The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1862-03-13

The enemy continued their retreat as quick
ly rs it began. They carried off all their
heavy guns, 40 to 60 in number part Of their
army marching 10 Warrenton and part 10
Gordonville, where it is said they will make
a stand
1t was on Monday evening that the first
sign Of panic was noticed at Manassas A
part Of Stewards rear columns was prepar.
ing Il train to move southwark by railroad,
when they learned that some excited rebels
had set fire to the bridges ahead Of them. -
They Immediately began to burn and destroy
and run away in general confusion. Five
hundred barrels Of -four, piled up in ranks,
had their heads stove in; barrels Of molasses
suffered the Same way leo barrels or kegs
Of powder were left which they did not know
how to destroy in safety 10 themselves.
1t seems u be confirmed that the enemy
had, two weeks since, between 10000 and CO..
600 troops at Centerville and Manassas, and
that they only began their retreat Friday
Why they went is mystery, rs the number
Of men in their Notifications would have been
equal to three times the force assaling.-
They must have feared 10 trust their men,
whose Cnlls,mcnts were expiring
Their powder, which they LEI, many agree
is Of very inferior quality.
The .traugc-t news brought by the Times
correspondent, il that Jackson and one half
Of his army, whom Gen. Banks, Yesterday,
supposed he was cleyerly watching in Win
chester, went down the railroad to Manassas
one week ago, aud publicly marched of south
ward in the valley Of the Shenandoah.
Special to Tribune,
FoRT MoSRoE, March 1.-The official re
port Of the naval engagement sent to Rich.
mond says that two were killed on the Merri.
mac and wounded the muzzles of two
guns Knocked of and the prov twisted, the
armor damaged, the anchor and flag stan shot
away, and the smoke stack and steam pipe
riddIcd Capt Buchanan was seriously
wounded in the thigh, and Capt Sayer has
since died Of his wounds.
Trustworthy information today says the
prov was shot away.
ST. Louis, March l2.-The following gen.
eral order will be issued in the morning
Headquarters Of Missouri
In COMPLIANCE with orders of the president
of the United States, the undersigned as
sumes command Of the department Of the Mis-.
sissippi, which includes the present depart.
ment Of Kansas Missouri and the department
Of Ohio, and the country west If north and
south line, drawn through knoxville, Tenn,
and east Of the western boundary Of the states
OF Missouri and Arkansas.
The headquarters Of the department OF the
Mississippi will remain, till further orders
at St. Louis.
Commanding officers not IN the department
Of Missouri, will report at these headquurte.'
the strength and position of their several com
mand-,
(Sgn"d) II. W. llALLEcX,
Maj. Gen. Commanding.
S,,e;l 10 pcporro, rr,,, R,IIo on the
Iotb soys
VIA 'E;llev pri,n - dcsnoro.o chief &C y
oror,;lIo band of rnhoI. has hean ,okcn mis-
Hnor and is nov in custody nj SnrinrfeH
n, G,r,her nova from CIrti., rnmmand a.
60.
FORT MONROE, Men ld.-aii is quiet here
TINS morning.
The steamer MerrImac is atoat at the Nor
folk navy yard, ana large number OF work
men are employed IN repairing her.
Serious damage was done TO one OF her
pronGs, and the forward part OF the vessel
was stove in. These are now being strength
49,
The people OF Norfolk are SAID to be IN "A
state OF mingled rejoicing ana fear.
Lieut. VIM. Grimm IS now commander OF
the Monitor
All the newspaper correspondents at Fort
Monroe, except the agent Of the associated
press, have been ordered away by Gen. Wool,
for having failed to comply with his instruc-
lions regarding news
The associated press dispatches will here