The New York herald., 1862-03-22
THE SITUATION.

THE SITUATION.
The news from General Banks division presents
no important features. A portion of General
Shields accommodating party has returned to Win
chester from Strasburg. 1t is reported that the
rebel General Jackson is near Mount Jackson
with his partially disorganized forces.
Two new military departments have been con-
stituted by the President the first to be called the
Department of the Gulf, which will comprise all
the coast Of the Gulf Of Mexico west of Pensacola
harbor, and so much of the Gulf States as may be
occupied by the forces under Major General B. F.
Butler, United States Volunteers. The head
quarters for the present will be moveable,
wherever the General Commanding may be.
The other is denomnated the Department of the
South, comprising the States of South Carolina,
Georgia and Fsrida, with the expedition and
forces now uader Brigadier General T. W. Sher
man, to be under the command OF General David
Hunter.
Affairs at Island No. 10, which has now become
point of interest, represent the rapid approach
of termination to the tedious bombardneslt of
that rebel stronghold. Up to Thursday evening
our gunboats, Benton and Mound City, were play
Ing heavily on the upper batteries, with view to
reduce them-the others by determined advance.
The Notifications are discovered to be very
strong, mounting at least eighty guns, while
a body of twenty thousand troops are
encamped on the main land, in the
rear, completely out of range of our mortars Five
guns on the upper battery on the Tennessee shore
have been dismouuted, and only two left, which
gave an occasional shot. The batteries appear to
be provided with bomb proof casemates. as the
men are seen to disappear when our shells ap.
proach them. The extent of the firing from our
boats may be conceived from the fact that ON
Monday last the gunboats threw 900 shot and shell
into the enemy's works and the mortars 300 shells
A despatch TO st. Louis dated from Island No. 10.
on Thursday, says that large number of loaded
wagons were then leaving the Tennessee shore,
from which it was believed the rebels were making
preparations for an evacuation of their works
General Pope allowed a rebel gunboat to
approach within fifty yards of masked bat.
terry on Tuesday, and then sunk her, kill.
ing fifteen Of those on board He had
previously allowed five rebel steamers to pass on
towards New Madrid, and they are now between
his batteries, unable to escape. Over a dozen
rebel vessels, their floating battery and batterng
ram. are now above General Pope's batteries, and
will certainly be sunk or captured.
Meantime, the rebels have posted three regi.
ments at Fort Pillow, between New Madrid and
Memphis. Pixies are being manua ctured at the latter
place to arm the new levics, of which not quite
hundred men have as yet responded to the call Of
Governor Harris. The Governor however, has dis.
appeared from Memphis. and the members Of the lc.
gslature have followed his example The cityis said
to be 10 terrible condition. The Union men we're
abandoning the place, leaving all their property
to be confscated, as impressment at the point of
the bsyonet bad become general. Men we're driven
! N the streets and from their stores and dwell.
J - 10 The rebel camps Of instruction, and all who
u escape from tne city Win tnelr llvcS were
to ret away. Quarrels between the rebels
unionsts are of daily occurrence in the
g and shots are freely exchanged between
This state Of things is but another evidence
q miseries which this unholy rebellion has
1t upon the once peaceful and prosperous
of the unhappy South.
news from Tennessee is important. De.
e.. IS from Cairo state that our troops at sa.
), sixty miles from Florence, Alabama are
good service. General Beauregard with
Of 1000 rebels, recently from Pensacola is
r be at Corinth, and Generals Bragg and
nm have also their divisions In the same vi.
On the night of the 18th inst. a body Of the
Quo cavalry put part Of General Cheat.
forces to fight, and burned the railroad
e. Our army in that noighborhood is divided
I've divisions, commanded by Generals shcr.
McCernand, Wallace, Hurlburt and Lanman.
} less than 1000 Unionists in the vicinity of ss.
ysnnah are reported to have enlisted in our army
recently.
BY the Karnak, at this port yesterday, our West
Iidia files Of the 18th Of March show tbs. tbo
steamers Cecile and Kate, and the schooner Laura
fftHl HlU41 lat n