Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1862-11-22
Interesting from Richmond md
the south.

Interesting from Richmond md
thc South.
STATEMENT or AN ALTEN-TIIE NEW REBEI,
STEAMERS.
From gentleman who left Richmond on
last Friday week, we gain the following
interesting news. lie has been in the South
during the last five months, having reached
the Rebel Capital during the seven days
fight. Having ingratiated himself into the
favor of the authorities, he was furnished
with passes, which carried him throughout
the entire South. About six weeks ago he
was at Savannah. which city he reports as
being by no means strongly fortified. The
fortifcations are on the water front of the
city, extending from near the river and to
its right, up towards the suburbs. These
works are mounted with heavy siege guns
taken from the Norfolk Navy Yard.
When he was there, not single iron
plate had been fastened to the sides of the
British steamer Fingal. She has been cut
down about onc.halt, and greatly strength
ened on the sides by tcn-inch beams of
pitch pine, forming altogether thickness of
three feet and hall. The roof is to be
made on the same principle Of the Me7yimac.
lie heard nothing about her armament,
more than that she would carry large gun
aft. He feels positive that she will not be
ready for service this year, at least. They
have the woodwork for her bcak prepared.
| but the iron casing is not yet on. Besides
this ram Finqal, they have two or three
| little gun-boats, as they call them, plying
about on the river.
| The citizens of Savannah have no hopes
that the city can be held when the Federal
forces undertake its capture. 1t has already
! been evacuated once or twice by large num-
| bcrs of the Weather class.
The people are particularly bitter against
/ South Carolina. He had more than once
| heard them remark that they wished South
/ Carolina had been swallowed up by an
earthquake before the revolution.
Trade is only nominal. and people prefer
! to keep what goods they have rather than
sell for Confederate money. In some in
stances this money is refused entirely.
Our informant was at Charleston at the
/ time the N,ro made her attempt to get ont
and run the blockade. This was her third
unsuccessful effort to put to sea. The har-
/ Dor is very well fortified. Since the capture
of Sumter the Rebels have constructed two
new forts well out iii the harbor. while the
shores arc lined with batteries. Some of the
guns on the forts are siXty-cight pound
rifles, made in England, and new. At all
/ the weak point, about Charleston earth
works are thrown up, and on the roads to
, Savannah and Wilmington they have cree
ted numbers of batteries commanding the
bridges. \ latent and strong Union feeling
l. in existence even in this nest of treason.
Many OF the people are heartily tired of the
war, and would gladly welcome peace
under the Old Stars and Stripes. At the
time our informant was there. not more
/ than two thousand troops were in or near
the city. Since then, Bcaurcgard has col
lcctcd an army of about twelve thousand
men for the defence of the place.
AT Richmond he saw ring which the
/ posscssor Of said he had cut from the finger
of one Of our men at Ball, Bluff hy cutting
the finger off This Rebel bclongcdt to Capt.
Whites Company, from Lccsburg, Captain
White being the same officer who rode the
I white horse which vas SO conspicuous in
the battle. Rings and whistles were in cir
culatlon thro Ugh the South, made from the
bones of our soldiers. and the wcarcrs seemed
rather proud than otherwise in their cXhi-
bition
The Rebel, depend entirely upon the val
ley of the Shenandoah to furnish them with
provisions during the winter. South O!
I Richmond they will he unable to draw any
thing for their subsistence Bacon is scarce,
and the wheat and flour for the whole army
i concentrated at Richmond The Govern
ment has possession OF the mills in the
city, the owners getting one dollar per bar
re-, and the BRAN &c Crcnshaw, the prlu.
cipal of the I!aNall Mills, was offered mil
lion of dollars for half the profits Flour is
worth $50 per barrel; wheat 50 per bushcl
flour in Montgomery Is 500. Our informant
paid So IS for gold on the Wednesday before
leaving Richmond.
He thinks the policy Of the Rebels Is tc
avoid lighting, and intrrring from the tar
dincss Of our movements hitherto that the
will not be ,;outly pressed, they hope tC
procrastinatc the war until next April ol
May, when, they assert, they have positiy,
information that France and England vii
Interfere. lie believes it to be their intcn
tlon to fall back to the lines OF the Chicka
hominy, and make them their defence toI
the winter, unless our Generals push then
with yigor and rapidity, compelling them I,
accept the wager OF battle before tucv lcaci
Richmond - y1lil5,y, ,j,Lty T,..,t..y,,