The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1862-04-19
WAR NEWS.
Huntsville, Alabama, Captured.

me h0cf Lane OF De1Pnse Henin Broken and
Their Communication Cut on.
WAsnISsroN, April l2.-Thc Secretary OF
War has received the important information
that Huntsville, Alabama, was occupied yes
tcrday by Gen. MITCHELL without much resis-
lance. Iwo hundred prisoners mere ioken, and
ffisea locomotives and large amount of the
rolling stock Of The raiiroad.
Huntsville, the metropolis of North Ala
banla and the residence Of much Of the wealth
of that section Of the South. is a very impor-
tant acquisition to the National troops as
it cuts in two, at another point, the Memphis
and Charleston Railroad, and is the seat of a
large cotton trade. 1t was one of those
places thar came into the rebellion very
Reluctantly some Of the most prominent and
determined Union men hailing from thcye -
Its capture settles the fate of all Middle Ten
nessee directly to the north of it, and ensures
easy communication with Columbia, the old
residence Of President Folk, now held by the
Union forces.
oTFIcIAE DESPATCH PROM GEN. MITCHELL.
llEApQtARrERs THIRD DIVISION, d
IIrNTsvILLE, Ala; April II E
After forced march Of incredible difficult
ties, leaving Fayetteville yesterday at II NJ,
my advance guard, consisting of Turchin's
Brigade, kennctt's Cavalry and Simonson's
Battery, ext' red Huntsville this informing ut
O'Clock. The city was taken completely by
surprise, no one having considered: tho
march practicable in the title. We have
captured about two hundred prisoners, fifteen
locomotives, and large amount Of passenger
and box and platform cars. Also, the telc-
graph apparatus and office and two Southern
mails. We have at last succeeded in cutting
the great artery of railway communication
between the Southern States.
(SiGDed) O.M. MITCHELL.
Brig. Gen. Commanding Volunteers.
The following dispatch has been received
by the Secretary Of War, dated Nashville
April Fifth.
ION Saturday morning, two expeditions
were started from Huntsville, Ala, in the
captared cars. Sne under Col. Sill, of the
Thirty Ohio, went east to Stevens, the
junction of the Chattanooga with the Mem
phis and Charleston railroads, at which point
they selzcd 1000 Of the enemy, who were
retrcating, without firing a shot, and captured
five locomotives and a large amount Of rolling
stock.
The other expedition. under Col. Turchn,
of the Nineteenth Illinois Regiment, went
west, and arrived at Decatur in time to save
the railroad bridge. which was in flames.
Gen. Mitchell now holds a hundred miles
of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad"
ANOTHER IMPORTANT EXPEDITION.
PHi,5arg Handling, April IA force of
1000 troops, in five transports, left the land
ing on Saturday night, accompanied by the
gunboats Tyler and Lexington, and proc eedttl
mp the Tennessee river to point near East
port. Mississippi, where they landed and pro-
crcdcd inland to Bear Creek Bridge.
Here they destroyed the two bridges on
the Nosie and Ohio Railroad, one measuring
one hundred and twenty one, and the other
two hundred and ten feet in length.
A re bel cavalry force Of one hundred and
Fifty men was found there, who, after having
tosr killed, skedaddled in the most approx ed
Southern style. The c&pcdAion returned on
Sunday night without having lost man.
This was one Of the most successful of its
kind during the war, completely cutting off
the communication of the main rebel army,
| at Corinth, with Alabama and the rest of the
Confectionery. except New Orleans.
A flag of truce arrived at the outpost yes
terday, with the son of Governor johnson, OF
Kentucky. asking for his father.