain John Gulford, under
dag truce. with number OF parosd prisoners Dur
ing tho former visits Of fasboats TO tie rebel lines
officers in charge were, general thing, treated
with courtesy and respect. Al this last trip, however,
Captain Muliord scarcely allowed to land his prso
ners instead II being required to wait for
leased prisoners back he was ordered away Sos
cereD.onie Doubtless the rebels using the Peters.
burg Richmond Railroad to carry reuorcements to
the and could not spare time To transport the
liberated Yankees and lest might be able
learn something Of their movements, no ordered TO
return empty handed. We however, ready to meet
the enemy and spite Of all their renlorcemonts capa
bic of disputng tho ground lying south Of suffolk.
The biting winter weather IS lett by to-day. Ice
has formed every particle Of water On land and ths
boats coming into the barbor vered with cicles.
division commanded by General Emory sailed south
from here the night OF tile 5h las been hereoiors
supposed that would form part OF the Banks exped
ton Its destination Is to reinforce General Foster
North Carolina The rebels threaten 10 prevent him
from advancing by way OF Weldon To suffolk.