St. Mary's beacon., 1862-04-17

sa'cS oecH VAuis foutCN in ""S s"s~ So
it would have been very bad general
ship to have delayed. until this time.
the capture Of a post only one days
march from the field Of the recent con-
aict. How will Gen. H.lleck b able
10 explain this enigma? But. ,we must
cease speculation aud await bis official
despatch which. We presume. from the
great time consumed in its preparation
viii be sufficiently elaborate to explain
everything.
For the past ten days or more We have
been .nxiously awaiting news from York
town Nothing Of interest. however. has
set reached us. We are h,ld that an
immense force, under Mcclellan. has be-
sciged the Notifications there and that
they are to be ultimately assaulted and
taken. but when this event is to trans
pire or how truly the Agents Of the AS
sociated Press have predicted is matter
still in doubt. The Confedcrates are re-
ported to be in heavy force and to be very
strongly intrenched in Notifications that
are said to extend from the York to the
James river. Rumors arc ii 1eifeulation
of Federal revcrses in the skirrnishing
that has thus far cnsued, but as nothing
official has been Published it becomes our
duty to doubt whether there has yet been
any considerable fighting in this quarter.
The cause of delay. which, it would seem
to US, must prove advantageous to the
Confederatcs, has no. been made public,
though it is hiutcd that Gen. Mcclellan is
maturing plan by which the ''rebcl." are
to be driven from their stronghold aad the
rev route to Richmond speedily opened.
Late Intelligence from Fortress Monroe
shows that the Merrimac has again made
her appearance in the Rhodes and eaptur-
Cd three vessels. She had no encounter
with the Federal feet aud seemed to be
IN mission Of peace, provided the Federal
shipping kept itself within range Of the
guns at Fortress Monroe and the Rip Raps.
This it seems they did and she contented
herself with lying off Craney Island and
occasionally throwing shell in the dircc-
ton of the Federal feet, which was re-
gardcd as challenge to fight, but was.
for reasons which have not been officially
aivulged, declined.
The new. from the South shows that in
the late fight near Winchester, Jackson had
but 24OO men, whilst the Federal force
$4,000. 1t is claimed that the
Federals were decidedly wor>ted in the af-
fair and their loss is put down at 1000
Jackson's official report shows loss of SIS
killed, 200 wounded and lS2 missing
Reports from Savannah show that a plan
is or foot to relieve Fort Pulaski and that
the Confederates have 80. 900 men vt and
near the city. No demonstration had
been made by the Fcdcrals, who think
their force too small for offensive operations
in this quarter. The Confederate force ut
Charleston is also reported to be large and
to be active in its operations against tho
Federals when ever an opportunity is pre-
scented by which an advantage may be
gained: Several Federal prisoners have
been recently captured ON North Edit"
Island by surprise parties Of Confcderates
and it is stated that two of the Port Royal
missionaries are now prisoners in Charles
ton.
There is nothing new from the Florida
coast or the Gulf. Com. Porter's NOR
boat expedition has not been heard from
since it was reported be operating at
the mouth Of the Mississippi. nor has
the Union sentiment in Florida spread
to such an extent as justify tho estab-
lishmcnt Of Provisional Government.
Gen. Curtis division is still in Southern
Missouri and has effected nothing since
the Pea Ridge fight. Price and Van
Dorm are now reported to be with Beau
regard which leaves Missouri under the
free control Of the Federals. unlcss we ex-
cept the guerilla bands that still wage q
fierce warfare against the invaders
the Southern section Of the
State.
Gen. Banks division il now at Wood
stock and Gen. jackson. with small
force. including Ashby's Cavalry. is said
to be near at hand. A sharp skirmish
generally follows every forward movement
on the part of the Fcderals. but the i'm.
preston is that no regular fight will be
made until Banks shall advance much
farther in the direction Of Richmond.
Nothing new of importance has tran
spired in Congress since the passage of the
District of Columbia emancipation Bill.
The radical element seems now to have
full control Of both branches, and. since the