The New York herald., 1862-03-20
THE SITUATION.


THE SITUATION.
The whole State of Florida is restored to the
Union. The capture of st. Augustine, with its
defences, at old Fort Marion and of Jacksonville,
by Commodore Dupont, brings back Florida under
the folds of the Stars and Stripes. Both places
were surrendered without fighting, and in the case
of st. Augustine the authorities of the place raised
the Union banner on the Town Hall with their
own hands. We publish to-day the official report
Of Commodore Dupont, detailing the whole affair.
'The American lag," he says, sis flying once
more over the old city; raised by the hands
of it's own people, who resisted the appeals,
threats and falsehoods of their leaders, though
compelled to witness the carrying off Of their sons
n the ranks Of the flying enemy. This gives US
possession of a second national fort of strength
md Importance" The Commodore gives full credit
% the officers and men of his command for the
aithful performance of their duty. Tie restora-
ion of Florida crowns the successes which have
attended our arms in the rebelious States for the
past three months Since the first of January the
States of Missouri, Tennessee and Kens,cky have
been fully recovered by the admirable man
ner in which Generals Halleck and Buell. and
Commodore Foote have carried out the plans
Of the sagacious mind now conducting the
grand Army of the Potomac on its onward
march. Large portions of Arkansas, Virginia and
Na Ia. a..
the whole Of Florida falls into tune to the music
Of the national anthem, and under the shadow of
the national ha raised by its own citizens This is
surely something worthy of record.
In addition to the vivid description of the bat
lie at tNewbern, North Carolina, which we gave from
our special correspondent yesterday we publish
To day the official report of the affair forwarded to
headquarters by General Burnside. 1t is in every
respect-even to the figures of the killed and
wounded-corfrmatory OF our accounts. Not tie
east significant portion of General Burnside's re-
port is the evidently unpremeditated, but over
whelming denial of the base ISLANDERS of General
McClellan's enemies, contained in the following
paragraph:-"I beg to say to the General COM
manding the army that I have endeavcred to carry
out the very minute instructions given me by him
before leaving Annapolis, and thus far events have
been sngularly coincidert with his anticpatons,
only hope that we may AZ future be able to carry
out in detail the remaining planspf the campaign.
The only thing have to regret is the delay caused
by the elements" We give to-day some excellent
maps and plans OF the battle ground at Newbern,
the Neuse river, and the rebel defences.
From latest reports it appears that the ,stel
batteries at Aqua creek evacuated thus ope n
ing the whole line Of the Lower Potomac. Ihe
steamtug Leslie, which arrived at Washington on
Tuesday night, reports that when she passed the
creek the buildings and wharvcs there were on
Gre, the supposition being that the enemy had
destroyed them and abandoned the place.
Our news from General Banks division Is in.
tercsting. General Shields is pursuing the flying
rebels under Jackson, towards Strasburg. The
rebels at last accounts disputng his advance,
foot by foot, with their infantry and artillery It
was reported at Winchester last night tlat our
troops occupied strasburg General shields
threw temporary bridge over Cedar creek after
the rebels destroyed the original one, threw his
army ACROSS the creek, and after brisk slSirmisl
entered the Town and threw his pickots out two
miles beyond it.
The latest intelligence from Island No Ton ia
contained in a despatch from General pope. a.
New Madrid, dated at scven clock las. event,
stating that the frius a. The island which had
been continuous all day, materially slackened a
that hour. A despatch received o: Washington
from Cairo dated at nine O'Clock lass night states
that General Pope had repolsed the rebel gunboat
feet at New Madrid, sinking one and dam x
others moro or less, without The loss of o man IN
his side. The nap OF md No. Ten and its ap.
prcechcs up and dow ne rvcr, which VIC publish
to-day, will be found very accurate.
The rebel General Beauregard is said to have
taken command Of the Mississippi Department
and that II is his intention TO forty all the avaa
BILE points on the river from rslaad Number Ten %
New Orleans. After the evacuation Of such strong
places as Columbus and Bowling Green, -hieh
became military necessity under the prsss~e 9 Of