Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1862-01-23
THE LATEST WAR NEWS.

been fought at Somerset, Kentucky, on Sunday
last, between the Federal troops under General
Schoepf and the Confederates under the COM
mand Of General Zollicoher. A later dispatch,
direct from Louisville, states that the Federal
troops had encamped in the vicinity of Somer-
set, where they were attacked early on Sunday
morning by Gen. Zollicoffer's forces. The bat
tie ragged until about three o'clock in the after
noon, when the Confederates retreated to- their
entertainments. the Federal troops pvrsuing-
The loss in this days fight is reported as heavy
on both sides. Among the Confederates killed
was their Commanding General Z,coffer aud
Baillie Peyton, son Of the ex-mcmbcr Of Con-
gross of that name.
The latest advices from the scene of conflict
is a dispatch received via Cincinnati which states
that the combined forces of Generals Thomas
and Schoepf attacked the Confederate entrench-
ments on Monday, and captured the works,
with all their camp equipage and large num-
Der of prisoners. The death of General ZDIicof-
fer is confirmed. his body being in the hands of
the Fclerals. The loss in the battle of Monday is
also reported as heavy.
| Another dispatch received from Louisville
says that after the retreat Of the Confederates
on Sunday Gen. Thomas followed them up to
their entertainments, int ,nding to attack them
on Monday morning. but found the forti6cations
deserted, the Confedorates having rereated
across the Cum land river, opposite their en-
campment at Mill Spring and left behind them
all their army stores and wagons, which fell into
the hands of the Federals. The bodies Of two
hundred and seventy-fve of the killed and
| r,ouplo5 oftb o f.,,,p1 Tho
field The Federal loss is not fully reported
but the Indiana regiment lost seventy-fve killed
and wounded.
A correspondent of a Cincinnati paper, writ
ing from Columbia, KY. on the 10th instant
notices the departure of Gen. Thomas. with six
or seven regiments, for Somerset, with the in
tention of attacking Zollicoffer. Somerset is
town containing about fifteen hundred inbabi.
tants, and is situated in Pulaski county, eighty
four miles southeast of Frank fort, and five miles
north of the Cumberland river.
Another dispatch fron1 Cincinnati states that
four regiments Of Federal troops had advansal1
as far as South Carrollton, Kentucky, tifrrc
in tic route to Bowling Green. The Confe,1e-
rates in the vicinity of the last-named place are
said to be destroying the railroad, laying trees
on the track, and otherwise obstructiug the adj
vance of the Federal troops; but it was further
reported that they were making preparations to
abandon their position on the approach Of the
| Federal forces.
No intelligence, has been received from the
Burnside Expedition, and nothing is known in
regard to it except that the whole feet had
passed into Pamico Sound by Hatteras Inlet
A Cairo dispatch states that the recent river
reconnaissance by the Federals towards Column
bus, Kentucky, has been very successful, the
engineer corps obtaining full and accurate know
ledge of the country. -
The St. Louis Democrat, Republican paper,
of the 18th, contains a dispatch from Ironton, to
the effect that large body of Confederates M
der Gen. jeff. Thompson, attacked a force OF
eight hundred Federal troops under Col. Miles,
about twenty three miles from that place, and
after desperate battle, in which many on both
sides were killed, the Federals We're defeated.
and compelled to retire from the field by the
superior numbers of the opposing forces. A
large quantity of baggage fell into the hands Of
the Confederates and at last accounts the Fed
erals were still retreating towards Pilot Knob
No report of this battle has reached us by tele-
4 graph.
The reports of a westward movement of the
Federal troops from Rolla is confirmed, all hav-
ing left except one or two regiments which re-
main to guard the post. The Confederate pick
cts extend fourteen miles from Springfield, and
their force is estimated at fourteen thousand.
! An official report has been received in Wash
ington stating that on Saturday a body of Fed
eral cavalry attacked nine hundred Confederates
at Silver Creek, Howard county, Missouri. and
routed them, killing fifty and wounding sixty
and capturing twenty eight prisoners and large
quantity of army stores. The Federal loss il
reported at six killed and nineteen wounded. 2
! The next naval expedition which is now pre-
pairing at New York and other points, is to b.
commanded by Com. Farragut, and reports ar,
abroad, some stating that it is destined for Sa.
vannah, and others assigning it for the western
part of the Gulf 1t will be by far the most
powerful naval force yet fitted out: and will con
sist of the Hartford, Richmond, Pensacola ane
other large steam frgates, great number, O
2 eunboats and twenty or thirty vessels carrying
mortars and thirty-two Founders
The mortar fotilla connected with this expe
nedition is under the command of Capt. d. D
e Porter, and is being hurried towards completion
9 with all possible haste, but from its extent a
least two or three weeks may elapse before al
j., the vessels will be ready to proceed to. sea- Th
= armament being of kind rather novel to oil
II navy, hal, caused some delay in fitting out tn
s first vessels Of the fotllla, but these obstacle
are now overcome and the s vessels ss are neaf1
;. all ready for their guns. The mortar, which
:; placed zamidships Of each craft, weighs abou
q. 1000 pounds, andis bored for 1aineh proiee
+ tiles. the most formidable known to moder
: warfare.
: Information, it is stated, has been received i
$, Washington that the Confederates have evacus
5. ted their position at Manassas and retired ful
8. ther South The object of the movement is SUI
Al posed to be to counteract an approach Of tn
: Federal troops from the sea-board.
n The report that Gen. Wool had sent Motif
= cation to Norfolk to have the women and Chi
v clren removed from that city is not confrme
n by the official a,lvites received in Washington