Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-01-25
Important from she Burn.ide Expe.

Important from she burnside Expeditions.
From the Richmond Examiner of the 20thl
We have important intelligence from the Burn.
side expedition. An official dispatch has been
received at the War Department, dated Yesterday
morning, stating that the expedition had made
its appearances at Hatteras, inside of the bar.
The contents Of the dispatch are, that twenty-six
Federal steamers were inside of the bar and six
lying outside, besides sixteen sail vessels, max
ing a total force Of forty-eight vessels.
There appears to be a strong disposition, even
in official quarters, to believe that an attack is
medilated in the rear Of Norfolk To carry out
this plan Of attack, the enemy vii have to take
Roanoke Island, which lies in AlbermArle Sound,
and would then have water communication with
in some thirty or forty miles of Norfolk. The
ides, however, appears to be ex~traVagant that
such an attack would be medItaied unless with
an army complete in all its appointments, and
not 10 the situation IN which the invaders would
be OF having their supplies cut Of at any moment.
Another suppOsition Entertained IN well in
formed quarters is that NeWben is 20 be the
object Of attack. The Of Newbern is stu
ased at the head of the Muse river Or estuary
emptying into PamieO Sound, and is an import
ant station on the Atlantic aud North Carolina
railroad. There is a considerable body Of State
troops there to meet the invaders but we do not
deem it prudent 20 mention the am0ent of or
force.
These speeulations are, however, Of but little
interest now, in view of the short time that mast
elapse before the blow is struck, and the inquiry
resolved by the act Of the enemy.
However, it may at least be accounted certain
that the force comprising the aeet is destined to
operate inside the capes. On this hypothesis
we notice that a northern paper, in our posses
sion, of as late a date as the 18Th inst, has
given a full account Of our d~efenses, said to
have been obtained from " a correspondent in
Dixie" As the law proposed in Congress to
prevent southern newspapers from publishing
anything of military matters, does not assume TO
prohibit them from publishing military inteIli-
gence which has been carried North ad lbitRR,
by spies, and come back to Us In Yankee news
papers, we give the statement Of the New York
HsratdS correspondent, without hesitation, but.
at tho same time, without any iutimation on cur
part, whether or not his information is correct
Ihe entrance to Elizabeth river is greatly
INSTRUCTED. First, the batteries Of Craney island,
Tanners Creek and SewelTs Point command
the entrance. Second. the chanuel. IS INSTRUCTED
by heavy ships cables, leaving only a narrow
passage in the center for the passage Of vessels.
A line Of intrenchments has been completed.
commencing a quarter of a mile below the Ma
val Hospital, running three-qUsrteTs Of a mile
back Of Portsmouth, and terminating about one
mile ABOVE Ehe navy yard AT the point where
the railroad from Weldon 10 Portsmouth passes
through this intrencbment, the rebels have
mounted three 22-pOunder rifed guns and on
the line of these intrenehments eightOtber pieces
Of ordnance of inferior caEber are in position.
This line extends several miles. At the point
where the railroad crosses, and where the three
guns are mounted, a regiment Of North Caralna
volunteers are stationed. At Suffolk. on the
same railroad line, seventeen miles from Ports
mouth, about one-thiTd of a regiment is encamp-
ed. Winter quarters have been erected on fhe
fair ground and Wards farm, about one and a
halt miles back of Norfolk. The number Of
troops between Suffolk aud Cape Henry "a dis
lance OF thirty four miles.) including those at
Norfolk, Portsmouth, Cfaney island and the
river batteries, amounts to about 1900 men.