Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1862-11-07

vile are. probably watching against an attack
on the flank Of the main army, which
stretches towards Gordonsville. Unless Lee S !
army is much further advanced than is prob
able, or possible, it would seem that General
Mcclellan, by vigorous forward movement,
aided by similar advance from Washington,
could force Lee to stop or fight before he
reaches Gordonsville.
The New York and Philadelphia papers
persist in talking of heavy rains and swollen
rivers. We have not had heavy rains except
for few hours on Sunday night, and the
river is not swollen. 1t is still fordable at
most anywhere.
CHARLESTON, S. c., Oct. 90.
A greater number of vessels than usual
have been blockading the harbOr Four gun
boats are in Stone Inlet The steamer Win
no, which got aground some days ago off
Sullivan's Island, will prove u wreck Most
of her cargo has been saved.
Special to the Times
WASHINGTON, Oct 90.
Quartermaster Megs has resolved not to
purchase any more Sibley tents, on account of
the expense, but to use the common cheap
tent instead. AS the latter furnishes no tacili-
ties for providing the warmth necessary du-
ring the winter, this is regarded as equiva-
lent to declaration that the army will not go
into winter quarters.
Herali's Dispatch.
SUFFOLK, Va, Oct %.
On Friday reconnaissance in force was
made from this point to the Blackwa,er. On
the other side of Blackwater small party of
the enemy was encountered by Dodgc's rifles,
and fanked. 4 skrmish occurred, in which
Lieut. Wheeon, OF the mounted rifles, was
killed, and a Captain of the same regiment
was wounded. Six prisoners were captured,
and our troops returned to camp. The rebel
force on the .Backwater does not seem to be
large.
New YORK, Oct. so.
A Suffolk letter to the Philadelphia Enquir-
er, says thirty of the enemy were killed in
the recent skirmish beyond the Blackwater
We hold portion of our side of that river,
and intend to hold it.
A letter in the Tribune, from Wiliamsport
9th, says that young man who has beer
in Richmond during the war arrived at Gen
Henley headquarters, yesterday. He was in
Winchester last Saturday evening, and repre-
SclllS Illc vi lilC 1T POiii
as awful, beyond description. He says the
smallpox and typhoid fever are raging fear
fully, and that at least fifty or sixty are dying
daily. He counted in one spot filty-siX deaf
bodies which had remained unburied for tive
or three days. No troops, he says, are il
Martinsburg, and but very few cavalry arr
between there and the river. The main por
ton of Lees army is between Bunker Hill
and Winchester, where the next great battle
will probably be fought. Nothing could b.
seen indicating design on Lees part to re
treat.
There is no doubt but that Bragg is has
tening to the relief of Lee.
\ battle greater than Antietam will proha
bly, be fought before the end Of the week.
FIR. MONROE, Oct. %.
A man who says he was taken prisone
several months ago by the rebels, and VIII
, succeeded in obtaining his release, furnishe
the following account of the Merrimac No.
81 have been in Richmond some time
During my stay went on board the Merri
mac No. 3. She is thoroughly and heavil,
iron clad, and is in every way a tough steam.
er.
"She has been completed about mouth
and has made several trips TO Fort Darling =
She has as yet but one gun on board. Whcl
left they We're about putting the remain
der on, and they intended to have then
i, mounted in three weeks. The machiner,
works well, and she can easily make eigh
miles an hour. The rebels have every con
fidence in her capabilities, and are certain
that she will prove success. When tn
people of the North hear that the Merrima
No. , is a failure, or that the rebels declar
her to be so, then they may expect to Sc
her come out and do all the damage she can
: Her intentions are to delude or deceive a
, much as possible, so as to take us mapping
!. 1t was for this reason that rebel Office
made the remark that the distractions in tn
James river had all been removed, intending
evidently to convey the idea that the obstruc
tons had been removed to let the Merrima
No. 3 out"