, 1862-03-14
PROPOSED UNITED STATES JUDI
ClAL DISTRICTS.
THANKS TO CAPTAIN FO0TE.
The Rebel Panic at Manassas.
SIGHTS AND SCENES AT
THE CAMPS,
Gen. Eanks at Winchester.
DIRECTION OF IAcKsoN's RETREAT,
skfrnifsla at BcsFyvilse Ola the
Upper Potomac.


-
FROM WASHINGTON.
Especial Dispatch to the Chicago Tribuuc.l
WAsu1SGroS, March Is, 1cGa.
Leonard F. Ross, Colonel of tue 18th Ilsi-
nois, and Capt. Ricketts, Of the 1st U. s. arti1-
1cry, (the latter ofwhom was imprisoned some
time at Riehmonl,) have been nominated
Brigadier Generals.
The Naval Committee have agreed to re-
commend an appropriation Of ST., ,000, 900 for
iron plated vessels of war.
L subcommittee Of the Conduct Of the War
Committee visit Manassas to-day, to inyesti-
gate the actual condition Of that place, With
L view to discover the cne1ny's strength and
defenses at The time w1cn our generals were
still lcsitating,
1t is asccrta:ned that citizen of Massachu-
Ectts made the first advance on the rebel
strong holds on Sunday morning. Rowing BE-
yond our lines, lie gradually ncarod Cen
treyillc, and seeing no enemy, he boldly
marched within the entertainments anu con-
telnplated with surprise the wooden guns
with blach mouths mounted there. uepushed
on to Manassas and occupicdn both places
until Monday, when lie turned them over to
the four corps t'draec. His testimony has
been takcn by the Conduct Of the War COM
Mittce.
Garrett Davis nlalc almost lisunion
speech in the Senate, yesterday, on the bill
for the abolition Of slavery in the District OF
Columbia, saying that Kentucky should be Il
La EeIdce'' before she would subnit to sec
sl*re1y touched even in tile cotton States by
unconstitutional legislation or any other.
Mr.. n;le Of n, Il, continued the debate;
Mr.. Wilson Of Iowa, from Tic House Judi
ciar5 Committee, reported bill reorsanizing
tie Supreme Court, as an amendment to the
Senate bill. It constitutes circuits as FOL
lows:-.ftw, Rhode Island, 1Ia=5achusctts,
New Hampshire and Maine, as now; second,
Vernon: and New York, as nov; third,
New Jczey and Pennsylvania, as now fourth,
E1ar, land, Delaware, virginia, North Caro-
lima; d1th, South Carolina, Georgia. Alabama,
Mississippi, Florida; sixth, Louisiana, Tex
as, Arkansas, Tennessee seventh, Ohio, Ken
lucky, Michigan; eighth, Indiana, Illinois,
Wisconsin; ninth, Minnesota, Iowa,
Missouri, kanzas. Except tho last,
thrt circuits, the dist ricts arc constituted rs
by the Senate bill. Michigan is added to the
seventh circuit; Illinois is taken from tic
ninth circuit and put, instead Of Michigan, in
the Sth circuit.
Negroes arc floeking in from Virginia by
hundreds. It is estimated that at least one
tenth Of the serv1ie population Of this section
arc freed by the retreat Of the rebels. All en-.
terrain tic notion tlIat their freedom follows
tho advance Of our armies. One gang Of
twcnt j. five arrived This morning.
All who were at Ccntcryille agree that there
! Yves only shadow Of an army there. No heavy
guns we're ever mounted except wooden ones
The Entertainments on their flank and rear
| were feeble. The railroad to Manassas is of
| poor construction. Trees are cut down so rs
| to disclose the plains Of Manassas. Part of
! the huts were burned; part were standing.
! Among the spolls remaining were thousands
! Of hides. 4 lcsclter says that regular mail
from Washington, via Alexandria, came twice
| or thrice weekly. Near Centreville is tho
!. great horse cemetery. Hundreds Of exposed
i carcascs, with 1oeks Of yu1turcs i1oYcrina
/! over them, cover them.
The House to-day discussed the first aud
scccuti sections Of the tax bill, the question
whether any mode Of collection through State
? machinery was practicable. No vcte was
taken, hut the inclination OF the House Seem
cd to favor collection by the United States.
/; Senator Grimes Of Iowa made vigorous
and eloquent speech on the resolution giving
thanks to Flag Officer Footc. He was listened
to with marked attention, and enforced con
cratulations from Senators Of all shades 0
opinion. lie gave the Western navy its due
SHOWED by documentary evidence that tn
credit Of the plan Of attack on Forts Henr
and Donci=on belonged to Capt. Footc, an'
tl,.t he would have taken Nashville the wcc]
before Buell. did, and thus saved valuable
s:or. :, if he had been permitted By Gen. Hll
leck Mr.. Grimes enlarged upon the value G
! 4 navy to free people, and incidentally allu
dcu to tue Mouitor and AcJ75;aoc fight a
i showing the value Of iron clad vessels who's
construction he tGrimes) had urged since h
took his seat in the Senate. He also paid
handsome tribute to Lieut.. Wordcn and Cap
Ericsson.
Ga1ret Davis made heightened effort
I prove Powell traitor. Most men here thin
!: there is little difference between the two.
The bill organizing the Territory Of Arizona a
tacles the Wilmot Proyiso to that aud to a
| other Territories hereafter organized Ashley
Territorial bill was defeated yesterday b
the absence Of Republicans. Wilkinson wi
introduce the same bill from the Senate TIE
t ritoria1 Committee, and it wiz probably con
!. down to the House.
, ITO the Associated Press.1
WASHINGTON, March 13.-The Star Of la
l evening says: 1--WE have positive inform
tion that the rebels have retreated to as far
Gordonsyillc. Our scouts have probably Pc
} ctrsted the country at an early hour this mo
f ming as far Us Culpeper Court House, thirt.
E five miles in the rear Of Manassas"
. 4 correspondent Of the New York 1fnat
F: who accompanied the advance upon Cente
9 early last Friday that the retreat Of the rebc
: from Centeryi1lc commenced. Gen. Johnstc
/ left Friday morning, Gen. Smith left Saturd;
+ afternoon and Col. Stuart last Monday, Il
l. day our army left camp on the Potomac. II
: retreat was conducted very orderly at firE
), Nothing was left at Centerylue that could
t useful to u.s. Forts were we'll planned y
:. very formidable. They commanded the road
q and the FIRE of not less than hundred gu
d could be cengerged upon any approach to t
II QE1EUSCS. 43ul tHE Eluo HC1C 44CsI1 olNNS
d from Manassas to mount the Centcrvllle for1
c Arailroad track extended from Manassas
q Centeryille, and 4 telegraph line. The rel
C generals had their headquarters at Cent?
q Vile, altogether, and q more complete militia
r establishment could not be found in Nashln
: : ton, than they had.
il Through Manassas the enemy continu
s. their retreat as quickly as it began: They c.
7 ricd of all their heavy guns from Manassas,
d ; to co in ruElhcr. Part Of their army arc marc
&c inr by turnpike to Narrcnton, and part
Gordoneyille, where, it is said, they VOL
2 make q stand.
&c It wos On Monday evening that the frat Il
,e Of panic was noticed at Manassas. a part
S. Stua1t's rear column was preparing train
y move southwark by railroad, whea they Lea
N : cd that some excited rebels had set ire to
i'd bridges atead OF them They lmHaed edlateiy
id gan TO burn ard destroy and run away IN G.
cs eral cobfusicn. Five hundred barrels of ho
IT. FILED up in ranks had their heads stove in.
as re1s Of n1olaseeS suffered the same WAY. Z
re / hundred aEd sixty barrels 9: kegs OF pow
g5 were left, which thsy did not Know how
destroy il safety to themselves.
IL It Eeeme to &c onfrme6 that the enemy
do two Tceks since between 5000 1nd ~,
Gu | troop5 st Cent:evitle aud Manassas, and 7
they OILY began their retreat last 'fTtd
Where they peat is the mTstery, IS that NJ