The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-03-14
THE WEEKLY PIONEER AND DEMOCRAT
EASTERN VIRGINIA.

>ASSSsAsesS
Virginia.
The Post Office Department is ready to
establish, as coon as Congress shall give
the authority, free delivery 10 cities, with
uniform rates Of postage for local and gem
eral letters.
ANDY JOHNSON--CAPTURE OF REBEL
SCHOONER. -
Senator johnson leaves Washington to,
day for Tennessee. BE has not yet accepts
ed his appointment as Brigadier General.
Information has reached the Navy De-
psrtment of the capture Of the schooner
Lizzie Weston, with cargo of 290 bales
Of cotton, by the gunboat Itasca. The
captured vessel sailed from Apalachicola,
Florida, for Havana and market.
TREASURY BILL.
The bill reported from the Committee of
Ways and Means, authorizing the purchase
Of coin, and for other purposes, provides
that the Secretary of the Treasury may
dispose of any bonds or notes bearing in.
terest authorized by law for coin at such
rates and upon such terms as he may deem
most advantageous for the public interest,
and may issue under regulations, as be may
prescribe certificates of indebtedness, such
as were authorized by the act to authorize
the Secretary of the Treasury to issue
certificates OF indebtedness to public credi.
tors, approved March LIST, 1862, to such
creditors as may deserve to receive the
same in discharge of checks drawn by dis.
bursting officers upon sums placed to their
credit on the books Of the Treasurer, upon
acquisitions of the proper Department, as
well as in the discharging of audited and
settled accounts as provided by said act.
1t is further provided that the demand notes
authorized by the act of July Is, 1861 and
by the act of February IL, 1862, shall be
receivable, and shall be lawful money and
lagal tender in like manner, and to the same
purpose and the same extent as notes au.
thorized by the act to authorize the issue
of United States notes, and for the redemp.
ton or funding thereof, and for funding the
floating debt of the United States, approx
ed the 20th OF last month.
DEATH OF GENERAL LANDER.
General Mcclellan has issued q general
order, announcing, with deep regret, to the
army of the Potomac, the death of BrigaI
dier General Lander. He pays high com
pliment to his public services, intelligence
and courage,
COL. KERRIGAN DISMISSED
General Mcclellan, to-day, issued gen.
eral order, dismissing Col. Kerrigan from
the service, for the various offences OF which
be was convicted by the court martial.
NEW YORK POSTMASTERS.
Specials state that the President has
nominated Abram Wakeman as Post Mas.
ter of New York city, in place Of Mr.. B.
Taylor.
N-COTTON-FIRE
The Senate today confirmed the nJmin.
ations OF James H. Spears, of Tennessee,
and Major Samuel d. Sturges to be Briggs
der Generals of volunteers.
Special information has been received
that the Portuguese Government 10 devot,
ing its attention to the cultivation OF cotton
in its African possessions.
The residence of the French minister in
Georgetown, was this morning destroyed by
fire, together with much elegant furniture.
REBELS DEsERTED--NOMINA ATOMS.
One hundred and fifty rebel soldiers re.
Gently deserted from Savannah to General
Sherman. When asked why they did it,
they replied that they were tired Of fight,
ing in rich mans war.
Numerous civil and military nominations
OF secondary Importance were passed upon
by the Senate In executive session to day
No generals were confirmed or set aside.
STRENGTH OF THE REBEL FORCES.
The following statement of the strength
and disposition of the rebel forces opposed
to the Union army of the Potomac was
perfectly accurate four days ago. Changes
have probably occurred since, but the main
facts must still correspond with the figures.
At Centrevi!e, which is now the strong
point of the rebels, there are $4,000, IL 600
cavalry and l30 pieces Of cannon light and
heavy behind the batteries long the Potomac.
There are from $4,000 TO 10000 men at
Gum Spring.
Between Leesburgh and Centerville there
are three regiments OF infantry with squad
ron OF cavalry.
At Leesburg there are three regiments OF
infantry, one battery ana 400 cavalry.
At point FIVE miles south of Brents.
vile, that is to say some ten miles south of
Manassas, there is one brigade of infantry
of $500 men.
Therefore We do not include any part of
Jackson's army forming the rebel left wing
against which General Banks is operating.
At Manassas there is not single iuIl
regiment-whole companies and even regi
ments having gone home On furlcughs of
tee, twenty and thirty days All OF the
troops from South Carolina, North Caro<
lima, Tennessee and Louisiana have gone
home within the past two Or three weeks.
Very few Of the men whose term of service
has expired, are re existing.
SKIRMISHING On THE LOWER POTOMAC.
The gunboats Satellite and Island Belle
discovered, On Wednesday, number of
rebel cavalry near Acquia Greek, and fred
lew shells, when the rebsis ran away and
the steamers returned. A brisk ire was
opened this morning by the lower fotilla,
causing great alarm among the rebels. 81
The long roll was beaten commencing at
Acquia Greek and extending along up the
river as far as Evansport, extending through
q greater number of camps than at any
time before. The camp fires within few
days past have materially increased, shows
ing considerable augmentation of toe rebel
foroo in u;o:,:x-