The New York herald., 1862-01-28

lin S14
No official information from the Burnside expe.
dition has been received at Washington, though
a. will be seen by the Southern news, below refer.
red to, the mysterious action Of the feet is the
source Of considerable excitement and alarm
among the rebels all over the South.
u pursuance Of the order recently issued by Mr.
Stanton. Secretary of War; with regard to the an.
Pointment of Commissioners to visit Richmond and
other Southern cities where prisoners of war from
our army are confined, and minister to their com.
forts, Ex-Governor Hamilton Fish, of New York,
and Bishop Ames, Of Ohio-a leading dig
nitary of the Methodist Episcopal church
have been selected a. such Commissioners, and
have accepted the service. We give sketches of
both these eminent gentlemen in our columns
to-day. 1t has been arranged that the
Commissioners shall accompany Q body of rebel
prisoners from Fortress Monroe under a flag
IF truce. to the land of rebeldom, and if the
ebel authorities consent to the fulflment
IF their charitable mission. they will proceed
Do its execution; but if they should refuse,
Bishop Ames and Mr.. Fish will return. It
Is to be hoped, however, that the rebel leaders
will not object to the humane mission of our Com.
missioners.
change has just taken place in the Ordnance
Department at Washington which still further il
lustrates the sagacty of our new Secretary Of War;
The position Of Chief of the Ordnance Department,
one Of the most important bureaus of the War De-
been heretofore occupied since August last by
Brigadier General Jas. w. Ripley, an officer who
has been in the service for forty-seven years. He
has now been replaced by Brcvet Major Alexander
Brydie Dyer, much younger and more active
officer, who graduated at West Point in 1897. He
stands at the head of the Captains of Ordnance in
tn Army List Of September, 1861. We give in
our columns to-day very interesting sketches of
General Ripley and Major Dyer the retiring and
succeeding Chiefs of the Ordnance Department.
We publish in columns to-day another in
stallment of extracts from rebel newspapers, rela
tive to our recent victory at Mill Spring and other
interesting subjects. The Petersburg Express Of
the 18th inst. considers the tidings gloomy and
discouraging." The Norfolk Day Book Of the
same date thinks 1" it is the most serious reverse
that we have yet experienced" 1t further admits
that "a Gordon is being drawn around Virginia,
and she may be within the foul coils of the serpent
unless the important point now referred to be
strengthened Immediately"
Secretary of State Hunter has been elected to
the Senate Of the rebel bogus Congress, which
position will oblige him to resign the former post.
The Union light boat, lately stationed near the
Middle Ground, at the mouth Of the Chesapeake.
went ashore at the Pleasure House beach near
Cape Henry, on the cath inst, and with its crew,
consisting Of seven men, were captured by the
rebels.
BY an order recently issued by the Assistant Ad.
jutant General Of Virginia, the two hundred and
Gfty rebel soldiers who were captured by the
Union sxpedtionsts at Hatterss, N. c., and SUBJ
sequently released from Fort Warren, Boston har
Dor, ore released from parole, they having been
exchanged by General wool oil the United states
Army.
The Burnside expedition still continues to ex-
cite the fears and apprehensions Of the rebel
newspapers. The Norfolk Day Book Of the 25th
.says-That gentleman who reached that city on
the Gath direct from the North Carolina coast,
states that the report Of a large Union feet being
founded. The same paper considers the expedi-
Non an entire failure, and that the next news from
Europe will be that the Southern confederacy has
been recognized by France and England, and that
these nations have detcrn ined TO disregard the
inefficient blockade.
Ths Petersburg Vs) Ezprsss, o.. the 25th inss.,